Social Correlates of Unsafe Sexual Intercourse

Abstract

Building upon the work of Connell and colleagues, this paper examines four social correlates of unsafe sexual intercourse for gay, bisexual and heterosexual people. These are: (1) alcohol consumption; (2) uncertainty about one's HIV-infection status; (3) learned and shared logic about condoms; and (4) logic about the seriousness of the AIDS epidemic. The data come from two samples of sexually active people in Perth: (1) the gay community and (2) clients at an STD clinic. Data collection consisted of self- administered questionnaires (N=906), follow-up interviews (N=361) and ethnographic field work at heterosexual and gay venues. The conclusion reached is that unsafe sexual intercourse may be considered to be a collective, cultural institution and not merely due to individual ignorance, weakness or foolishness. HIV education and prevention programs need to focus more on collective action to achieve safer sex practices and on grassroot social processes that will sustain changes toward safer sex.