The Legal Janitor

Some people either lack the capacity to understand research, or intentionally interpret it in a fashion that would appear to support their beliefs. Some people of the religious fundamentalist variety in particular seem rather prone to this critical flaw.

For example,

In March 2004, the medical journal Studies In Family Planning published an article titled ‘Condom Promotion For Aids Prevention In The Developing World: Is It Working?’. It says that high HIV transmission rates have continued despite high rates of condom use in many sub-Saharan African countries.

In fact, the nations with the highest levels of condom availability - like Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa - continue to have the highest HIV prevalence.

Compared with this from the actual abstract of the paper:

Other countries continue to have high rates of HIV transmission despite high reported rates of condom use among the sexually active. The impact of condoms may be limited by inconsistent use, low use among those at highest risk, and negative interactions with other strategies. (emphasis mine)

There is a fundamental difference between reported preferences and revealed preferences, and a very important reason why economists do not like to use data from surveys. The Soviet experience of central-planning should be clear evidence that self-reported data from surveys are almost always inaccurate.

People often say one thing, and do another. Religious fundamentalists should be no stranger to this phenomenon (they do the same thing). It is no accident that the abstract from the study quoted by Edmond Eh Kim Chew uses the phrase ‘reported rates of condom use‘. Researchers understand that the margin of error for self-reported data, especially where it involves behaviour like sex, is expectedly large.

What this establishes is that people say that they use condoms more than they actually do. Or alternatively, they render it ineffective because they don’t know how to use it (breakage, tears, etc). For Edmond to claim that this means condoms do not work shows that he is either incredibly dense, or just a barefaced liar. What is needed here is more education on how to use condoms, not less.

Next,

The report tells us that the national HIV prevalence for Uganda fell from around 15 per cent in 1991 to a mere 5 per cent in 2001. The key reason for the impressive result is the decrease in multiple sexual relationships. Condom promotion was not an important component in the campaign.

Compared with this summary report that also contains the report cited by Edmond Eh Kim Chew:

It appears that Uganda’s decline in HIV prevalence was associated with positive changes in all three ABC behaviors: increased abstinence, including delayed and considerably reduced levels of sexual activity by youth since the late 1980s; increased faithfulness and partner reduction behaviors; and increased condom use by casual partners.

Furthermore, later in the same report:

There is a clear need for a balance of A, B, and C interventions. Approaches should be combined as appropriate based on the local cultural context as well as the state of the AIDS epidemic. In Southeast Asia, HIV is still largely confined to high-risk populations, in which correct and consistent condom use is relatively easy to implement. In many African countries, the epidemic is more generalized and thus requires an appropriate mix of A, B, and C approaches.

What this shows is that even for agencies which allow for faith-based abstinence approaches, there is clearly a recognition that different factual scenarios call for different approaches. Again, Edmond Eh Kim Chew calls assertion that condom promotion was ‘not an important component’ is clearly false.

In an Asian society like Singapore, the best strategy is to teach the young people to abstain from sex before marriage and then to remain faithful to their spouses after marriage. And this is one of the crucial messages being taught to students in the sexuality workshops conducted by the Family Life Society.

I agree that abstinence and fidelity are private moral behaviours which should be encouraged, as long as it is a free and voluntary choice not made through coercion, fraud or physical force. The problem is that this free choice is effectively made void by the fact that the Family Life Society lied about the effectiveness of condoms, and the nature of its ineffectiveness.

The crucial message that I am teaching here, is that regardless of how morally virtuous one’s message may be, once you lie or deceive in order to convince people of your message, then you have lost all moral authority, and should not expect people to trust or respect you.

On the last point,

Also, in June 2003, the United Nations’ Aids agency (Unaids) published a draft study which said that condoms are actually ineffective in protecting against HIV at an estimated 10 per cent of the time.

Even Google could not find this purported draft study cited by Edmond Eh Kim Chew, but I can direct readers to the current UNAIDS page, where they state:

According to UNFPA, only 4.9% of married women of reproductive age use condoms. Many women find it hard or impossible to negotiate with their partners to use condoms. There is therefore a critical need for protection options women can control themselves.

Hmm, is it not a coincidence that Edmond Eh Kim Chew is a man?

And the link below leads to a PDF file that states clearly the position of UNAIDS on the matter of condom use[PDF]:

The male latex condom is the single, most efficient, available technology to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections… Conclusive evidence from extensive research among heterosexual couples in which one partner is infected with HIV shows that correct and consistent condom use significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission from both men to women, and also from women to men.

Also consider the public papers available for download along the right side of that page. Every single one of the papers reiterates the stance in the position statement.

So Mr Edmond Eh Kim Chew, which one are you, liar or moron?

The Straits Times - Learning about contraception not enough for Aids prevention - Feb 14, 2006
Population Council | Studies in Family Planning | March 2004, Vol. 35, No. 1
USAID Health: HIV/AIDS, News/Info, ABC Approach
UNAIDS.org | Condoms