Govt probes sexual behaviour in prisons
Lekopanye Mooketsi | Tuesday February 3, 2015 15:29
The survey comes after years of lobbying by rights advocates who have been asking government to provide condoms to prisoners and recognise that homosexual relationships are taking place behind bars.
Government’s official line has been that homosexuality is illegal and therefore cannot be facilitated, although senior officials have appeared to warm to the idea in recent times.
NACA spokesperson, Lorato Mongatane said the survey results would inform government and key stakeholders on the best possible interventions for the prison setting.
“Government carried out a surveillance and behavioural survey in order to provide accurate data on HIV prevalence in the prison setting, the patterns and nature of sexual behaviour in prisons as well as perceptions and attitudes towards HIV by prison populations, prison staff and prisoners’ families and partners,” she said. Mongatane said protecting prisoners against HIV infection is a pragmatic public health policy, as the majority of prisoners are eventually released back into society.
She said the current measures for controlling HIV in local prisons include free voluntary HIV testing, peer-based counselling, health education and ARV treatment to citizen inmates. Former NACA chair and immediate past president, Festus Mogae has been among those lobbying for the issuance of condoms to prisoners.