FORENSIC EXPERIENCE

By OLUSEGUN MICHAEL, ADENIYI

PREFACE

The interest to pen this journal (in a book form) was borne out of a pathetic story told by my pastor in one of his sermon on Sundays. The story of a female medical student that succumbed to having sexual intercourse with her boyfriend after both have been tested negative for HIV. The sad scenario was that about a year later after a brief illness she was tested for HIV again; the result this time is POSITIVE! What went wrong? She was faithful to her boyfriend and never had another affair.

It was discovered afterwards that the said boyfriend was having sexual relationship with another girl. What becomes of her medical career you may inquire? That dream forfeited!
AIDS is a deadly disease caused by a germ called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The late stage of HIV infection is called acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Once a person gets infected with HIV, he or she can infect others through unprotected sex, blood transfusion, sharing of sharp objects and if a female at birth to her unborn child. HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus invades and cripples the immune system, exposing the infected to life-threatening opportunistic infections.

AIDS was first reported among the homosexuals in USA, the year 1981. Presently AIDS has neither definite cure nor preventive vaccine. More people are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS everyday. This of course has social, political and economic effect on the nations.
Several groups, organizations, corporate establishments and individual efforts have been made at different capacities to offer awareness campaign, prevention strategy and control of the epidemic, AIDS. With no sentiment this piece is meant to tackle the campaign against the spread of HIV in a different perspective of a girl child’s virtue, CHASTITY. At the end it is the woman who determines when, where and whether sex should take place. Besides, sexual intercourse is one major means of transmitting and contracting HIV, which infection is AIDS. The risk of women contracting HIV through vaginal intercourse is twice that of a men, this making the

women more vulnerable to HIV infection.

The need for children sex education can never be over estimated. Children needed to be given sex education, be informed about HIV/AIDS before they become sexually active. That what this book stands to give, to provide for our wards and mothers, with no doubt shall contribute immensely to curb the spread of the epidemic, AIDS.

FORENSIC EXPERIENCE

Imagine yourself in a medical laboratory for Forensic test. You would like to guess for what? To check for number of finger prints on your body since birth to prove your sexual fidelity and chastity. How many of finger prints imprinted on your alluring body at the course of coitus would be found? Tens, hundreds may be?

If all can see from the perspective of a forensic experience caution will be given by how and whom our body is given for sexual pleasures. Especially in a culture that places high value to moral standard and sensitive to female fidelity. The natural measure of that is that there is certain proportion of your virtue that leaves you each time a man mounts you. How many of such virtues do you think you must have ignorantly given away? Not so sure, right?

What if your husband to be can see through the lens of a forensic science, do you think he would still want to walk down the aisle with you? May be, having discovered that you’ve had it with several men before him.

A woman’s body is her greatest asset and not to be trampled or molested by any man but your husband. What is a pride of a woman if not the one reflected in her chastity? A woman’s virginity still remains her treasure and pride, her chastity a priceless virtue and quell for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

If you are to go through Forensic experience in this context will you be proud of by your husband, friends and family? It’s not too late to start living responsibly.

GIRL CHILD’S SEX EDUCATION

There is a story of a young girl of about four years old that a neighbour use to finger at any slices opportunity for them to be alone together. THE INNOCENT GIRL generously gives in to the act in exchange for sweet. This went on for a long time before another neighbour detected the shameful act and asked the little girl if “uncle lagbaja” has been touching her buttocks of which she responded, YES. The poor girl lost her virginity barely before her fifth birthday. The painful thing was that the mother was not aware of it. The mother is a busy type and often left the little girl in the care and guidance of the house maid who is just twelve years old.

We should be open to sex education which is the better way to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS. Educating our wards especially the girl child about sex, the effects and how it affect them and their immediate environment will help in making a wise choice when it comes to making decision in that regards..

Sex education should start soon as the child begins to walk, giving her knowledge of body awareness. A girl child needs to be told that some particular parts of her body are not to be touched by anybody without her telling mummy and daddy. Parents, especially mummy should create a friendly atmosphere for her to communicate her vulnerability and sexual challenges.
When she turns sixteen and becomes aware of her sexuality and vulnerability, what is the information readily available for her? The mother should be the first to tell her about her menstruation when she first notice it. Mother should develop with her girl child a consistent, positive, emotional connection, which makes her feel secured and help grown in her resiliency needed to manage the challenges in her life.

Mother should help her improve her self-confidence and ability to make informed choices, such as postponing sex until she is mature enough to protect herself from HIV, other STIs and unwanted pregnancy. She should be empowered to take charge of her sexuality. She needed to know that the sexual orgies and drives are part of what makes her human and should take positive response to it by not giving in to her emotions. Let her know that it is an honour for her as a woman to experience sex for the first time after her wedding night.

Mother, you shall be counted guilty for your girl child’s early unwanted pregnancy and for contracting the HIV/AIDS. Now is the time to act by giving her the SEX EDUCATION she needed to sail through adolescence and beyond.

PORTRAIT OF AN INFECTED HIV GIRL

PORTRAIT OF AN INFECTED HIV GIRL

Born great and endowed with brilliant potentials
Her parents the path and guide to which she discovers and fulfils her divine purpose
But they became invisible as she grows

At adolescence she is drawn by all sort s of emotional pulls and peer pressure
She quest for an answer for her physical changes and sexual drives.
Alas! No one to her rescue
Before long, she was lost!

Lost in the crowd of the unguided
Misdirected and the uninformed generation.
By her 16th birthday, she has been sexually abused
Her virginity, already gone
Her first child, aborted
Her womb, tampered with
Her emotions, distressed
Her self image, shattered
And the ultimate, her health, been infected with HIV/AIDS

The sad note is this
Her talent, untapped
Her youthful and exuberant energies, improperly channelled
And her dreams, unrealized

She could be your daughter, niece, sister or aunt.
Let’s act now!

NEED FOR SEX EDUCATION

During the adolescence, teenagers experience sexual changes, sexual desires, and sexual demands. If their responses to these physiological and emotional changes are not properly channelled into socially responsible and acceptable behaviour, they end up getting involved in activities that are harmful to them and lack of guidance leads them into early sexual experimentation.

Honest discussion of sex with the kids, letting them knows that sexual feelings are natural part of growing up. Young people have a choice about whether to show their sexual feelings and in what way. Some could express their sexual feelings through sexual intercourse which comes with a lot of risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, like HIV and a girl can get pregnant. Sexual intercourse is when a man’s penis enters or penetrates into a woman’s vagina. Some could express their through kissing and hugging. It is advisable for young ones to abstain from all sexual acts that can leads to sexual intercourse and avoid premarital sex. They could choose to express their sexual feelings with no action, and this will cause no harm to both parties.

Premarital sex is simply sex that precedes marriage. That is any form of sexual activity that is done in teenage years, before maturity and before marriage. The youth should know that sexual activity is a special gift preserved for married people. Young ones should tread the path of abstinence instead of believing in safe sex.

Early sexual experience could lead to unwanted pregnancies, risk of contracting the sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV.

CONDOM AND YOU!

Valentine Day of February 14, 2009 it was recorded on page 6 of Sunday Tribune, 15th February, 09 that the number of condoms used in Nigeria was conservatively put at 2.5 million, while global consumption of the product was put at approximately 1.2 billion. But how many of these condoms were properly and correctly put to use? This piece was inspired by that information to write about condom, how to use it effectively and correctly.

Why you should use condom, the fact is that it’s better not to have sex before marriage, but if you are going to have sex it’s advised to stick to one partner and use condom correctly and consistently. Condoms reduce the risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases if consistently and correctly used. Also condoms reduced the risk of unintended pregnancy.

So, how strong are condoms? Condoms do not easily break if they are used properly. Firstly, never use a lubricant like Vaseline, cocoa butter or any oily cream on the condom- they weaken the latex. If you want to use a lubricant use water based ones like LUBRICA. Caution is not to rush or force sex, love making should be tenderly.

You may ask if condom actually reduce the risk of contracting HIV. I will say YES, IF correctly and consistently used. If you blow up a condom like balloon it holds the air. Air is made up of small units much smaller than HIV. If air cannot get through, it makes it impossible for HIV to get through

My advice is that ladies should be bold enough to initiate condom and get to know how to wear condom for guys. It’s better advised that the woman should wear it for the man.
For effective use of condom, these are the steps to be taken at infra:

* Feel the rough edge of the condom sachet with your finger and tear open the packet carefully. Don’t use teeth or sharp blades.

* Hold the tip of the condom to expel the air; then roll it down over the erect penis; this allows room at the end to collect the sperm (come).

* After Sex, withdraw the penis before it goes soft, holding the base of the condom as you do so.

* Tie the condom in a knot (to hold in the sperm) and then dispose by burying or burning. Don’t re-use condoms. USE A NEW CONDOM EVERY TIME YOU HAVE SEX.

HOW HIV AFFECTS OUR BODY SYSTEM.

-Our body is protected against illnesses (such as cough, diarrhea) by the immune system (white blood cell). Immune system known as the body soldiers, combat illness without alerting the body except when it gets too serious.


-When HIV enters the human body the first assignment is to attack and if possible get ride of the immune system. At the end it weakens and destroys the immune system and open chances to other diseases to come into the body.

-Without the immune system different illnesses will attack the human body and eventually kills.

Conclusively, HIV is a virus that affects human beings and causes a lowering of the body’s immune system. This makes it impossible for the body to fight certain infections. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the infection while AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the disease.

THE ABC OF PREVENTION IS

-Abstain from sex before marriage.
-Be faithful to your sex partner (mutually).
-Condom use (correctly and consistently) for casual sex.
-Do not share any sharp object such as razor blades, knifes, needles, clippers, toothbrush e.t.c.

CARE AND SUPPORT FOR PLWHA (PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS)

* PHYSICAL NEEDS
- Wash the person’s body regularly
- Provide a balanced diet
- Keep their clothes and bedding clean.

* SOCIAL NEEDS
- Do not discriminate
- Show love

* FINANCIAL SUPPORT
- Get people to donate funds for their care
- Get NGOs to support

* COMMUNITY SUPPORT
- To care, provide a home, help and funds
- Treatment of opportunistic infections
- Advocate for free drugs