The University of Brighton is leading a campaign to fight the rise of HIV in European gay tourist destinations.
From 2003 to 2007, there was a 39 per cent increase in HIV cases in Europe.
Researchers believe that increasing globalisation and tourism, coupled with people tiring of prevention messages, are to blame.
Now, they have launched the Everywhere project to encourage gay-friendly businesses to spread the safe-sex message.
The project is being run by Dr Nigel Sherriff and Professor John Kenneth Davies of the International Health Development Research Centre.
Dr Sherriff said: “HIV continues to be a major public health issue across Europe and the need therefore, for effective and co-ordinated European action with regards to HIV prevention is becoming increasingly urgent.”
It is targeting businesses including gay dating websites, clubs, hotels, travel agents and sex venues.
It encourages them to be more socially responsible in preventing HIV, using guidelines developed in partnership with the Terrence Higgins Trust.
It rewards those which make efforts with an “Everywhere Seal of Social Responsibility”.
The project has approached 140 businesses and so far 30 have been earmarked to receive the seal, which will allow men to identify socially responsible businesses.
It is quite scary that there is still no cure for HIV/AIDS and the only way we can fight it is by prevention. How long would it take our scientists to develop a cure or vaccine for this disease?
*