Groups Distribute Condoms

Harvard students celebrating Valentine's Day a few days late should have no trouble finding protection for the next several days.

This week is Condom Week, sponsored by several campus groups dealing with sex and contraception issues. By week's end, five thousand free condoms will have been distributed in dining halls across campus.

The event is sponsored by Peer Contraceptive Counseling, AIDS Education Outreach, Students for Choice and Contact. University Health Services contributed 2,000 condoms to the groups' effort, said Laing P. Foster, co-director of peer Contraceptive Counseling.

Throughout Condom Week, volunteers will table in dining halls and distribute condoms and pamphlets giving instructions for their proper use, as well as information about safe sex, Foster said.

Student reaction to the project is "generally not negative," she said.

"Some people are very enthusiastic." Foster added. "But there are definitely people who keep walking."

Foster said the program was aimed not only at pregnancy and disease prevention but also at raising students' consciousness of the need for protection.

"The goal of the project is mainly awareness on campus and the prevention of pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases," Foster said.

Condom Week has also been busy for Toby B. Kasper '97, the initiator of the Freshman Condom Availability Project, a recently-launched effort to makecondoms and safe sex information available in thefirst-year dorms.

Kasper said he has distributed 2,500 condomsthis year and 750 condoms as a volunteer duringCondom Week.

Kasper said he will add volunteering in thedining halls to his already established practiceof keeping a regular supply of condoms, obtainedthrough the Massachusetts Department of PublicHealth, in the basket on his door in Greenough110.

But diners at the Union last night had mixedreactions to the condorr distribution effort.

Jesse V. Szeto '97 said he objected to the waycondoms were advertised as people waited in lineat the Union.

"They should be sensitive to the fact that somepeople might be offended by it," Szeto said.

But two female first-years, speaking oncondition of anonymity, said the effort to promoteawareness was positive. "I think it's a good ideayou need them," one said.

"But being at Harvard, you don't the othersaid. "Harvard is the ultimate form ofcontraception."

Availability and Awareness

Kasper said the goal of his personaldistribution campaign is to male condoms readilyavailable.

"I want to make it so that a freshman in anydorm can walk down the hall and have access to acondom," Kasper said.

He also plans to train other volunteers todistribute condoms

Kasper said he has distributed 2,500 condomsthis year and 750 condoms as a volunteer duringCondom Week.

Kasper said he will add volunteering in thedining halls to his already established practiceof keeping a regular supply of condoms, obtainedthrough the Massachusetts Department of PublicHealth, in the basket on his door in Greenough110.

But diners at the Union last night had mixedreactions to the condorr distribution effort.

Jesse V. Szeto '97 said he objected to the waycondoms were advertised as people waited in lineat the Union.

"They should be sensitive to the fact that somepeople might be offended by it," Szeto said.

But two female first-years, speaking oncondition of anonymity, said the effort to promoteawareness was positive. "I think it's a good ideayou need them," one said.

"But being at Harvard, you don't the othersaid. "Harvard is the ultimate form ofcontraception."

Availability and Awareness

Kasper said the goal of his personaldistribution campaign is to male condoms readilyavailable.

"I want to make it so that a freshman in anydorm can walk down the hall and have access to acondom," Kasper said.

He also plans to train other volunteers todistribute condoms