Laredo- The Laredo Health Department recognized national women’s and girls HIV awareness day with a long list of informational sessions yesterday. But it was the location of one of those testing centers that caught the attention of Laredoans.
City officials offered free HIV testing at City Limits adult store to girls as young as 15 and say they have a good reason. City officials say they are doing everything they can to cut down on the numbers of women that are being affected by HIV and aids even if it does take going to adult stores to do the testing.
Among the thousands of pornography titles and sex toys at City Limits last night you could find teenaged girls taking aids tests. The testing was done by the city’s health department as part of national women’s and girls awareness HIV/Aids awareness day … which targets females ages 15 through 30.
Dr. Hector Gonzalez of the Laredo Health Department says, “when we approach those places with a more adult population. You’ll be surprised at these young girls responses and who they’ve been exposed to.”
Gonzalez says many of the young girls affected are in relationships with older men who do walk into adult entertainment establishments.
“A lot of our younger females are getting exposed by older males. We’re trying to approach it from both sides.”
In Laredo, 88 females have been positive for HIV since 1985, most of them prostitutes.
Last year was the highest total for women.
So despite some opposition Gonzalez hopes the general message is a positive one.
“Our is we take the sources where we feel there is the need and this is something we routinely do were always out there in some form or fashion those to make sure we offer information those who do want to get tested.”
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“Its good to let them know about especially aids. No one ever thinks of that.”
City officials say they also visited several other locations including the mall and other entertainment establishments. In all they handed out over one thousand brochures and over 100 people volunteered for the testing. Doctor Gonzalez also points out that anyone can get a free test done at the health department any day of the week.