After two years of market research, Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL) is ready for a commercial launch of the female condom in India. It will be distributed under the brand name ‘Confidom’. The condom is manufactured in the U.K. by the Chicago-based Female Health Company (FHC). In addition, the FHC announced this week that it has received an order from the National AIDS Control Organization of the Government of India for over 500, 000 condoms. [Link, in PDF]
Research conducted by HLL last year indicated an interest in the product from commercial sex workers as well as from college girls [Link]. While HLL is eying the moolah in upper middle class spheres the Indian government is giving them a helping hand by working with NGOs to reach sex workers:
Positioned as a high-end lifestyle product targeted at the segment of women aged between 18 to 35 years, the product has been priced at Rs. 250 for a pack of two. It expects to sell five lakh units in the first year. Meanwhile, the government has already ordered about five lakh pieces to be distributed free through NGOs or at a subsidized price of Rs. 5 to sex workers. [Link]
Female condoms are unique because they give women simultaneous control over STD prevention and contraceptive technology. Their influence on HIV prevention programs dealing with sex workers, such as Kolkata’s Sonagachi Project, could be huge. While promoting HIV awareness in the Sonagachi brothels, public health scientist Smarajit Rana found some very basic obstacles preventing the use of male condoms:
It transpired that if a prostitute insisted on condom use, her customer just went to someone else. Unlike AIDS, starvation posed an immediate threat, and the program seemed doomed. “Counseling, educating–it just doesn’t work,” Jana states. “Higher up in the social hierarchy, people are able to act on the information given to them. Not so in the lower levels.” [Link]
Confidoms could drastically reduce such difficulties faced by sex workers but at Rs. 5 a pop I wonder how accessible this method really is to them. HLL is looking at negotiating a deal with the FHC that would allow them to manufacture the condoms domestically, which would lower the price, but no word of a definite agreement as yet. Lack of spermicide and a slightly tricky insertion procedure make the female condoms around 80% effective at pregnancy prevention, compared to 97% for a male condom with spermicide. However, the polyurethane sheaths have a lower risk of tearing or slipping off than male condoms and do not require an erect penis to operate. If sold at a lower price, they could provide an easily accessible alternative to oral contraception (because, for one, them things is hard to hide from unsupportive mummies and daddies) or laytex condoms (because of allergies). The benefit is also clear for younger, sexually active women who, for whatever reason, find themselves unable to say “No glove, no love!” to unedu-ma-cated romeos armed with a million excuses, “I can’t feel anything”, “My instrument is too massive”, “Oww!”, and so on. Here’s hoping the Confidoms do all this and more.
Sahej:
Thanks for pointing this out 😉
I don’t want to add another log to this blaze but I don’t think its fair to suggest that the ideal body, save cup size (of either sex)(do athletic cups come in sizes?), is attainable with sufficient effort. E.g., I’ve wanted a four-pack since Janet Jackson’s That’s the Way Love Goes video. I’ve run the miles, declines an ice cream sundae or two, and, well, I’m still hopeful. TrimSpa maybe? Improvement is always possible but by simply identifying a preference, we’re being somewhat exclusionary. Maybe if I had Madonna’s personal trainer?
Of course SM has every right to moderate comments as y’all wish, but I don’t think CAD’s comments were objectively objectionable. Also, penis size is not as readily open to public judgement as boobies are and women are historically more subject to physical judgement than men, so I submit that they are different and that penis talk much much less offensive than boobie talk.
If anyone wants to know, female condoms are rather cumbersome because they are very slimy and can easily slip either wholly into the woman or to the side making their correct use (especially initially) rather difficult. On the other hand they are very thin (the ones I’ve seen in the USA), the thicker ring, because it sits outside the vagina, may provide a woman with clitoral stimulation during intercourse and as someone pointed out because of the heat retention seem to decrease sensitivity less. I know some women/men who prefer them, and some who hate them.
Whatever your choice of glove, they are the only methods of potentially preventing STDs (bonus: this includes the pitter patter type 🙂
oh espressa, I so love the phrase “booby talk” :)!!!!
Booby Talk? May be booby trap Penis Talk? …oh but its under wraps!
Yours with a wink Ms Fink
Ms Fink Nottle:
🙂 🙂 cute