Conjugal visits from female spouses and condom distribution could help reduce the spread of HIV through male homosexual sex in the Caribbean region’s correctional facilities, according to the Association of Caribbean Heads of Corrections and Prison Services, Agence France-Presse reports (afp.google.com, 6/12).

Marcus Day, the head of the organization, told the AFP that the spread of HIV in Caribbean prisons can be attributed largely to rape and homosexual sex. According to the article, 3 percent of men in Caribbean prisons are HIV positive.

“Given our [sodomy] laws [and] our high levels of homophobia, we have kind of not looked at the scientific evidence about these kind of transmissions and we just ignored it,” Day said. “Allow men to have the women come and visit them in prison and have a private room where they can make love to each other and the desire to have same-sex relationships will be greatly reduced.”

Day also recommended that prisoners get access to condoms, which has been widely opposed.