Promotion of Virtual Sex In Safer Sex Guidelines

PROMOTION OF VIRTUAL SEX IN SAFER SEX GUIDELINES

Dating and intimacy practices have changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow fizical distancing guidelines and protect the spread of disease, more and more people are substituting in-person connections for virtual interactions. This shift to virtual interactions introduces a new set of challenges. Video dates, phone chats, sexting, online chat rooms and group cam rooms are ways to engage in sexual activity with no risk of spreading COVID-19. This alternatives are promoted in the new international save sex guidelines (CDC, WHO) and they are upgrading the classical save sex messages with condom promotion since the last pandemic of HIV/AIDS. Video and virtual sex is certainly COVID-19-safe, but not always socially safe. Many researchers warne that the availability of sex robots with artificial intelligence poses a growing psychological and moral threat to individuals and society. Sharing information or photos of bodies online and web camming have great risks potential. There is an increase risk of harm, including stalking, bullying and sexploitation. In certain parts of the world there is a record of increase of cyber-sex trafficking, intimate image abuse hotlines and revenge porn cases. The recommendations and the shift to online sex have failed to provide information on how to safely and respectfully navigate these digital spaces. In the future we have to insure sexual health with comprehensive recommendations, curricula and resources of informations which are based on sexual rights, human rights and dignity.