Western influence has come largely through videos, in particular pornography. Widely available, pornographic videos have jettisoned Central Asians into a new age of awareness and involvement with prostitution. Widows, divorcees, the poor and young women who have sullied their reputation and therefore ruined their marriage options, often gravitate towards prostitution, a lucrative form of income, despite the social alienation it incurs. Although promiscuity is on the increase amongst men and a small number of women, sex education is not. In a culture where most people will not even use the word for sex but resort to a hasty hand gesture to illustrate their point, this seems unlikely to change.
Condoms are now available in the capital cities, but few can be found in the countryside.
For most men, they are considered an unnecessary expense if they are considered at all. According to official figures in Uzbekistan, a mere 73 people have been diagnosed as HIV positive. How large the real numbers are is anyone's guess. Increasingly though, Central Asian governments are showing concern and making HIV tests mandatory for employment in schools and universities. Still, clean bills of health come easily from an impoverished medical system and doctors in need of supplementary income.