The Metro Centre, the south-east London-based HIV prevention and sexual health charity, has launched a new HIV awareness campaign for gay and bisexual men.

According to the Greenwich charity, over half of men surveyed out of 476 in the London Borough of Greenwich who were accessing HIV outreach services did not know or were unsure whether or not there were increased risks for receptive partners in unprotected anal intercourse.

The figure increases to 56% of men engaging in more risky sexual behaviour.

Dr Greg Ussher, Metro’s Deputy CEO said: “As rates of HIV and other STI infection amongst men who have sex with men continue to rise, we need to ensure that men have all the information they need to make safer choices and to reduce the risk of transmission.

“Our local research tells us that a lot of men don’t know that bottoms are so much more at risk and that not knowing can lead to riskier choices. We want all men to have equal access to information in a language that they understand, to have equal protection, and to take equal responsibility for safer sex through condom use.”

He added: “I urge all men to watch the video, to know the facts, Fck Equal and to be regularly tested. Safer sex is everyone’s responsibility and only by working together will we halt the spread of HIV.”