Every 15 seconds, someone under the age of 25 is infected with HIV, according to the Douglas County AIDS Project.

DCAP’s annual AIDS Walk will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire, in Lawrence.

“AIDS is growing rapidly, especially in women,” senior Megan Brokaw said. “Right now, about 1.3 million women have HIV. And prevention is so easy, but people don’t like to talk about sex. We need to get people to be more open about it.”

Brokaw, an intern at DCAP, said while the University of Kansas has been promoting the event “hardcore,” Baker awareness was significantly less.

“There’s just a lot going on (at Baker) this time of year,” she said. “We’ve been putting posters around campus to promote awareness.”

Kristin Brumm, executive director of DCAP, stressed the importance of awareness and the growing population of women with HIV/AIDS.

“In the U.S. before 1996, 6.6 percent of those diagnosed with AIDS were adult females,” she said. “In 2005, that number increased to 21.7 percent. A very high percentage of those are women of color. African American women are especially disproportionately affected by this disease.”

Brumm said there are statistics Baker’s campus and the Baldwin community should be aware of.

“In the U.S., 50 to 75 percent of people who contract HIV get it from someone who didn’t know they had it,” she said. “That’s why it’s so important to get tested, because a person can go for 10 years or more after contracting the virus without having any symptoms or realizing they have it.”

Those interested in the AIDS Walk 2007 can register online at douglascountyaidsproject.org.

Brumm said DCAP will be offering a prize to the Baker team who raises the most money.

For more information about AIDS awareness, visit DCAP’s Web site or thebody.org.