This is a picture of the Grim reaper. In Australia, the Grim Reaper HIV/AIDS education campaign was launched in 1987, with television images of death mowing down a range of victims in a bowling alley. Although widely criticised at the time, the advertisements did succeed in ensuring widespread discussion of AIDS.

"A Bowling alley of death, haunted by decomposing grim reaper bowling over men, pregnant women, babies and crying children was featured on national television last night as the part of a $3 million AIDS education campaign, The 60-second commercial featuring the grim reaper, a macabre and dramatic rotten corpse with scythe in one hand and bowling ball in the other, is spearheading efforts by the National Advisory Committee on AIDS to Educate Australians about the incurable disease."

More about the history of HIV and AIDS can be found at http://www.avert.org/historyi.htm

This photo is part of a larger HIV and AIDS picture gallery. For more HIV and AIDS photos visit http://www.avert.org/historyi.htm

Please note, that this grim reaper picture is copyrighted. If you wish to use it or any part of it on your site, or in any other way, please ask permission from the copyright holder. The contact details of the copyright holders can be found here.

Photo credit: � Australian Department of Health and AVERT