Shanghai and Guangzhou launched a homosexual hotline (800-988-1929) yesterday providing services including psychological, legal and HIV consultation, the Information Times reported.

Mobile phone users can dial 021-6380-4448 to reach the service, the newspaper said.

Volunteers from Shanghai will answer questions about psychology and legal affairs, while their Guangzhou colleagues will offer information about HIV and AIDS.

Most of the volunteers have educational backgrounds in psychology, law and medicine. The youngest volunteer in Guangzhou is a junior student, the newspaper said.

No personal information is required from the inquirers who are seeking help from the hotline.

About 38 percent of respondents to a homosexual survey hosted by Professor Zhang Beichuan, an expert on AIDS prevention and homosexuality, have at least once suffered from insults, sexual harassment, assault, racketeering, among others. However, most were not willing to seek legal help in order to protect their identifies, the newspaper said.