Positive Nation

THE UK’S HIV & SEXUAL HEALTH MAGAZINE

nation

World AIDS Day2009

Please visit www.positivenation.co.uk –

Welcome

CONTENTS

to Positive Nation WAD special!

UK News World News

FEATURES

Dear Readers,

That Seven Digit Number

8-10

NAT speaks out

14

Kicking into action - HIVSports

16-17

Behind Closed Doors: Women, Prison and HIV

20-21

Positive Progress: Life Assurance 22 SPOTLIGHT: JAT REPORT: Crusaid - HIV related poverty COLUMN: Muny Mudarikiri

THE UK’S HIV & SEXUAL HEALTH MAGAZINE

19 24-25 26

nation

POSITIVE NATION THE UK’S HIV & SEXUAL HEALTH MAGAZINE ISSUE 142

Well here were are at the 22nd World AIDS Day, and much has changed and improved for the lives of HIV-positive people. However, at this time it always makes me think where will we be in another 22 years? The 44th World AIDS Day. There maybe a cure, there maybe a vaccine, which of course would be fantastic. However, I can be sure of one thing – the poor will still be most afflicted probably because they can’t afford the treatment or their government won’t give it to them. The Editor: Daniel Charcharos international theme of WAD is Universal Access and Human Rights, referring to ongoing campaigns to provide antiretroviral treatment to everyone who needs it. So in this time of thanksgiving we must be thankful we live where we do – even though the situation in the UK isn’t perfect.

In this mini-issue we revisit Clayton Brown as he talks about what he has been doing since returning from Ghana and the challenges he has faced raising money for HIVGHANA in these difficult times. We also have a new young columnist who talks about his experiences in boxing as a positive man. All this and much more.

I wish you all a great World AIDS Day and a happy and healthy Christmas and hopefully Positive Nation will be back next year in print.

Much love and thanks to everyone who helped put this together. Feel free to let us know what YOU would like to see in further issues.

3-4 5-6

Clayton goes to Ghana

Daniel

The continuing adventures of Clayton Brown in Ghana

SUNDAY 7th JUNE 2009 ISSUE 142 – FREE Please take a copy or visit www.positivenation.co.uk – FOR ADULTS ONLY PN.cover_142.indd 2

Editor Daniel Charcharos danielc@talentmedia.org

22/4/09 11:33:01

DISCLAIMER © 2009. Positive Nation is published by Talent Media Ltd. Copyright of all images and articles remains with the publisher. All other rights recognised. We cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited text, photographs or

PUBLISHERS Danielle Carter and Darren Waite

illustrations. Views expressed by individual contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. The mention, appearance or likeness of any person or organisation in articles or advertising in Positive Nation is not to be taken as any indication of health, HIV status or lifestyle.

Publication & Advertising Manager Darren Waite darren@talentmedia.org Creative Director Jon-Paul Daly – Entwurf

2 | Positive Nation

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UK

REPORTED BY DANIEL CHARCHAROS

PNNEWS

Parliament asked to help protect gay men from HIV

> Elton John says young people are complacent about HIV AFRAID: Elton John expresses his concerns about AIDS and the young

>

Elton John has said that young people are putting themselves at risk of HIV infection by not having safe sex.

Speaking at a charity gala for his AIDS charity last night, he warned that the latest generation are “complacent” about the dangers.

He told Radio 1’s Newsbeat: “We are finding that too many young people are not listening to what we are

saying.

“I’m afraid people do get a little complacent about the disease by going out and having unsafe sex.

“It’s a cyclical thing.

Every ten years a new generation comes along and you have to reeducate them.”

The star also said that although AIDS is not a “new disease”, his charity was seeing higher rates of HIV infection in African

American women, the rural south and in the gay community.

The event, held for his Elton John AIDS Foundation, was the first time the singer had been seen out in public since falling ill with flu and an E.coli infection.

Other public figures attending the annual gala included Sharon Stone,former US president Bill Clinton and Daniel Craig.

Source - Pink News

Compulsory Sex and Relationships Education is to become compulsory as part of the National Curriculum

>

Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE education) will be made compulsory in schools from September 2011.

Ed Balls confirmed that personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE education) including sex and relationships education, will be made compulsory in schools from September 2011.

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of

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NAT (National AIDS Trust) commented: “We welcome the Government’s announcement that personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE education) will be made compulsory in schools. STIs, including HIV, are on the rise among young people.

All young people have the right to appropriate sex and relationships education that will give them the information they need to protect their

sexual health. We are pleased that discussion of same sex relationships and HIV is included in the PSHE education programme of study. HIV is a serious long-term condition and young gay men remain the group of young people most at risk. In the past young gay men have often been ignored in sex and relationships lessons in schools and the result has been a rise in young gay men being diagnosed with HIV.”

The National AIDS Trust will be asking Members of Parliament to sign an Early Day Motion to help protect young gay men from HIV. The motion will ensure that young gay men are given the appropriate information to prevent them from contracting the life threatening disease HIV. The motion has been tabled as part of World AIDS Day, which takes place on December 1st.

Deborah Jack, chief executive of NAT, said: “Young gay men missed out on the widespread health promotion messages of the 1980s, and they are now the group of young people most at risk of getting HIV. New diagnoses amongst young gay men have doubled in the last ten years.

“We hope every MP will sign this important motion, and if an MP doesn’t sign we will want to know why they are not prioritising HIV prevention for young gay men.”

David Borrow MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS said: “Good sex and relationships education in schools is critical to good health, and schools should know how to respond to the learning needs of young gay men. This is an area which some teachers may find difficult and they will need support and guidance. However, if we ignore the educational needs of young gay men we will see rates of HIV continue to rise and that would be indefensible.”

Source – Pink Wire Positive Nation | 3

PNNEWS UK New survey targets over 50s living with HIV Terrence Higgins Trust with Age Concern & Help the Aged are launching a survey today to find out the needs and concerns of people living with HIV who are aged over 50.

The findings of the research, titled 50Plus, will be made available to services for both older people, and people with HIV, to help them develop appropriate support. Online and paper questionnaires will be distributed and can be filled in until January 4th, when the survey closes.

The questionnaire asks a series of questions about the participant’s life, hopes and concerns. It’s completely anonymous and there is a prize draw for two people, randomly drawn, who will each get £100 of shopping vouchers.

Lisa Power, Head of Policy at Terrence Higgins Trust said “Currently, we know we could be doing more for people over 50 with HIV, whether someone is newly diagnosed or has been living with the virus for decades. People need support in various ways and we want to ensure that service changes are based on the genuine needs of people over 50 with HIV, not on someone’s best guess. We hope to get as many people as possible filling the survey in.”

Tainted Blood

>

On Thursday the 19th November, Lord Morris of Manchester announced to the House of Lords a private members bill entitled the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill.

Lord Morris has campaigned for years and has been supportive both to us, and to Lord Archer, whose report was largely dismissed by government. In this Bill he’s mirrored the recommendations 4 | Positive Nation

REPORTED BY DANIEL CHARCHAROS

GMFA’s World AIDS Day Message: ‘Take Responsibility For Safer Sex’

>

London, 18 November 2009 – All gay men, regardless of their HIV status, are responsible for safer sex. This World AIDS Day, GMFA, the gay men’s health charity, will be promoting this message across the London gay scene with a new postcard campaign and host of fundraising events.

Matthew Hodson, Head of Programmes at GMFA, says: “This is a simple yet important health message that we want to get across. Many HIVnegative men believe it’s up to positive men not to infect others, while many HIV-positive men believe HIV-negative men should take responsibility to protect themselves. The truth is we are all responsible for our own health as well as that of our partners.”

Unsafe sex between gay men, HIV positive and HIV negative, is behind the spread of HIV in the gay community.

Both positive and negative gay men in the UK engage in high-risk sexual activity - specifically, fucking without condoms with men whose status they do not know, or whose status they know to be different to their own.

Matthew adds: “This means that whatever your own HIV status, you can’t rely on your partner to take responsibility for preventing the spread of HIV. Whether you want to protect your partners or protect yourself, it’s up to you to take responsibility.”

Postcards featuring the message “Take responsibility for safer sex” will be available in gay bars and clubs across

London to coincide with a range of fundraising events in support of GMFA. Staff at participating venues will also be wearing T-shirts with the campaign slogan to further promote the message.

In related GMFA World AIDS Day, The Eagle and Horse Meat Disco are holding a Tastiest Tranny competition on Saturday 28th November with all door money coming to GMFA, while Kazbar, The Green, Kudos, The Edge and The Rose & Crown in Greenwich are holding fundraisers across the weekend of 28th and 29th November. And on 1st December, Comptons is holding a fundraiser for GMFA with help from the King’s Cross Steelers, The Two Brewers has a karaoke fundraising night planned, while Bar Wotever at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern will also be supporting GMFA. In addition, Recon.com is running its 2009 World AIDS Day Campaign with the aim of raising a minimum of £25,000 for five HIV charities worldwide, including GMFA, by selling virtual red ribbons to its members for them to display on their profiles.

There will also be collections in the King’s Arms, King William IV and Prowler Soho, while Steamworks Sauna, DV8 Soho and Clone Zone Soho will be selling red ribbons throughout the period.

Matthew adds: “We would like to say a huge thank you for all who have agreed to support us this year. The money we raise through community events such as these is vital, and goes directly towards campaigns that receive no statutory funding.”

of Lord Archer’s Report published this year, in an attempt to translate those recommendations into legislation.

With swift and urgent action taken to implement it into law, over twenty five years of suffering can finally be bought to an acceptable conclusion. This would not only give financial security, so desperately needed by many victims, it would also bring about the formation of a committee, established to advise on the treatment of haemophilia here in the United Kingdom.

The RT Hon. The Lord Archer of Sandwell QC, commented:

“The Government’s response to our Report seemed lethargic. We hope that Lord Morris’s commendable initiative will stimulate them into action. For many of the victims about whom we heard in our Inquiry, time is passing, and if help is delayed longer it will be too late”.

All updates along with a template letter asking your MP to do whatever is in their power, to support Lord Morris’s Bill and ensure it is taken into the House of Commons are available on the Tainted Blood website. www.taintedblood.info The Tainted Blood Committee.

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WORLD

PNNEWS

YES I AM POSITIVE: Pakistan HIV Cricket team

Pakistan’s HIV cricket team are positive role models

>

Cricket is the national sport in Pakistan, but what makes the First Positive Cricket Team stand out from all the other Karachibased clubs is that its members are all HIV positive.

The team was put together a year ago by the Pakistan Society, an NGO working for the rights of people living with HIV. They played -- and won -- their first match in August, and haven’t looked back.

Dr Saleem Azam, president of the Pakistan Society, told CNN, “Every time they play the players have a boost physically, emotionally and psychologically, and they feel a lot better.”

Azam says that there is a considerable stigma in Pakistan surrounding HIV/AIDS and he hopes the team can help combat discrimination towards HIV sufferers.

“People assume the team must be very sick looking, like walking skeletons, but when they see them playing and winning matches they have to think again,” said Azam.

“We’ve given them a very strong message that having HIV does not mean you must retire from life and become helpless. You can have HIV and live a very happy life if you take your antiretroviral treatment regularly.

“The stigma is the worst consequence of this illness, so it will be the greatest service to people with HIV if we are able to help them overcome this stigma. The change is coming but it’s very, very slow.”

While changing attitudes takes time, Azam says the team has already built bridges between the players and their estranged families. He told CNN that some players who had been ostracized by their families were now back in contact with them, with one family requesting to travel to matches with the team.

First Positive has already played a match in Hyderabad, about 200km from Karachi, and next month they will take to

HIV/AIDS sufferers must tell partners in China

>

A new regional regulation requiring people who test positive in China for HIV to inform sex partners of their condition within a month is widely considered well-intentioned but unrealistic.

For the first time in China, health authorities began to clearly regulate HIV status disclosure on the part of sufferers, who number 700,000 by official estimates.

The regulation, now still a draft, issued by the Gansu health department in November, stipulates that upon getting the HIV confirmation from the clinics, the patient must tell his or her partners within a month about the infection, or face a lawsuit.

“The requirement featuring a onemonth time limit is not human-oriented

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as sufferers who first learn of their HIV status need time to accept the harsh reality, let alone informing others of their condition,” said He Tiantian, who heads the Women’s Network against AIDS China, a civil society supporting females living with HIV/AIDS. She is also HIV positive.

However, she said the regulation was good in that it stipulated sufferers must disclose their newly confirmed HIV positive status to sex partners on their own.

In China’s voluntary HIV/AIDS consulting and testing clinics across the country, a person can get free HIV screening by providing their own identification and personal information.

“Some give fake documents to protect their privacy,” said Professor Jing Jun

the road for two more matches, which will see them spread their message elsewhere in the country.

“This is how the team will be known the country over,” said Azam.

“People will come to know more and more about the team and I hope eventually they will be successful in combating this stigma and discrimination.”

Abdul Lateef is captain of the FPCT. He contracted HIV six years ago and told CNN that the team is helping to change others’ attitudes towards people with HIV. “We are reaching the minds of the people,” he said.

“Everybody thinks there are things that HIV positive people cannot do. We have shown we can play and we have proved to everybody we can do anything they can do.”

Source: CNN

with Tsinghua University.

Among the 700,000 HIV/ AIDS sufferers in China, only 270,000 can be tracked, he said. Regional surveys in the country showed that only one-third of the newly diagnosed HIV sufferers would disclose their infection to their partners. “The Gansu regulation is good in intention while unrealistic in practice,” he noted.

Those most likely to tell their partners are those who have been married for a long time. Other sufferers, especially prostitutes, often fail to inform their partners about the infection, he said.

Source: China Daily Positive Nation | 5

PNNEWS WORLD

REPORTED BY DANIEL CHARCHAROS

World Cup to help create HIV awareness

>

In less than seven months South Africa will host the world’s biggest single sporting event the FIFA World Cup. The chance to reach millions of local and visiting football fans presents a golden opportunity, not only for the country’s business and tourism sectors, but also for its efforts to combat HIV/ AIDS. Health officials, activists and civil society organisations met in Johannesburg on 18 November to plan how to make the most of the event, which will span 30 days and take place in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces.

Recent international media reports have suggested that the World Cup could aggravate the country’s already severe HIV/AIDS epidemic, but several speakers saw the event as a chance to address the health crisis, among them former soccer player Ronny Zondi, who represented the Sport and Entertainment Sector of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC), the body coordinating HIV activities linked to the World Cup. Stadiums, fan parks, hotels and bars are 6 | Positive Nation

all potential venues where HIV prevention messages could be promoted, condoms and pamphlets distributed, and voluntary counselling and HIV testing made available. The need for all the organizations involved to work with each other and FIFA and its local organizing committee (LOC) to avoid duplication of efforts and confused messaging was emphasized.

LOC Chief Medical Officer Dr Victor Ramathesele urged participants to tap into FIFA’s marketing expertise to push HIV/AIDS messages before and during the World Cup. Noluntu Ntloko, from FIFA’s marketing division, briefed participants on restrictions on the use of registered World Cup trademarks, or branding that could conflict with that of its sponsors and commercial partners, and encouraged organizations to channel any planned HIV activities through the LOC. Through its Football for Hope Movement, FIFA is already partnering with civil society organizations involved in HIV/AIDS initiatives. One such partner, Grassroots Soccer, works with a local NGO, Sonke Gender

Justice, to train soccer coaches to teach young people about HIV and AIDS. Rather than limiting their efforts to duration of the event, several organizations are planning campaigns that will last the entire year and reach people all over the continent.

Wayne Alexander, of Dance4Life, an international initiative that enlists young people to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, told the meeting about Fair Play for Africa, a campaign to mobilise communities to advocate for quality healthcare for all Africans, and to hold their governments accountable for health provision.

So far 200 NGOs have committed to getting involved and activities in 12 African countries are planned for 2010.

“We have come a long way,” commented Dr Robin Petersen, chair of the Johannesburg meeting, who recalled that when South Africa started planning its World Cup bid 10 years ago, there was pressure to downplay the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “We’re now planning to use this event to address one of the most significant crises our country is facing.”

Global Fund approves $2.4 billion in new grants

>

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has approved US$2.4 billion in its ninth round of grants, bringing the total amount of approved funding since its inception in 2001 to $18.4 billion.

“These grants enable countries around the world to address some of the main problems they are struggling with every day,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Ethiopian Health Minister and Chair of the Global Fund Board, said.

The two-year commitment – the second largest ever – was approved by the board of directors during a recent meeting in Addis Ababa, when it also decided to launch the tenth round of grants in May 2010. There had been fears that as a result of a funding shortfall, the board would decide to cancel its 2010 call for funding proposals, curtailing the fight against the AIDS pandemic.

Despite the decision to go ahead with a call for proposals in 2010, Michel Kazatchkine, executive director of the Global Fund, noted that the demand for funding was ‘enormous’, and there was a need for more investment to continue the worldwide momentum of HIV prevention, treatment and care.

“We may not be able to continue approving such amounts of financing and see continued progress in health in the coming years unless donor countries scale up their funding even further than what they have done so far,” he said.

An estimated 2.3 million people around the world are on life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs paid for by the Global Fund, which has also provided anti-tuberculosis treatment to 5.4 million people.

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You WANT To be Yourself for Your fAMIlY

let’s talk MENTAL wELL-bEiNg

The person depicted in this advert is a model.

Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about how HIV and HIV-related therapy may affect your physical and mental well-being.

A Promise for Life

Date of preparation: November 2009 AXKAL092991

BY CLAYTON BROWN hivghana@live.co.uk

THAT SE7EN DIGIT NUMBER!!!

From January to May of this year I had been volunteering within the HIV Unit of The Holy Family hospital, situated in Nkawkaw, Ghana. Before I left this country I asserted that I would do everything in my power to raise at least £50,000 for the hospital and by World AIDS Day. Maybe this promise is overly ambitious but observing the pain, misery and suffering of so many HIV and AIDS patients notwithstanding the under-paid and over-worked hospital staff, I felt that I had to leave these individuals, with hope.

What I observed in Ghana has become a stain upon my memory. Sometimes I wish that the images, faces and ‘too-late HIV cases’ would free themselves from my mind but this does not happen. The memories of those Ghanaians living with HIV or dying of AIDS will not go away.

The situation in Ghana regarding HIV and AIDS is shocking, dire and preventable causing the heart to explode with disappointment. Despite this, I have returned to the UK filled with enthusiasm, for the British public has always unselfishly given to unfortunate people abroad and when their desperate need is communicated, publicised and debated. I am optimistic that my promise to The Holy Family Hospital - that serves and looks after individuals regardless of sexuality, religious beliefs or absence of – will be kept. This is to say that (with certain proviso’s thereby tackling any corruption) on World AIDS Day a cheque for £50,000 will be presented, which will spread a little way towards helping the HIV patients, increasing resources and improving some of the terrible conditions within the 8 | Positive Nation

hospital.

Again, I know that the goal I set is somewhat high but I do believe that anything is possible when coupled with hard work, faith, belief and of course hope!

If I am to raise money for The Holy Family Hospital and specifically for it’s HIV Unit, then I am going to have to set up a charity, therefore, now back in the UK, my work begins by calling the Charity Commission in order to obtain their information pack and/or application form.

Perusing the information sent to me immediately highlights a couple of problems. First, I must find people who will act as Trustees or rather individuals who will ensure that the charity is run properly, that no embezzlement will occur for example. Secondly, before the Charity Commission will even consider any application, a ‘gross annual income of more than £5,000 must be shown. Where the hell am I going to find £5,000 in such a short space of time!!!

I call up the Charity Commission and after a series of options I finally speak too a real individual. The point I make is this “How can I raise £5,000 if I am not yet a registered charity. Individuals will not part with their money if the charity I am trying to set up is not a registered”. The Advisor replies, “I suggest you get out there or onto the streets with buckets. If you can’t even raise £5,000 then what is the point in setting up a charity?” I am unsure if this is a question, however, I put down the phone, as the matter is too expensive to debate i.e. dialling their 0845 number from my mobile phone.

Immediately I become negative as I picture the response from members of the

public. “Yeah right, you want us to give you money because you need to raise £5,000 to become a charity. Charities don’t need to raise money and so that they can be given a charity number. You’re pulling a fast one!!”

After all, did you the reader know that the Charity Commission required this income of £5,000 before they could proceed with your registration or give you a charity number?

I go through my address book hoping to identify friends who will be able to donate money but I know that this is a pointless exercise, as my few friends do not have this kind of money to spare or thousands of pounds. So, I follow the advice of that Advisor from the Charity Commission and look about raising the money or the £5,000 by shaking collection buckets on the street.

Within Bournemouth Council an understanding woman is now on the end of the phone and giving me details of what I need to do in order to obtain a street collections license. Basically, I simply have to fill out a form with the dates that I would like to fund-raise. I am allowed 3 street collections license a year – I believe.

Having set a date I now call up all my friends asking that they help me raise funds by holding these buckets in the street.

The response is good. However, nearer the time, more than three quarters of my friends call me with reasons as to why they can no longer take part or shake buckets on the street. I determine that it is all about confidence. Even so, I now have to cancel the date given as to go a head with it can be considered a wasted opportunity – remember, only 3 licenses a year! OK, I am pissed off but know that I have no time for

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FEATURE: CLAYTON BROWN anger. Again, there is work to be done or The Holy Family Hospital is still counting on me.

It is now three weeks since I arrived back in the UK. My adrenalin is still pumping with hope. I now decide that the best thing to do is put on a fundraising event. I’ll give myself six weeks to do so, which will take me up to the beginning of July 2009. And, in the meantime I need to find someone to design a website for me and free of charge. Luckily, a friend knows someone who can do just that. We meet and he tells me to gather all the info to be placed on the website. Oh God! As well as organising a fundraising event I must now put together written material for the website.

For the next few weeks I continually email The Holy Family Hospital for figures and facts. At times, I scream within my emails stating that the info given is not detailed enough. At the same time I am researching over the Internet to find ‘interesting fact about Ghana’ to accompany every web page. The task is arduous and difficult. Or, finding relevant information that can be 100 per cent backed up is no easy feat. What I am trying to say (as you probably know) information on the Internet is not always accurate.

My days become longer and more than often I am now working until 4 in the morning, only to have a few hours sleep and so that I can concentrate in the day on the Fundraising event. It is true that I am exhausted but I never complain because the cause is good – helping ‘the forgotten people’. Rather, the only thing that keeps me going is that image in my head – a large cardboard cheque stating ‘make payable £50,000 to The Holy Family Hospital’.

I must give credit where it is due and it is the web designer or Simon Taylor of Bubblesphoto.com who comes up with the name for our soon to be registered charity – HIVGHANA. (Incidentally, check out his website, its fab!!!).

It is true that right now I have more than one finger in the pie. As well as writing for the website and organising the fundraising event, I have come up with the bright idea to hold a Press Conference at the end of July 2009 to Launch HIVGHANA and in London. The latter causes me to write to over 100 UK charities asking that they help me achieve a successful Press Conference by utilising their own Press contacts for the purpose of HIVGHANA i.e. asking their press contacts to attend the Launch of HIVGHANA. Of course I explain myself or provide a

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“I am pleased to announce that similar to Gay Pride I have initiated a World AIDS Day event in Bournemouth, which will comprise of Information stands or stalls, entertainment, speakers from the Medical profession and most importantly, speakers who are HIV positive (including myself) who will address the crowd thereby promoting ‘responsible behaviours’.

And, just for fun, members of the public can be treated to a free haircut should they make a small donation.” written biog, I put together a short report re The Holy Family Hospital, I include photocopies of all articles written about Ghana and I provide other promotional or relevant material for the attention of these 100 or so UK Charities – the postage alone costs well over £100.00.

It is the 8th of June 2009 and my other receipts such as those for print cartridges, mobile phone vouchers, the opening of a mailbox (so that HIVGHANA has an address) hiring of a venue for the Fundraising event infinitum now amounts to the sum of £597.00, which causes me to worry, given that I am not working and now have only about £600.00 left in the bank. Simply, I could not come back to the UK and secure myself a job and at the same time, work on behalf of HIVGHANA. Too much time is needed to ensure success within each project – Fundraising event, Press Conference, website.

I am optimistic that I will get all my money back and fairly soon. And, sleeping on my friend’s floor so that I do not have to spend money on rent isn’t so bad at all.

I do not mention this in order to appear as a martyr or a saint but to show that I have a purpose, determination and above all a promise that cannot be broken - The Holy Family Hospital equals £50,000.

A few weeks before the actual fundraising event the live band that I secured free of charge pulls out and for no particular reason. This is a double blow.

Firstly, it means that all the leaflets that have already been printed to promote the event now must be scrapped, costing me more money. Secondly, at this late stage

where am I to find another live band?

I am now beginning to feel that I am the cause of ‘yes I will help towards HIVGHANA’ and then ‘no, I cannot help towards HIVGHANA’. Am I being too pushy? Am I demanding too much? Am I simply too driven thereby repelling people and because of my over-passionate attitude? On the other hand, I cannot forget what I have seen in Ghana, will not forget, can never become immune to the suffering of those Ghanaians living with HIV and AIDS. In short, the Africans who are dieing simply because they cannot afford the taxi fare to the hospital to collect their free antiHIV drugs, isn’t easily forgettable.

Feedback that I am getting at the moment is that through my speech, presentations and website I am making Westerners or people in the UK feel guilty.

Must the reality of Africa be hidden?

And, what of those who work in Africa and see the suffering on a daily basis, those who have no choice but to look at what is in front of them day after day?

Am I highlighting a cause or am I browbeating individuals into working with me? I cannot answer any of the above for the three biggest organisations in the UK, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the National AIDS Trust and the organisation Avert - always send me encouraging emails when I contact them. In fact these were the only organisations that responded or wrote back in respect of my request for assistance and regarding the Press conference.

Actually that is not true.

Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, the Archbishop Vincent Nichols and The Assistant Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales all wrote back favourably and despite not being able to make the Press Conference or the Launch of HIVGHANA, given their schedules. I still await any communication from Bob Geldof, Annie Lennox and Dizzie Rascall.

Although, it is fair to say that probably my emails never ever reached them.

It is not my intention to put down other organisations that either failed to respond positively or that ignored my correspondence. But, one thing is clear. Africans believe that too many organisations come to their country in the name of research via 1st class travel whilst stepping over the hungry-bellyindividuals as they make their way to their conferences to chatter, chatter. Equally, too many Africans believe that those fortunate, educated or professional Africans that leave Africa quickly forget what they have left behind. Sadly, this is a fact that I have Positive Nation | 9

heard too many times, whether it is true or not, I do not know, I simply give voice to what was repeatedly communicated to me, whilst in Ghana and over a period of 5 months.

Let me move quickly ahead rather than give you every minute detail, for to do so would mean you the reader never coming to the end of this article.

Up and down the streets of Bournemouth I spoke to people about HIVGHANA whilst handing out the new leaflets for the Fundraising event. Many said they would attend. Secondly, I set up stalls within Bournemouth University promoting this event. Again, many took the leaflets from my hand and said they would attend. I was now feeling overly optimistic. Adding to this, both the HIV consultant and the Health Advisor from Bournemouth Hospital’s HIV Panel Suite offered to speak at the event and to the public about HIV and AIDS. Now, I was feeling even more positive. Adding to this, the ad I put on gumtree secured me an individual who would be able to put a Power Point presentation together using the images I had from Ghana, to be shown at the Fundraising event.

The reality: The individual who agreed to put together the power point presentation let me down at the very last minute or pulled out, causing me to learn how to use this software within a space of 24 hours. At the Fundraising event itself, less than 10 chairs were filled out of the 150 placed. But let’s look on the bright side, at least the singer and songwriter, Janis Ian allowed me to use her song ‘When Angel’s Cry’ to the power point Presentation that I finally put together.

Suffice to say the fundraising event was a flop and the Press Conference earmarked for the end of July 2009, never took place!

But then when all seemed lost I got an email from a designer who was putting on a fashion show. He wanted part of the profits given to charity and he had heard of HIVGHANA. However, he asserted that if HIVGHANA were to be the recipients of any profits then there were a few do’s and don’ts. I would say too many rules to comprehend. For example, do not put up pictures of sick looking people around the venue and do not speak negatively about HIV and AIDS and do not speak for more than 3 minutes, and do not bring down the jolliness of the night. This was a tall order, given that HIV and AIDS is a sad subject.

Even so, I was honoured that HIVGHANA was chosen to take part in his fashion 10 | Positive Nation

event.

Again, the cloud soon appeared. A week later I was told that the event was cancelled!

I was now feeling beaten. I could no longer look at HIVGHANA in any of its forms – I had failed. It was now that I had to take another hard look at myself.

Basically, what had I done wrong or why did so many people let me down?

Was it my working-methods or was it my over passionate attitude once again?

Surely the problem lie with me, or why would so many people pull out from their commitments after a period of time?

In three months I had raised less than £100.00!!! What’s more I was now forced to sign on, as I was broke and virtually homeless. Not one penny left in the bank and by now the friend, who I was staying with, had had enough of my obsession – HIVGHANA. I am not ashamed to say that the tears flowed easily and because I knew I could never contact The Holy Family Hospital again. What’s more, I couldn’t help thinking that the staff at this hospital may themselves be thinking that I raised lots of money or cash in their name and was now sunning myself in Barbados – why else had they not heard from me since the end of July. Right now it is October.

People tell me that it is not my fault that I did not raise the £50,000 because at this moment Britain was in a recession. I think that they are being kind. The truth was and is; I over-worked myself to such a degree that I could not see the woods from the trees. Yes, one can be passionate but when it borders onto the aggressive (and so that a message is communicated) the objective is lost - £50,000.

After three months (August – October) I picked myself up! Again, there was work to do. I had to believe that all was not lost. Yes, maybe I had made mistakes and insofar as the way I came across but now things had to be conducted differently.

Now, I had to concentrate on World AIDS Day. And, if people did not or could not donate to HIVGHANA at this time at least they would come to know of HIVGHANA re publicity.

I contacted Bournemouth Council and asked what they were doing for World AIDS Day. Nothing concrete was planned.

Therefore, this was an opportunity for HIVGHANA. I am pleased to announce that similar to Gay Pride I have initiated a World AIDS Day event in Bournemouth, which will comprise of Information stands or stalls, entertainment, speakers from the Medical profession and most importantly, speakers who are HIV positive (including myself) who will address the crowd thereby promoting ‘responsible behaviours’. And, just for fun, members of the public can be treated to a free haircut should they make a small donation.

Organising the above event has not been easy. However, my confidence is coming back because I know that I have achieved much. For example, the council have fully backed this day. 15-20 organisations are now involved. And, I have secured the attendance of the Mayor of Bournemouth, who will lead a one-minute silence to remember all those who have died of HIV-related illnesses or AIDS. Finally, live music and DJ’s will entertain the crowd including rappers, dance groups etc. Yes, in Bournemouth, this event will be entitled – WORLD AIDS DAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH HIVGHANA. So what did I do differently to achieve this? I suppose I came to the conclusion that not everyone wants to see my photoalbum, which depicts misery and suffering of those affected by HIV and AIDS. I have come to learn that we can talk about HIV and AIDS without making the listener feel guilty. We can intersperse or celebrate the good things that The Holy Family Hospital is doing instead of solely concentrating on the misery that they are experiencing. We can rejoice in the fact that there are many decent human beings within this hospital that are making a difference and therefore raise funds to further promote their good work. In other words the glass is half full.

Remember, HIVGHANA is in its infancy stage (including it’s website) and to begin with we need to raise £5,000 to become a registered charity. I suppose the £50,000 promised to The Holy Family Hospital will have to wait until HIVGHANA is more established. As I draw to a conclusion I hope that you do not simply click onto another page and forget what you have just read. If you do then that will seriously be a case of ‘pity the plumage but forgets the dyeing bird’. And, we can’t have that, can we? PN

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HIV and Mental Health – An Obvious Partnership?

The problem with mental health is that it is so misunderstood and stigmatised, the last thing anyone wants is to be labelled with a mental health sticker. Someone who has an angry outburst is often referred to as ‘going mental’ or ‘mad’.

Yet most people will, at some point in their life, have experienced some mental health difficulties. The root cause, how it’s managed and the support given is what makes the difference between short and long term needs or worst, having a crisis.

Working with HIV positive women with mental health issues is a part of our daily work at Positively Women. How is it recognised? Over the years, our case workers have become skilled through training and case by case experience.

Workers know that asking the right questions, careful listening and exploring emotional difficulties are key to recognising and supporting women with mental health difficulties, along with focusing on solutions rather than difficulties, setting goals and knowing where to sign-post.

The question is: Are mental health difficulties and an HIV diagnosis synonymous? Positively Women has found that women present a varying range of mental health issues; short-term, longterm and presenting with crisis situations that require clinical and psychological interventions. However there is not necessarily a direct correlation between severity of mental health issues and the stage of someone’s HIV diagnosis in terms of newly diagnosed, long term diagnosed or somewhere in between. This is borne out of years of supporting women living with HIV through a whole range of emotion.

12 | Positive Nation

There are undoubtedly some who are predisposed to mental health difficulties and an HIV diagnosis may be the catalyst for setting it in motion; and some who are not predisposed to mental health difficulties can find themselves unable to manage emotionally and psychologically after a diagnosis.

Some women often cite fear of dying, disclosure and isolation (“I have no one to talk to”) as issues they struggle with.

Immigration and all its accompanying problems, such as homelessness, poverty and deportation are a major worry and concern, especially as people in this situation feel powerless to change their circumstances. For longer term diagnosed, it may be treatment issues such as changing combinations, isolation, changing body image, getting older and other health conditions that are their major concerns. Some of those who presented late for testing may already have cognitive, mobility and other physical impairments added to all their other concerns.

Of course, mental health is an issue not only for women; the same issues affect men. In addition, studies show that gay men are prone to mental health difficulties which can be exacerbated by an HIV diagnosis.

At the 2007 British HIV Association Autumn conference, during the Children’s’ HIV Association parallel session, it was recognised that HIV infected children often experience cognitive impairment and developmental delay. These can present as difficulties

in expressing themselves, short concentration spans and aggressive behaviour.

Mental health is a key issue for the HIV sector and the challenge is how the voluntary sector and health care professionals respond and find ways of supporting women, men and their children now and in the future. PN Next issue: HIV and Mental Health: A short-term issue or long-term problem?

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SPONSORED ARTICLE: ABBOTT

‘‘

The question is: Are mental health difficulties and an HIV diagnosis synonymous? Positively Women has found that women present a varying range of mental health issues; short-term, longterm and presenting with crisis situations that require clinical and psychological interventions.

‘‘

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Positive Nation | 13

FEATURE: THE NATIONAL AIDS TRUST

NAT speaks out HIV: Reality

This World AIDS Day, the UK theme is focusing on the reality of HIV and we are putting lived experiences at the heart of our campaign. Treatment has revolutionised what it means to live with HIV, yet public knowledge of HIV in the UK is declining and there is evidence of a worrying lack of understanding about HIV. More people than ever before are living with HIV but fewer people say that they know someone who is HIV positive.

There is a real need to communicate to the public what exactly it means to live with HIV in 2009.

As part of the campaign NAT has been collecting stories from people living with HIV via the World AIDS Day website – www.worldAIDSday.org. One thing that is striking from the stories we have collected is that there is no single reality for people with HIV, everyone has a different experience. But there are many themes that emerge; dealing with stigma and discrimination, the importance of support from family or friends, and for many, the need just to get on with life. It is fitting then, in Positive Nation’s World AIDS Day edition to talk about a major research project NAT conducted this year about working with HIV.

Working with HIV

More people with HIV are in work than ever before, and whilst not everyone with HIV is able to work, having a career is a reality for many. Earlier this year we conducted the first major survey into the working experiences of people living with HIV. Over 1,800 gay men living with HIV took part in the survey, which was informed by focus groups among gay men and black Africans living with HIV. The research, conducted with City University, London, is summarised in the NAT report Working with HIV.

Impact

One of the biggest questions to ask is clearly ‘what impacts does HIV have on working life?’ and interestingly over half (58 per cent) of respondents said that living 14 | Positive Nation

with HIV had no impact on their working life at the moment. Of those who reported an impact, the most common responses were to report feeling very tired (20 per cent) and feeling very stressed or anxious (13 per cent). One in ten (11 per cent) noted that side effects from treatment had had some impact on their work. The idea then, that everyone with a HIV diagnosis will be unable to work or take a lot of time off is not true. 70 per cent of HIV positive men surveyed hadn’t even taken any HIV related sickness days in the past 12 months, and over a third (34 per cent) had not taken any days off from work to attend HIV clinic appointments.

The decision of whether to disclose one’s HIV status at work is commonly a very difficult one, with many complex factors needing to be taken into account. Despite this, over 60 per cent of survey respondents had disclosed their HIV positive status to someone at work. Over two-thirds of these reported a generally positive reaction, however out of all respondents a third either faced or feared a negative reaction to disclosure. Although the key reason cited for non-disclosure was ‘no need’, 53 per cent feared poor treatment and 57 per cent worried about breaches of confidentiality.

Discrimination and Rights

Unfortunately, discrimination is still very much a problem faced by people living with HIV, with a fifth of respondents who had disclosed their HIV status at work had experienced discrimination in their current or previous job. The most common forms of discrimination were being treated differently or excluded and breaches of confidentiality.

For examples someone had has ‘HIV’ written above their in-tray in the office; another respondent had their status revealed in an office email. More than a third (40 per cent) of respondents who had disclosed their HIV status and had experienced discrimination in a previous job believed they had lost their job as a result.

Worryingly the survey showed that there is a lack of knowledge about the rights of people with HIV. People living with HIV are protected from

WRITTEN BY Deborah Jack

discrimination in the workplace under the 2005 Disability Discrimination Act. As well as providing legal protection, the Act also entitles people with HIV to ask their employers for reasonable adjustments.

However it was found that one third of respondents did not know of these rights, and even among the men who claimed to be aware a further third of them did not know that the DDA 2005 entitled them to ask for ‘reasonable adjustments’ at work.

Reasonable adjustments could include time off for to attend clinic appointments, changes to the hours worked or changes to start/finish times.

The future of work for people with HIV

It is generally a positive picture for people living with HIV at work. Most people who are living with HIV and working, find that HIV has little impact on their working lives. The majority of those who choose to disclose their status have a positive experience. However, there is still work to be done to eliminate HIV discrimination altogether. People with HIV must also be informed of their rights and be confident to ask for reasonable adjustments if they are needed.

NAT is now using the results of this research to educate employers of the importance of providing a fair working environment for those living and working with HIV. We hope to change attitudes so that employers understand people with HIV can and do make a valuable contribution to the workforce. I hope in the future that no-one will see an HIV diagnosis as a barrier to having a successful career. PN To read the Working with HIV report in full and find out more about the work NAT is doing to improve the working lives of people living with HIV visit: www.nat.org.uk/Our-thinking/Everyday-issues/Employment.aspx To read real stories about people living with HIV in the UK or to submit your own story visit: www.worldaidsday. org/hivreality/your-stories.aspx

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HIVSport

Kicking into action Background

HIV Sport was incorporated as a not-forprofit company limited by guarantee on 20 September 2007. We are a successor to elements of the Ensuring Positive Futures programme of work which finished in July 2007. In particular we took up the work started by the EPF programme in working with the sports trade unions.

Our key objective is to raise awareness of HIV and Aids and promote sexual health in the field of sport. To achieve this aim we use the ‘Badge of Hope’ seen below.

As a not-for-profit organisation our goals are to: • Create, through sport, greater public awareness of the global epidemic of HIV and Aids • Provide education and training to people in all roles in sport around HIV and sexual health • Support sports-related HIV and sexual health education projects.

World AIDS Day 2007

Our first World AIDS Day campaign in December 2007 was supported by the Football Association (FA), the League Managers Association (LMA), the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and FIFPro, the international players union. In addition we had support from the Professional Boxing Association (PBA). News features on our World AIDS Day campaign 2007 can be found on our web site at www.hivsport.org and a World AIDS Day news item can also be found on the FA’s web site at www.thefa. com/TheFA/InternationalRelations/ NewsAndFeatures/2007/worldaidsday.aspx

Activities in 2008

In 2008 we continued to build awareness of HIV and Aids within sport. HIVSport became a member of FA’s anti-homophobia working group, and affiliated to the Educational Sports Forum (www. educationalsportsforum.co.uk) making presentations to other affiliates including from the world of cricket and rugby in addition to football. The purpose of 16 | Positive Nation

this work is to raise awareness at the organisational and institutional level as well as amongst individual members of the player’s associations. A key example of the latter work occurred when players from Manchester United took the ‘Badge of Hope’ to South Africa in a pre-season tour in 2008.

During 2008 we began to develop our future strategy for HIVSport that would enable us to move towards our other organisational objectives of using sport more widely as a means to raise awareness of and educate young people about HIV and Aids and promote sexual health.

We then presented this work in October 2008 to a group of key stakeholders from professional sporting associations, umbrella HIV organisations to medical and corporate bodies. The aim of this strategic meeting was to discuss charting a way forward for HIVSport together with our stakeholders as it was crucial to us from the outset, to ensure relevance and partnership working.

In November 2008 we were asked to assist a coach in a Caribbean country who had identified a football player who had tested positive for HIV by sending detailed guidance to the coach advising on best practice that included: • What’s the real risk of HIV transmission during sports activities?

• Can athletes infected with HIV play sports?

• Preventing HIV transmission outside of the sporting context • Supporting an HIV positive player, and • Disclosure and confidentiality with regard to HIV and employment.

In December 2008 we ran another World AIDS Day campaign. This was supported once more by the professional football associations. We distributed the ‘Badge of Hope’ to League Managers and also to players at the PFA’s Annual General Meeting. On and around WAD, the ‘Badge of Hope’ was worn by football managers including Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester

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FEATURE: SPORT

United), Mark Hughes (Manchester City), David Moyes (Everton), Tony Pulis (Stoke City), Tony Mowbray (then at West Bromwich Albion) and Owen Coyle (Burnley), and through our support to the LMA many managers also included a message about World AIDS Day in their programme notes.

Activities in 2009

2009 has seen the growth of HIVSport. We have welcomed two more volunteer Directors on to the Board, increasing our number to five, bringing particular expertise in the field of medicine and health to the organisation. We have also entered into a partnership with SSL International plc (Durex) for the exciting redesign of our branding and new HIVSport web site which is now live as a ‘mini-site’ with the official launch of the main site prior to WAD this year. The target audiences for the new HIVSport website will be all participants in sport (UK and international): • Players aged 15 – 24 (male and female) • Coaches • Medical staff (e.g. physiotherapists etc.)

• Sports organisations (e.g. FA, PFA etc.)

• Club managers and administrators The red ribbon is the internationally familiar symbol of HIV and Aids awareness. HIVSport is committed to use the symbol to ensure that levels of awareness are improved through sport, especially among younger people and to tackle this (excuse the pun) we are designing new Badges of Hope with other sporting symbols, e.g. tennis ball, cricket bat, boxing gloves etc. and to make use of those images.

While HIV infection levels in the UK, compared to countries in the developing world, remain relatively low other sexually transmitted infections continue to rise sharply. Chlamydia has been described as the ‘hidden epidemic’. Easily treatable

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chlamydia can remain symptom-free for a significant length of time. If left untreated chlamydia can cause hard-totreat problems such as inflammation of the joints which could potentially end a sports career. HIVSport is also engaged in providing accessible information on sexual health for sports people.

We have been commissioned to write a piece for the forthcoming ‘Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine’ which will be published later in 2009 and have produced an information leaflet on HIV and sport, which can be downloaded from our website – www.hivsport.org. While there is a wealth of excellent materials in the public domain these are not specifically targeted at a sports-interested audience.

HIVSport has featured in the League Managers’ Association community partnership DVD and is also a partner in a Department for International Development funded project in which we will develop a specific course on HIV and sport.

2010 and beyond...

Global attention on the World Cup 2010 and the London Olympics in 2012 provide British sport with a unique opportunity to promote itself as socially aware and in touch with the wider world. British Sports Ambassadors have the potential to portray British sport in the best possible international light. HIVSport is engaged in identifying a number of Sports Ambassadors for HIV and Aids awareness during these high profile events.

We look forward to bringing our activities to a wider audience in 2010 and beyond. With this in mind we are exploring an activity strategy with SSL International that will lead up to and beyond the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and are members of the London 2012 Olympics Sexual Health Planning Group.

Finally

For more information on HIVsport please visit our web site at www.hivsport.org . If you would like to support our work please make a donation via the online donation system. Thank you. PN Positive Nation | 17

SPOTLIGHT: JAT

PN REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT:

Action & Training JAT, Jewish Action and Training for sexual health, was established in 1988 and is the only Jewish charity actively working to protect the health and well-being of the whole Jewish community from orthodox to unaffiliated. JAT supports Jewish people and their families and carers who are living with HIV and provides a variety of bespoke education projects for young people and adults.

JAT was originally founded as the Jewish Aids Trust and this year celebrates its 21st.

The Board of Trustees realised that, in order to meet the diverse needs of the Jewish community and secure adequate funding, it needed to adapt and develop the education strategy. The change of name reflects both aspects of our work – Action and Training.

Action involves supporting Jewish people and their carers who are living with HIV. This can be emotionally, socially or financially.

Action also involves influencing strategy in Government health and education forums at a national level. JAT contributes a faith voice in discussions concerning Sex and Relationship Education for our youth. JAT’s Education Team currently fulfils the training aspect and works across the UK: • offering workshops on a variety of themes, e.g. puberty, body image, boundaries, World Aids Day, relationships and sexual transmitted illnesses (STIs).

• giving priority to working with young people under 25, adapting the approach according to the age and knowledge base of

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the participants • developing partnerships both with schools, parents, educators, youth and secular organisations to enhance the diversity and effectiveness of our work • delivering formal and informal educational programmes which are culturally and religiously sensitive.

JAT supports Jewish people and their families and carers who are living with HIV and provides a variety of bespoke education projects for young people and adults.

Why education is vital…

• Young people who are not educated about STIs are endangering themselves and others • Sexually transmitted infections transcend their sexuality, race, religion, culture and language • One in four of all young people have sex before they’re 16, (Dept of Education & Skills 2007) • One in eight young people reported having unprotected sex after drinking alcohol • Transmission of STIs is preventable.

Currently the highest number of people with sexually transmitted infections is aged 16-24 • Prevention is best achieved through education which enables people to make informed and safe decisions.

A team of 10 runners represented JAT, competing alongside 800 others in a charity all-comers 5K run. Held in Regents Park on a sunny Sunday morning it raised over £2000 for the charity.

JAT client outside his scooter- accessible shed which the charity funded to enable his continued independence. PN

How you can help JAT We are in constant need of fundraising, education and administrative volunteers to help support and develop our work.

Look at our new website at www.jat-uk.org and click ‘Give Now’ to help JAT continue its invaluable work.

Contact JAT’s Director, Janine Clements for further information on; 0208 952 5253

Positive Nation | 19

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Women, Prison and HIV A young woman is sitting in front of me in the health adviser’s office in a UK prison. The office would look like any consultation room at your GP’s, if it wasn’t for the bars on the windows, and the recurrent sound of keys, and doors being locked in the background.

I will call this woman ‘Y’. I have to be very careful about what I disclose about her, even in the pages of this magazine.

If accidently other inmates or prison officers knew her identity and HIV status, she could risk bullying, insults, ignorant remarks, refusal of sharing everyday objects such as cutlery and cups, and isolation. Inside prison, HIV is a secret 20 | Positive Nation

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that needs to be kept at any cost.

‘Y’ is in for a violent crime she has committed to help her boyfriend when she was still a teenager. She is only 21 years old and pregnant. ‘Y’ tells me her story, without searching for pity, just recounting the events that have happened in her life.

Born in an African country at war, she became a refugee when still a small child.

‘Y’ and her family – her mother and other siblings – escaped the war, first to refugee camps in neighbouring countries, later on to northern Europe – the safest option.

She has moved through several countries before settling in the UK. If the horrors of war and exile weren’t

enough, ‘Y’ was raped when she was eight, by a family member. That’s how she contracted HIV. It is not a surprise that her mental health is a big issue. The prison is very concerned about her. There will be meetings among psychologists, social workers, doctors and prison staff to decide if ‘Y’ is mentally and emotionally fit enough to have a baby.

While I talk to her, I get the impression that in spite of all she has been through there is force, clarity, and strength in this young woman. But her life and the life of her baby are – for now – in the hands of the ‘experts’, the ones with power.

When I leave prison and I go back to

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FEATURE: PRISON my home, it is difficult to leave ‘Y’ behind. I keep thinking about her. I feel sad, angry, and powerless. I can’t help asking myself: ‘Is prison really the best place for Y? Will she get any better in such an environment? Will she really have the possibility of move away from her past life and grow into her full potential? What will happen to her baby?’

Y’s story is dramatic, but it is not that unusual. So many of the women I see in prison have tragic pasts; addiction, abuse – including sexual abuse – neglect, and poverty are recurrent themes. I believe many of them suffer from mental health problems. This is just my observation as an outreach worker who has visited HIV positive women in a UK prison for the past eight years.

What do the experts say?

Well not much. One of the biggest problems about the situation of women in prison is that it is severely underresearched. For ‘security reasons’, everything about prison is very guarded.

Prison is very hard for any body, but the added burden and terrible anxiety of having to guard the secret of HIV makes it a lot harder.

What is known about women in prison in the UK, at present, is that they are a fast-growing population. According to the Prison Reform Trust Report of 2006 in England and Wales, the number of women has increased by more of 200% in the past 10 years compared to a 50% increase in the number of men in prison during the same period. At present, there are more then 4,200 women in prison in the UK. This increase in the UK follows global trends towards a greater use and popularity of imprisonment and a lack of interest in constructive alternatives such as non-custodial sentences. Those would be particularly relevant to drug offenses and non-violent theft. Drug offenders in particular, would be better dealt with by therapeutically addressing their addiction.

Prison has a tremendously harsh effect on women, for several reasons. Firstly, women offenders are often the sole carer of their children, (more often then male prisoners). Their imprisonment and separation from the children can cause major psychological traumas, which are very difficult for both the mother and the children. This has grave repercussion for all of us in the communities were those children live. If they are the head of their household, their incarceration could result in the loss of their home, and serious

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disruptions to the lives of the children.

Since there are fewer women’s prison, women are more likely to spend time in a prison which is far away from where they live, so that visits from family and friends are extremely difficult. Women in prison can experience profound isolation, which has an effect on their often already compromised mental health. Additionally, because there are few women’s prison, women convicted from a wide range of offences are often imprisoned together.

This means that the overall regime will be determined by the maximumsecurity requirements of a very few high-risk prisoners. Overall, the prison system was designed to deal with male prisoners, because of this it actually often discriminates against women.

The Prison Reform Trust provides more chilling statistics on the circumstances of women in Prison.

If you add to this bleak picture the hurdle of living with HIV, and often of being diagnosed, while in prison, it is clear that there is an extreme urgency for a radical prison reform that takes into account gender equity and the right to health of women prisoners.

Meanwhile women like ‘Y’ have to carry on the best they can with the support available. Fortunately ‘Y’ was allowed to have her baby in prison. In spite of the misery of being a first time mother behind bars, she has bonded with the baby and she seems as happy as she can be. Maybe also thanks to the fact that she wasn’t totally isolated, but she had the chance to talk about her feelings around HIV during Positively Women’s visits. Soon Y and her baby will come out of prison, there is still so much uncertainty about her future, and she is particularly worried that it will be hard for her to get a job because of her criminal record and her HIV status.

However Positively Women will continue to support her and hopefully this will be a happy ending story. This is quite rare when you come out of prison. PN Silvia Petretti Community Development Manager Positively Women For more information: www.womeninprison.org.uk/ This article was originally published in Positively Women magazine.

For more information visit www.positivelywomen.org.uk

• More than half of women in UK prisons say that they have suffered domestic violence and one in three has experienced sexual abuse.

• The educational achievement of women prisoners is lower than for male prisoners. 74% left school at 16 or before. Only 39% have any qualifications at all, compared to 82% of the general population. 41% of women prisoners have not worked in the past five years.

• 70% of women prisoners have two or more diagnosed mental health issues.

• 66% of women prisoners are mothers, and each year it is estimated that more than 17,700 children are separated form their mothers by imprisonment • Of all women who are sent to prison, 37% say that they have attempted suicide at some time during their life.

• Rates of self-harm or injury in women’s prisons rose 48% in recorded incidents between 2003 and 2007. In 2006, women accounted of 11, 503 or 49% of total recorded incidents of self-harm, even though they form only around 6% of the prison population.

• 66% of sentenced women in prison say they were either drug dependent or drinking to hazardous levels before custody. A University of Oxford report on the health of 500 women prisoners found that 58% of women had used drugs daily in the six months before prison and 75% of women prisoners had used illegal drugs during that six month period.

• One in four women in prison has spent time in local authority care as child.

• The majority of sentenced female prisoner are held for non-violent offences. At the end of March 2008, the largest group (28%) was held for drug offences. € More women were sent to prison in 2006 for theft and handling stolen goods than any other crime. They account for almost a third (31%) of all women sentenced to immediate custody.

Positive Nation | 21

FEATURE: LIFE ASSURANCE

Positive PROGRESS During the last ten years I’ve lost count of the amount of phone calls that I’ve received from HIV Positive people asking for Life Assurance to cover their mortgage or provide protection for their loved ones. Up to now the standard reply has been to say that cover is not available at this present time, but the insurance industry is working on a solution.

Available Cover

It’s fair to say that in the past there has been the odd attempt to deliver HIV Life Assurance, but in my opinion the company involved was dramatically over charging applicants for a very poor product. It has to be said that the new product from Prudential completely changes the landscape for people with HIV to obtain Life Assurance.

Product Criteria

For the first time there is a Life Assurance product that offers useful cover at realistic premiums for people living with HIV. The product that is currently available has a maximum sum assured of £250,000 and a maximum term of 10 years. At this moment in time there is a minimum age of 25 and a maximum age of 50.

Underwriting Criteria

There is only one draw back to the policy, as it initially only covers a limited range of people living with HIV, but the aim is to broaden the qualifying criteria to cover more people as time progresses. This seems reasonable considering the lack of claims experience around this new innovative type of insurance.

Qualifying Criteria

• Applicants must be aged between 25-50 • Applicants should not have contracted HIV through intravenous drug use 22 | Positive Nation

• Applicants must be receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in the UK, commenced treatment in the last five years, been receiving treatment for at least six months.

• The treatment should result with increased CD4 cell count and viral load should be suppressed to near undetectable level.

• Applicants must be Hepatitis B and C Negative

Loaded Premiums

Most applicants applying for Life Assurance with an existing chronic medical condition will be asked for an additional premium, commonly referred to as a ‘loaded premium’. The new HIV Life Assurance policy makes useful levels of insurance achievable. The exact premium varies with each case that is submitted and depends on individual circumstances.

Case Study We’ve recently submitted our first case to Prudential and are pleased to report that they have treated the applicant with complete respect.

As with other applications with pre existing medical conditions the insurer has requested a medical report, but in this instance from the client’s specialist confirming their compliance with treatment.

Name: Clinton Occupation: Management Consultant Age: 35 Lives: London Sum Assured: £100,000 Term: 10 Years Standard Premium: £6.16 monthly Final Premium: £68.79 monthly

Applying for Cover

The new HIV Life Assurance policy is only available through brokers and intermediaries, so that applicants can obtain advice before submitting their application. The underwriting criteria is quite detailed, so the insurance company involved are urging potential applicants to seek advice before making an application.

Compass Independent

So, for the first time in over a decade, Compass Mortgage & Insurance the countries leading advisers to the Gay and HIV Communities are now able to place Life Assurance for people living with HIV for up to £250,000, within the specified criteria detailed in this article. We would be very happy to provide a quotation for those looking to take advantage of this exciting new product. PN

Chris Morgan is the Marketing Manager of Compass Mortgage & Insurance Services and was a consultant to the Association of British Insurers Working HIV Working Group for over five years.

He may be contacted by phoning 0845 474 3075 or by email chris@compassindependent.co.uk Web Address: www.compassindependent.co.uk

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Positive Nation | 23

CRUSAID REPORTS

Rise in ‘Older’ generation experiencing HIVrelated poverty

A

young woman is sitting in front of me in the health adviser’s office in a UK prison. The office would look like any consultation room at your GP’s, if it wasn’t for the bars on the windows, and the recurrent sound of keys, and doors being locked in the background. I will call this woman ‘Y’.

I have to be very careful about what I disclose about her, even in the pages of this magazine. If accidently other inmates or prison officers knew her identity and HIV status, she could risk bullying, insults, ignorant remarks, refusal of sharing everyday objects such as cutlery and cups, and isolation. Inside prison, HIV is a secret that needs to be kept at any cost.

Today, the Crusaid Hardship Fund reports a dramatic increase over the past six months in applications for financial assistance from 50+ year olds experiencing HIV and AIDS – related poverty.

“The Crusaid Hardship Fund has supported people with an HIV diagnosis and in poverty for over 20 years. As the socio-economic landscape of the UK has changed during this time, so too has the demographic of those in need and approaching the Crusaid Hardship Fund for support. One such group which is growing daily are those people who have been diagnosed for many years and are now

“The Crusaid Hardship Fund has supported people with an HIV diagnosis and in poverty for over 20 years. As the socioeconomic landscape of the UK has changed during this time, so too has the demographic of those in need.”

24 | Positive Nation

experiencing the extra challenges associated with getting older,” said Steven Inman, Head of Programmes and Partnerships.

Older people, who’ve become infected, tend to fall into the category known as ‘long term survivors’. These individuals were young people at a time when HIV and AIDS emerged. The Crusaid Hardship Fund has supported many people who once thought that they faced the very real prospect of dying before the end of the 1980s when very little was known about the illness; let alone any hope of scientific intervention to deliver life-saving drugs.

These individuals sold their properties and enjoyed life, often on the advice of medical experts, anticipating that they would be dead in a couple of year’s time.

However, the development of the first antiretrovirals in the early to mid 1990s, meant that many survived but subsequently found themselves penniless and without work, a home or often even peer support because so many of their friends has passed away.

Many of the people who followed this advice are alive and quite well, a decade or two on, but living in destitution with little or no income, in rented accommodation and approaching pension-able age, in relative poverty.

“I was diagnosed when I was 46 years old and was told by my doctor I had less than a year to live. I used my savings to enjoy life and help friends. 17 years on, most of my friends have gone, I have no savings and to compound my HIV I am also severely arthritic and almost housebound. The Crusaid Hardship Fund has bought me a new specialist bed but I am very worried about what the future holds for me,” said John, a 63 year old client of the Crusaid Hardship Fund.

The Crusaid Hardship Fund is currently undergoing its most significant review of the past 10 years with full stakeholder

consultations with social work agencies and clients. Although final data will not be available until the end of the review period, initial responses to the consultation paper are proving very interesting.

Of the 65 professional agencies to respond so far, more than 85% reference the plight of older people with HIV as being a key concern for future planning.

Of the clients who have responded to date, 28% of them were over the age of 55 and had had an HIV diagnosis for more than 10 years. This group primarily cite their health as the biggest concern they have, with the ability to manage financial as another key concern. All respondents identified said that they had no savings and lived day to day financially meaning that they are unable to deal with the unexpected needs that require financing. In all cases they said that should the unexpected need occur, it is likely that they would approach a social worker and ask them to contact the Crusaid Hardship Fund for support.

In the UK alone there are over 70,000 people affected by HIV and AIDS and an estimated 25,000 are unaware of their diagnosis. Although most people living in the UK with HIV and AIDS are living longer and healthier lives because of the medication available, there is still a lack of support for those that find themselves in poverty. As the number of people in desperate need increase, organisations which offer help and hope to them, such as Crusaid, will require even more funding to do so in the future.

Crusaid receives no government funding and relies solely on the donations from its supporters and on the income from its events such as the Crusaid Walk for Life and its various fundraising campaigns. Most recently, Crusaid launched its THINK. TALK. ACT. GIVE! campaign ahead of World AIDS Day World

POSITIVENATION.co.uk

REPORT: POVERTY

AIDS Day. Backed by various celebrities such as Joanna Lumley, Lisa Snowdon, Lisa Snowdon, Paul O’Grady and Theo Walcott the campaign aims to raise vital awareness of HIV and AIDS issues and fundraise to support the charities work around alleviating HIV and AIDS-related poverty here in the UK and internationally.

“With a growing increase in vulnerable clients needing support from the Crusaid Hardship Fund, the need for funds is greater than ever before. A small grant

POSITIVENATION.co.uk

“With a growing increase in vulnerable clients needing support from the Crusaid Hardship Fund, the need for funds is greater than ever before. A small grant to support a person’s future may seem insignificant but is a lifeline.”

to support a person’s future may seem insignificant but is a lifeline with farreaching impact providing good health, security, hope and dignity to some of societies most vulnerable members.

“Supporting vulnerable people today is an investment in the future of our society.

If the global economic meltdown has taught us anything, it is that none of us can be complacent and say these things only happen to other people,” said Chief Executive, Jordan Hay. PN

Positive Nation | 25

COLUMN: MUNY MUDARIKIRI

Boxing – My Positive Place MUNY MUDARIKIRI looks at

the sport of Boxing and the role it plays in his life and those of others with HIV.

I

always wanted to float around the ring, fueled by the cheers of the crowd, as I test my metal against an opponent who has worked as hard as me for the short lived moment of glory.

Boxing has always been the sport of kings, free from irrational impulse laden issues. Planning, foresight, hard work, diligence and a desire to overcome a seemingly insurmountable foes are some of the qualities required to succeed.

It seemed perfect for me – a positive young man in both mindset and in relation to HIV. I had thought that I had shed my demons when I first put on my gloves, this was to be my freedom. In training I could dispel the myths surrounding those in a similar position to my self.

I personally have had no issues with boxing. I recommend that other positive people take it up in order to relieve stress – additionally participation in a sport where force is praised does wonders to break the frailty of our stereotype. A stereotype surrounded my stigma and prejudice, which I am sad to say still infests corners of the sport that I love.

My experience has not been universal.

I have had friends who have been scorned blocked and demonized by people who allow fear and ignorance to blind them. I have had friends told that they could not participate in amateur bouts because of their status, due to fear of transmission during the fight. Granted in a fight their

POSITIVENATION.co.uk 26 | Positive Nation

“It seemed perfect for me – a positive young man in both mindset and in relation to HIV. I had thought that I had shed my demons when I first put on my gloves, this was to be my freedom.”

is a lot of blood flying around as the two in the square circle pummel each other – but not even the bloodiest of fights would be able to facilitate transmission.

For that to happen one would have to be standing over a person with a waterfall of blood pouring down into every orifice of his opponent for a substantial amount of time, even then it would be difficult for transmission to occur because the virus reacts badly when in contact with oxygen.

Its funny how a sport that traditionally favours the underdog let one of the underdogs of today’s society in the wilderness. My love for the sport will never wane but as with everything, the human factor corrupts something that can be so beautiful. I am disappointed that in this day and age we still have problems treading the path we want to take because people still have no clue. We need to educate. PN

POSITIVENATION.co.uk Positive Nation | 26

THE UK’S HIV & SEXUAL HEALTH MAGAZINE

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A Promise for Life

Date of preparation: November 2009 AXKAL092988