What is stigma and discrimination?
• People living with HIV are often believed (and led to believe) to deserve their status as a result of their doing something inherently wrong. By so alienating and laying blame on others who are somehow different, people can somehow remove themselves from any risk and not confront the issue for the problem that it is. • Stigma and discrimination is caused by a lack of understanding of HIV, how it is spread, lack of access to treatment, irresponsible media coverage of the epidemic, the fact that AIDS has no cure, and already existing prejudices related to sexuality, disease, drug use, and death. • Discrimination results when stigmatization is acted upon and can take many forms such as: • Lack of access to equal health care • Denial of equal opportunities for employment • Denial of education to HIV positive children • Detention of HIV infected persons How does stigma and discrimination fuel the epidemic? • Preventing people from coming forward and getting tested • “Internalized Stigma”
