Issue 1
World Aids Day 2001
For further information, please contact Steven Spurr on 0207 344 1340 or steven.spurr@edelman.com
Press Release   HIV Prejudice
Monday 26 December 2001
Would You Read This Press Release if the Person Who Wrote it Was HIV Positive? 
3 real reasons to stop stigma and discrimination against people with AIDS and HIV:
• “Our family was forced to leave our home and village, move across the country and remove our 8-year-old foster child from school.”
• “My father was ashamed that I was HIV positive and felt like I had dragged our family name into disrepute.”
Full release Click here for a full release
 
 

Twenty years after HIV and AIDS emerged onto the public scene, advancements in medicine mean people with HIV who have access to treatment today live longer than ever before with their infection. And while the outlook for these individuals has improved, their situation is not picture-perfect, as they continue to face the challenge of stigma and discrimination in their daily lives

Stigma and discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS is unwarranted and unjust and has serious consequences for those with HIV infection, such as the loss of jobs, homes and quality of life.
Derek Bodell

Case Studies
The majority of people (85 percent) agree with the statement that there is still a great deal of stigma today around HIV and AIDS. And while people acknowledge that a problem exists, little has been done to change attitudes and behaviours towards those with HIV.
 Full Case Studies Click here for Case Studies

Links
National Aids Trust
World AIDS Day
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AIDSMap
AEGIS

Who is the NAT?
The National AIDS Trust exists to improve the quality of life of people living with, and affected by HIV and AIDS. It works to promote a wider understanding of the issue through it's policy, advocacy and campaigning work.
 Biographies & Photos Click here for Biographies and Photos		  
Events  
1991  Sharing the Challenge
1992  A Community Commitment
1993  Time to Act
1994  Aids and the Family
1995  Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
1996  One World, One Hope
1997  Children living in a world with AIDS
1998  Force for change
1999  Listen, learn, live
2000  Men make a difference
2001  Out of sight ... out of mind

 
Facts  

Recent research from people with and without HIV makes difficult reading. These stark statistics show the extent of the prejudice that still exists today.

What The HIV Negative Community Thinks
• “Eighty-five percent of people agree there is still significant stigma around HIV and AIDS”
• “57 percent of people feel those infected with HIV through unprotected sex only have themselves to blame”
Attitudes Towards HIV and AIDS, Research Conducted for National AIDS Trust by MORI October 2000 Click here for a full report

What The HIV Positive Community Thinks
Sigma Research: What do you need? focuses on specific experiences of 515 individuals and the discrimination faced in their daily lives. The summary indicates that:

• “20 percent of respondents had experienced recent discrimination problems”
• “18 percent of all respondents currently had a problem with discrimination”
Sigma Research Conducted for the National AIDS Trust., 2001.Click here for a full report 		 
For 24 hour information on HIV, AIDS and safer sex call 0800 567 123 or visit www.worldaidsday.org