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Stigma and HIV Prevention: The Way Forward
Judith King. HIVAN Media Office
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The final session of the 2003 series of WCRP-HIVAN Fora for faith-based organisations and HIV/AIDS researchers took place on 9 December, with Rabbi Michael Standfield, Professor Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala and Dr Shakira Cassim as guest speakers. Their respective presentations centred on positive approaches to dealing with the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS, and communicating for "Second Generation" HIV prevention measures.
Ms Saydoon Sayed of the World Conference of Religion and Peace (WCRP) welcomed all present and introduced the panel Chairperson, Dr Farshid Meidany of the Ba'hai faith. Dr Meidany spoke briefly about the prevailing shame attached to HIV/AIDS, for the patient and for those in their sphere, being linked to the complex social taboos underpinning sex and death.
Rabbi Standfield began by recalling his own experiences of stigma. The word itself derives from the Greek word for "mark" the modern meaning of which has evolved into a concept of "branding", whether this be to claim ownership (particularly in the case of animals, but also used when slavery was "lawful") or to distinguish an assigned status of human beings by racial, religious, legal, medical or social class, and even personal reputation. He had firsthand knowledge of several of these discriminatory attitudes, not only as a Jew growing up in the poor East End of London, but also during a time when certain diseases, such as cancer and tuberculosis, were referred to only in whispers.
"In my father's day," he explained, "TB was a contagious killer disease. I contracted it at the age of 16 and spent 20 months quarantined in a sanitorium, with no family member or friend visiting me during that time. Everything around me was fumigated, and on the sole occasion that our Rabbi did visit, he stood at the door and left after a brief greeting."
Rabbi Standfield used this example to emphasise the awful loneliness, sadness and loss of selfhood that the rejection of stigma around disease conditions causes within individuals, resulting in emotional and psychological scars that often never heal throughout the person's lifetime. It also allows the ignorance and fear of those distancing themselves from the afflicted to become increasingly entrenched. "The approach to HIV/AIDS within contemporary Jewish society is that 'Jews don't become infected'," he said. "There is so much denial, and many simply do not believe that it can happen to them."
Dr Shakira Cassim, a paediatrician and member of the Islamic Medical Association, shared her perspective of the topic as a clinical practitioner. She referred to epidemics dating back to the 14th Century such as smallpox, and described these as "paling into insignificance" in comparison with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. "The statistics are emerging and escalating at a terrifying rate," she said, "and truth be told, a single 'World AIDS Day' every year is of no help at all. We need to make efforts towards controlling and responding to HIV/AIDS as a daily priority."
For the full MSWord version of this write-up, please click on the link in the righthand column
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Rabbi Michael Standfield with Professor Suzanne Leclerc-Madlala
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