Facing up to official fears - in China
Drug users in China face especially high levels of stigma, blame and moral judgement. In 2006, the Alliance supported the Evergreen group – a group set up by people living with HIV with experience of drug use – to work with both drug-using inmates and correction officers at the local rehabilitation centre.
Evergreen ran training workshops with correction officers, medical service providers and the police. “Great changes happened to the correction officers’ attitude,” said Sun, who had learned he was HIV positive at the centre. “They didn’t want to get close to us because they were afraid of HIV infection. After the training, they knew that HIV is not transmitted via daily contact. They started to say hello to us. They even pat our shoulders. There is more and more communication between us. Sometimes they see some HIV-related news on TV or in the newspaper, such as vaccine experiments or Chinese medicine for HIV treatment, and they are willing to share it with us.”
Before the training, Sun confirmed that the medical service providers were so afraid “that they passed medicine to the inmates with HIV by throwing it from far away. But, as they had more contact with us over time, they felt that people with HIV are not as frightening as they imagined. Then they don’t fear us that much.”
Evergreen ran separate training with HIV-positive drug users to increase their knowledge and build their confidence and self-acceptance. They were also trained to share their new skills and knowledge with fellow inmates. “They really wanted to help us,” said Sun, acknowledging the group workers’ support. “Now we know where we can obtain support and help. We share the same background. I like them sharing their attitude towards life. It is real and candid.”
