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It’ s important when facilitating the training that you address issues of stigma and discrimination as they create barriers that prevent some young people from accessing harm reduction services and HIV treatment. Young drug users and sex workers face a great deal of stigma as result of their age and use of substances and / or engagement in sex work. This session is divided into two sections: stigma and barriers affecting young people’ s access to harm reduction services.
Stigma
Stigma is based on assumptions and perceptions associated with arbitrary qualities such Stigmaas someone’ s culture, colour of skin, occupation, sexual behaviour, gender, drug use, HIV status or other characteristics. HIV stigma plays on the fears and misinformation about the virus, perpetuating stereotypes that further marginalise already marginalised behaviours such as same gender sex, sex work and drug use. Some believe people living with HIV / AIDS deserve the infection because they‘ chose’ to engage in such behaviours or did something‘ wrong’( UNAIDS, 2007).
This type of thinking ostracises young people from accessing HIV prevention services and treatment. For instance, in a study conducted by United Nations Population Fund( UNFPA) in China among 2,500 young people, 60 % stated that they believe people living with HIV should be isolated to a certain degree from the rest of society( UNICEF China, 2006).