-SASOD study finds
Police continue to harass men who have sex with men, especially those who are transgender, while healthcare workers refuse or delay service to such persons, according to a study conducted by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD).
Joel Simpson, co-chair of the organisation, told a gathering last week that those who were interviewed for the study complained that when they were liming on the street they were harassed and threatened by the lawmen. They also said that police were reluctant to act upon complaints they had filed.
And persons did not only complain about healthcare workers, especially nurses, not delivering or delaying service but they also complained about the lack of confidentially at healthcare institutions.
According to Simpson, some stated that even before they would have left the institution after revealing their sexual orientation and their HIV status the information would be revealed.
One of the recommendations from the participants of the study, which SASOD plans to follow-up on, is to have a caucus with the police to discuss the troubling issues. It was also recommended that the organisation work towards developing and implementing policies to deal with homophobia, especially when it comes to healthcare workers.
Simpson was at the time speaking at a forum held at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) building on Main Street where a number of persons representing different groups gave brief reports about their attendance at the recently-concluded AIDS conference held in Mexico.
In his report, Simpson said that he attended a Caribbean workshop before the actual commencement of the conference and many representatives from the various countries said that there are homophobia-fuelled murders in their countries. Lyrics in music were also found to contribute to threats and violence against sexual orientation. He said that a consensus at the end of the conference confirmed that homophobia continues to fuel HIV while a call was made for the creating of safe and supportive environment for all minorities.
Meanwhile, Miriam Edwards, Director of the ‘One Love’ Kwakwani Sex Workers organisation and who is also a member of the Caribbean Sex Workers Coalition, said that one of the things called for at the pre-conference she attended was for sex workers to be recognised, and for what they do to be called work.
Sex workers also want to be included in all national and international forums that would discuss sex-related issues. They also want their rights to be recognized so as to eliminate violence against them. These workers also want to be more included in the fight against HIV and AIDS and to obtain access to healthcare free of stigma and discrimination.
Mandatory testing
Edwards said they also want an end to mandatory HIV and AIDS testing of sex workers and for there to be access to healthcare for all genders of sex workers. They also called on their respective countries to recognise international conventions and for findings of studies that see sex workers as participants to be shared with them.
And according to Lydia Fraser, Health Director of the Guyana Red Cross Society who went to the forums for women and girls, one of the first things identified was the vulnerability of women and girls worldwide.
She said it was pointed out that because many women are not the heads of households and are out working they have little time to monitor what happens at home with their children. The absence of the mothers increases their daughters’ vulnerability and this is even more dangerous as girls are more vulnerable to sexual abuse.
At the forums, they also touched on the fact that many groups refuse to issue condoms or to advise persons where they can access them and this creates problems and fuels the spread of HIV. Women still have the battle of getting men to wear condoms as well as dealing with men who don’t want the women to wear female condoms.
She said it was stated that when the relationship is young, using a condom is not a problem but when the relationship has grown men tend to get comfortable and do not want any condoms during sex. The issue about stigma and discrimination against women and girls was also raised.
Also addressing those in attendance were Namela Baynes-Henry, Editor-in-chief of First Look News and Norwell Hinds, Youth Focal Point of UNFPA in Guyana while Chairman of Lifeline Counselling Services, Dereck Springer facilitated a plenary discussion following the presentations.
