United Kingdom: HIV Discrimination "Rife"

People with HIV and AIDS face widespread discrimination from all sectors of society, according to a report by a leading AIDS charity. The report from the Terence Higgins Trust, published to mark World AIDS Day on Saturday, suggests that one in five people diagnosed with the disease have experienced prejudice in the past 12 months. The report claims discrimination and, more importantly, fear of discrimination, is a problem in the workplace, at home and within the health care system itself.

The charity believes such fears prevent many people from coming forward to be tested, and it is now calling for a government-funded awareness campaign to tackle the problem. The charity is also campaigning for legislation to protect HIV-infected people from all types of discrimination. "People with HIV have just as much right to be treated properly as anyone else with a long-term illness," said a spokesperson for the charity.

According to the report, black Africans, who are the second largest group of people in the United Kingdom with HIV, face particularly harsh discrimination that can often lead to financial and social problems. Many people with HIV also face discrimination at work. The charity gave examples of employers who have made working conditions impossible for an employee who has disclosed an HIV-positive status. The report also says there are examples of religious organizations denying funeral rituals to HIV-positive people, and educational establishments refusing to teach infected children.

A spokesperson for the charity said, "This [discrimination] can result in other problems such as increased anxiety, difficulty in making relationships, lack of access to information or services and unexplained absences from work. Some people choose not to be tested at all because they fear the difficulties a positive diagnosis could bring." The charity called for the public to wear a red ribbon on Saturday to demonstrate their support for people with HIV and AIDS and to show they are not prejudiced.

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