Published January, 2007

International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) Vision Paper #6: HIV Positive Women and Drug and Alcohol Use (2007)

The International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) reports on the results of its project Silent Voices, a program devoted to gathering the stories of HIV-positive drug and alcohol using women in the United Kingdom. The Paper discusses the women's romantic and family relationships, their responses to their diagnosis, their experiences with care providers, and their professional lives. Based on its findings, ICW calls for more comprehensive post-test counseling for HIV, increased access to information on sex, sexuality and motherhood for HIV-positive women, new approaches to drug and alcohol services, increased peer support for drug-using HIV-positive women, strong anti-discrimination legislation, and increased education within public institutions. This resource will be useful for advocates for HIV-positive people and drug users, and for care providers interested in more adequately serving the needs of drug users and HIV-positive individuals.