Between March 22 and April 17, 2007, amFAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, conducted an online survey to assess stigma facing HIV-positive women in the United States. The survey revealed that HIV-positive women continue to face a high level of stigma in both their personal and their professional lives. The results showed pervasive negative views of HIV-positive women and a high level of discomfort interacting with them. The majority of respondents were uncomfortable with having an HIV-positive woman as a healthcare or childcare provider; most believed that HIV-positive women should not have children. Twenty percent of respondents would not be comfortable with having an HIV-positive woman as a close friend. Many of these responses were based on misinformation and lack of understanding about how HIV is transmitted. These results document how persistent HIV stigma creates obstacles for HIV-positive women on both the personal and professional levels, and how lack of information creates and sustains stigma. This slide presentation, created by Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal of amfAR, summarizes the survey results. The complete survey results will be available in the Resource Bank after amFAR has fully mined the data collected.
The Center for HIV Law and Policy challenges barriers to the rights and health of people affected by HIV through legal advocacy, high-impact policy initiatives, and creation of cross-issue partnerships, networks, and resources. We support movement building that amplifies the power of individuals and communities to mobilize for change that is rooted in racial, gender, and economic justice.