Vis-à-vis, Spring 1996, Volume 13, Number 3: A National Newsletter on Family Violence
Canadian Council on Social Development

News from the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Community Action Programs

The National AIDS Strategy, Phase II (NAS-II)

 The National AIDS Strategy, Phase II, is the foundation through which the federal government and its many partners respond to the urgent needs created by HIV/AIDS in Canada and around the world. The goals of the strategy are to stop the transmission of HIV; to search for effective vaccines, drugs and therapies; and to treat, care for and provide support for people infected with HIV and their caregivers, families and friends.

Prevention programming and community-based funding at the federal government level are supported primarily by the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Community Action Programs (PCAP) within Health Canada. In collaboration with many partners, PCAP funds projects to stop the transmission of HIV, promotes leadership for the development of national prevention activities and supports national education and prevention strategies aimed at groups most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS, Women and Violence

Current statistics remind us that the problems posed by HIV/AIDS do not exist in isolation from other public health and social problems. HIV epidemics in Canada are continuing and unpredictable. While the transmission of HIV may be slow or stable in one risk group, other groups may be experiencing an increase. In Canada, heterosexual transmission of HIV continues to rise, as does the percentage of AIDS cases among women.

With the increase in the number of women with HIV or AIDS has come the recognition that some women may be unable to protect themselves from HIV infection from their sexual partner because of fear of violence. In addition, women who become HIV+ and disclose this diagnosis to their sexual partner may be at risk of further violence. To create supportive environments for women, it is important that service providers from both HIV/AIDS service organizations and violence prevention agencies be aware of the link between these two issues.

Activities Funded by PCAP Health Canada

Weighing the risk/Voulez-vous risquer avec moi?
 This 26-minute film celebrates the positive experience of female sexuality while raising awareness of how to decrease the risk of HIV infection. A broad cross-section of Canadian women discuss the challenges they face in practising safer sex, particularly when faced with opposition from their partners. An accompanying facilitator's guide provides background information, discussion issues, resources and evaluation tools. Both resources are available from the National AIDS Clearinghouse.

Condom and pill project
This project has developed a resource package for physicians to use when they provide information to women about protection from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, as well as from pregnancy. Using a latex condom is the best way of preventing HIV transmission among sexually active individuals. Since the pill does not stop the transmission of HIV, women are encouraged to negotiate the use of latex condoms in addition to the pill or other method of birth control. The information package contains posters, self-assessment sheets, brochures, condom packages, evaluation forms and a physician evaluation. When pilot tested, the package was well received by women aged 19 through 38, as well as by young men. For further information, contact:
Grace Guyon
Alberta Medical Association
12230 106th Avenue North West
Edmonton, AB, T5N 3Z1
Tel: (403) 482-2626, fax: 482-5445

Skills for healthy relationships curriculum
Skills for Healthy Relationships is a healthy sexuality and HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum for junior high school students (grades 7, 8, 9). Developed by Health Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, the program was designed to help young people deal responsibly with sexual relationships and avoid risk-taking behaviours. It also addresses homophobia (fear of homosexuality). Evaluation results to date show that students receiving the program know more about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and demonstrate a positive change in behavioural intentions. The curriculum is being adapted in the Northwest Territories to accommodate the northern context. Single copies of the curriculum are available free within Canada from the National AIDS Clearinghouse. The 56-minute video may be borrowed from the Clearinghouse and copied for educational purposes.
Women and AIDS pamphlet
 This pamphlet contains practical information for women, including facts about the transmission of HIV/AIDS, testing, a woman's choices, correct condom use and talking to her partner. This resource is available through the National AIDS Clearinghouse.
HIV/AIDS and child-care
 Although the risk of transmission of HIV in a child-care setting is almost nil, both parents and child-care providers have expressed concerns about it. In response, the Canadian Child Care Federation received funding to develop the HIV/AIDS and Child Care training materials. These materials include guidelines and educational information for day-care providers, teachers of early childhood education and parents. They are available through the National AIDS Clearinghouse and have been distributed to all licensed day-cares across Canada.
Women and HIV/AIDS project, Phase I and II
This project is about empowering women living with HIV/AIDS to take control over decisions that effect their lives. Phase I brought together 300 HIV+ women from across Canada to prioritize issues requiring action, including public awareness, education and treatment and research. A national newsletter, inventories on Women and Aids projects and materials, a discussion paper on supportive environments and a skills building workshop were developed. The joint project with AIDS Care, Treatment and Support Program is now in Phase II which involves putting into action the priority issues. For further information, contact:
Amrita Ellen Paul
Canadian AIDS Society
100 Sparks Street, Suite 400
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5B7
Tel: (613) 230-3580, fax: 563-4998
Toll free: 1-800-884-1058
Immigrant and visible minority women organizing against AIDS, Phase I and II
Under Phase I, a community forum of immigrant and visible minority women from across Canada was organized to produce a national framework to help the National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada (NOIVMWC) and its partners to develop programs on HIV/AIDS prevention. In Phase II of the project, NOIVMWC established a national network of member groups to share information and co-ordinate HIV/AIDS prevention education strategies. Final reports from the project are available through the National AIDS Clearinghouse.

Write for the National AIDS Clearinghouse catalogue, which lists over 200 pamphlets, reports, posters and videos on AIDS. Most materials are free of charge within Canada and many are available in one or more of 15 different languages. Please contact the National AIDS Clearinghouse by phone, fax or mail:

National AIDS Clearinghouse
1565 Carling Avenue, Suite 400
Ottawa, ON, K1Z 8R1
Tel: (613) 725-3454, fax: 725-9826
The URL for this document is: http://www.ccsd.ca/v_hivnew.html

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