HIV stigma and discrimination remain key barriers to dealing effectively with the HIV epidemic in Australia and around the world.

HIV stigma can deter people at risk from being tested for HIV and deter HIV-positive people from accessing appropriate treatment and care. It also remains the key obstacle for HIV-positive people disclosing their status to friends and family, employers and work colleagues, health care providers, insurance companies, landlords, and sexual partners for fear of being treated less favourably, or being outrightly rejected or abused.

Combating HIV related stigma and discrimination is identified as one of the guiding principles in the Australian National HIV Strategy; however, it is a complex task.

The issue of HIV stigma and discrimination has not been directly addressed through any social marketing campaigns in Australia for over a decade. In addition, the campaigns that have occurred in the past have been largely targeted at the general Australian community. To date, there has not been a national campaign that speaks to HIV-positive gay men about confronting the prejudices that exist within the gay community; or to HIV-negative gay men about their discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that detrimentally impact on the people with HIV.

In recognition of this situation AFAO commissioned a market research company, GfK Blue Moon, to undertake formative research, consisting of a series of focus groups and one-on-one interviews with gay men and other non-gay identifying men who have sex with men, regarding discriminatory or prejudicial attitudes and experiences that operate within Australian gay communities.

The report on these interviews and focus groups has formed the basis for the development of a programmatic response to HIV stigma and discrimination that will be rolled out among the AFAO and NAPWA membership over the coming years. The response will lead off with a print media, social marketing and social media campaign, entitled Fear Less Live More, featuring a series of five illustrations and associated messages addressing the constituent elements of HIV stigma and discrimination.

This campaign is due for release in October 2011, so stay tuned.