A campaign to reduce HIV diagnosis, increase testing and reduce stigma
When we talk about sex, we often talk about our needs and how we deserve care. Talking about sex can be a way of looking after our health. It means that we're in control. Talking helps us to make decisions about our health and communicate to others so we can have the sex that we want.
If you're HIV negative, there are different ways to prevent HIV such as condoms, PEP and PrEP and getting tested. PrEP is a pill you take before sex to stay HIV negative and PEP is a pill you take after sex. If you’re living with HIV, staying healthy might include registering with a clinic, taking medication and asking questions about the doubts you have about living with HIV. Staying healthy is also about talking about your mental health too. We have different services to support your mental health and wellbeing. We talk about sex in peer support groups, counselling, mentoring, workshops, and advice sessions.
When we talk about sex, we look after our partners, friends, family and community. Learning about PrEP and undetectable = untransmittable can help you and the people around you. What are the right choices for you, your friends and your community? In our lives, we need to make important decisions like telling other people we have an STI or that we're living with HIV. Talking about sex can help you make decisions that are right for you and where you're at right now. And we're here to support you.
Although HIV rates are coming down among gay and bisexual men, we know that for some groups, like Latin Americans and other migrant communities, the rate isn’t falling. 98% of people living with HIV in the UK are untransmittable, which means they can’t transmit the virus. The latest data shows that PrEP is extremely effective at stopping HIV transmission when taken correctly. In the UK, you can get tested or get treatment for free, regardless of your immigration status.
When we talk about sex, we challenge prejudice. Prejudice can cause feelings of shame around having lots of sex, taking PrEP, being HIV+, bottoming or being effeminate. Talking openly helps us reduce stigma, respect diversity, have healthy sex lives and enjoy the sex we are having. It boosts our self-esteem and helps us feel less embarrassed, ashamed or scared about sex. Join our #LetsTalkAboutSex campaign to challenge this stigma.
This is a community-based project working with influencers and volunteers to reduce HIV transmission, increase HIV testing and reduce HIV stigma. There is a campaign and videos in Spanish, Portuguese and Polish. This project is supported by MAC AIDS Fund.
We're working with Latin American and Polish communities and our volunteers are from these communities. We know that HIV rates remain high. We need to address language barriers, migration and healthcare to help reduce new diagnoses. There is a collection of 13 videos and a digital campaign in Spanish, Portuguese and Polish.
We run peer support online workshops for Latin American and Polish people in the UK. These workshops are a safe space to talk about sex in your language without being judged. We have workshops in Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and one-to-one support through mentoring and counselling.