HIV/AIDS and Aboriginal Women, Children and Families: A Position Statement

The author of this position paper argues for better provision of HIV/AIDS services for Aboriginal women in Canada. She begins with a statistical report of the number of Aboriginal women who are HIV positive. She then discusses various factors that exacerbate Aboriginal women's vulnerability to HIV infection including poor socioeconomic conditions, sexual and physical violence, low self-esteem, high levels of injection drug use, and low levels of HIV testing and treatment. Additionally, the author argues that Aboriginal women are stigmatized and discriminated against by their communities when they disclose their HIV positive status. She describes the barriers that Aboriginal women prisoners with HIV face, including poor access to information, services and support. She concludes with a discussion on the lack of research in this field. [Descriptors: Indigenous Women, Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, Canada]