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from Medical Issues
HIV Safe Sex Workers In Singapore Become Infected With Deadly Disease
July 15, 2005 -
Five HIV Safe Sex educators in Singapore are infected with HIV. The five
university graduates worked for Action for AIDS (AFA) and have become infected
during the past two years.
A report in The Electric New Paper (July 11, 2005) notes that "Because of the
cloak of secrecy which surrounds people with HIV and the sensitivity of the
positions of our sources are in, we cannot confirm an exact number. The numbers
that have come up range from three to five."
According to the New Paper, one of the volunteers found out he was HIV positive
just three months ago. All discovered their HIV status when they underwent
anonymous testing at a clinic run by AFA.
One source told the paper that there is a possibility that many of the
volunteers who are working in HIV education are doing so to meet other gay men.
As the source noted: "There have been times when one of the volunteers is
counseling on the phone and I notice that he talking on the phone for a very
long time. By that time, I know they are not so much counseling as getting to
know the other person on the other end of the line."
The anonymous source also told the paper that he believes that younger gay males
aren't afraid of HIV because they haven't seen the suffering of older patients
who are infected. In addition, many HIV-infected gays fly to Bangkok for cheap
drugs and come back looking healthy. In addition, says this source, the clubbing
scene and the use of recreational drugs also contribute to unsafe and random
sexual activities.
The New Paper interviewed one of the men who worked as an AFA volunteer but who
is now HIV positive. According to this former volunteer, he has had 20 different
sexual partners and condom use was considered optional. With his fourth sexual
liaison, the man began having completely unprotected sex and discovered he was
infected. He has not had sex for a year and a half since discovering he was HIV
positive.
The Action for AIDS organization has published a rebuttal to the Electric New
Paper article: "AfA debunks allegations in The New Paper."
Updated: 8 February 2008
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