Women in prison: information and solidarity.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Women in prison: information and solidarity.

Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24;8(1):Mo12 (abstract no. MoD 0040). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA8/92399998
Mazzola E; Ronconi S; Terzi M; DAI, Donne AIDS Informazione, Torino, Italy.

Abstract: PROBLEMS: In Italian prisons there are a great number of drug addicts (34% of prisoners), 30% of them are seropositive. The spread of HIV inside prisons is increasing rapidly, also because of the lack of prevention projects. Prisoners with HIV/AIDS are isolated and stigmatizated. Among them, women are the most isolated and powerless. PROJECT: the group of women (social workers, ex prisoners, ex user, video makers) named DAI -Donne AIDS Informazione weekly meets women inside female prison Le Nuove in Torino, to give them information about prevention and develop a culture and an experience of solidarity The aim is to help the women to organize by themselves about prevention, solidarity, respects of their civil rights. METHODS: lessons for information, collective discussions, workshops on different topics, workshops to produce a campaign of information dedicated to women and men prisoners, through video, depliant etc. RESULTS: the project is sponsored by USL 1 (Regional health service). DAI meet every saturday about 20 women--most of them drug addicts. There two workshops, one on prevention in prison, one on how to live together, seronegative and seropositive women. They are producing a video and a newsletter about life in prison with AIDS, civil and human rights, prevention. LESSONS LEARNED: it is impossible to cope with AIDS related problems, in prisons, if the prisoners themselves have not the possibility to be protagonist and if there's no respect for their rights. On this basis, the prisoners can become experts.

Keywords: Female *Health Education Human Human Rights HIV Infections/PREVENTION & CONTROL/TRANSMISSION HIV Seropositivity/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY Italy/EPIDEMIOLOGY Patient Isolation *Prisoners *Self-Help Groups Social Isolation Substance Abuse, Intravenous/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY Videotape Recording ABSTRACT
921230
M92C5349

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