Abstract ID: 19003

Author: Marama Pala

Title: KNOWING STIGMA, DISCRIMINATION AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES BEFORE HIV INFECTION. A POLYNESIAN WOMAN’S PERSONAL STORY.

Subject Area/Topic: Stigma and Discrimination

Issues: Low-socio income background, sexual abuse, rape, drug and alcohol addictions, violence and crime, then HIV infection!!! Well being and Mental health? What’s that?

Description: As a Māori Polynesian woman of many, my entire background came from welfare support, being poor, sexual abuse in the family, subsequent drug and alcohol abuse as a coping mechanism leading to violence, gang and criminal activity, adding a one night liaison resulting in contracting HIV. Well, That’s my story, but one of many, some may not have been so lucky as to contract HIV.

Lessons learned: The many complications of living with HIV, gave me hope. It changed my life. It provided me with the opportunity to get counseling and therapy. It helped me to break away from negative forces and re-evaluate my journey. This journey having more to deal with HIV psychologically than physically, I’ve not suffered any HIV related anything. I met other people whom suffer more psychologically than physically. I soon realised this was an area ignored or under focused.

Next steps: I became involved in developing training and resources to deal with the mental impact of an HIV diagnosis. Combining an indigenous 'world view', traditional healing with western methodology. The indigenous methodology came from years of ancestor’s philosophies and sciences. Regaining my strength and identity from being Māori, I was able to stand up and talk about my background, my experiences, my diagnosis and my future. I am now a mother of a negative child, a wife of a positive man from Papua New Guinea, we are living honestly and modestly beginning a new chapter or working with Māori, Indigenous, and Pacific Island people and educating them on HIV and it’s affects. Combating stigma, discrimination and social injustice through a common ground; for we all suffered stigma, discrimination and social injustices before we were diagnosed.