Positive Men

Support Services

Hepatitis and HIV positive support groups

Being newly diagnosed can be overwhelming and understanding all the information that is provided to you can be challenging. Often speaking to peers that have been in similar circumstances can put things into perspective and help with living positively. If you are newly diagnosed we have support groups that can assists you with your diagnosis.

Women’s Group

A support group for positive women only, held in a safe and non-judgemental environment where we provide information and education on the specific needs of HIV+ women. We also provided one on one support for positive women that require emotional and social support.

Men’s Group:

Peer support group for HIV+ men that are held regularly and facilitated by a HIV+ person.

We provide support to positive people on a one on one basis

Hepatitis Support Group

Hepatitis support groups provide education and information on treatment, healthy living and offer emotional support to them and their family members or caregivers.

Our support groups discuss the following topics:

• Disclosure
• Rights and responsibilities
• Relationships
• Medications
• Eating healthy
• Sex and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
• Mental health 

Support groups are run regularly in locations around Darwin. In Alive Springs we run positive support groups for people living with HIV and or Hepatitis B and C. 

Please contact the Care and Support team for the location of the next meeting.

It's important that you consider how a person might react when telling them you have HIV or Hepatitis. There is still a large degree of stigma and discrimination in the community around Blood Borne Viruses. The most important thing to remember is you can live a long and healthy life on treatments. The following information informs you of your legal rights. 

Disclosure: Generally you do not have to tell people you have HIV however there are limited exceptions to this rule.

Personal Relationships

In some states public health law says you must tell prospective sexual partners that you have HIV before you have sex unless you take reasonable precautions to prevent transmission (for example, using condoms). There have been a small number of criminal prosecutions for HIV exposure or transmission. It is difficult to generalise about these cases but it is important to note that all have relied on the fact that the person with HIV did not disclosure their HIV-positive status before sex. There have been no criminal prosecutions where a condom has been used during sex, whether or not the person with HIV disclosed their status.

Telling Sexual Partners

If you test positive for HIV or an STI it is important that you tell people that you may have exposed so that they can get tested and treated if necessary. You can send an anonymous text or email to others you may have placed at risk.

In Other Aspects of Life

In some cases you are obliged to disclose your HIV status. 

Work - You are not required to disclose your HIV status in most work environments although there are a few exceptions. Doctors, nurses and dentist who perform exposure prone procedures are required to know and disclose their BBV status. Everyone who applies to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is tested for HIV and if found to be HIV positive, will not be allowed to join. The ADF also regularly undertakes HIV testing of it's personnel.

Insurance - You have a legal obligation to disclose all relevant information when applying for insurance. if you decide to take out a new insurance policy such as life insurance, income protection, or death and disability insurance, you will need to disclose your BBV positive status, the insurance company won't pay out when you make a claim. When you disclose your BBV status, some companies may refuse to insure you while others will charge higher premiums. As BBV treatments have improved, the range of insurance options has also improved, so it is worth shopping around to find the best deal.

Superannuation - You do not need to disclose your BBV status to your superannuation fund, however, if you become ill or experience serious financial hardship, you may be able to access some or all of your superannuation early. This will normally require disclosure of your status and other health information. If you intend to access your superannuation early it is important to seek independent advise as your application must satisfy very strict criteria. Superannuation funds often include a 'default' insurance cover, which means you are automatically insured unless you opt out. This can be a good option for people with a BBV as it does not require any disclosure unless you want to make a claim.

Immigration - The Department of Immigration requires anyone applying for a permanent residency to provide the results of an HIV test.

Donating Blood - The law states that people with HIV cannot donate blood, semen, ova or other body tissues.

Oversea's Travel - For many people with HIV. travel is a regular part of life, whether for work, study or pleasure. In most cases, HIV is not a barrier to travel and holidays. To avoid problems, it is usually best not disclose your Status unnecessarily- not to other travelers, to customs or immigration officials, or to work colleagues. HIV continues to be heavily stigmatised in many countries, and your HIV status is not their business.

Discrimination

Discrimination on the basis of BBV status is unlawful across Australia. Laws cover people with BBVs, people believed to have a BBV, and people who associate with people how have a BBV. Although these laws do not extend into personal life, they do cover the areas of work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport and the provision of goods, facilities, services and land. If you believe you have experienced discrimination based on your BBV status, contact us and we can talk through your experience and discuss whether you should contact the anti-discrimination agency.

Contact Tracing

Drama Down Under (Gay men)

DDU-SMS 

DDU EMAIL 

Better to Know (Indigenous)

BETTER TO KNOW SMS 

BETTER TO KNOW EMAIL 

Living Positive

If you've just been diagnosed with HIV or Hepatitis and want to talk to another positive person, contact our Care and Support team. It's important to remember that you can live a long and healthy life. Eating well and maintaining low stress levels is vital to remaining well.

Other Health Conditions

People living with HIV and Hepatitis also live with other health conditions. Some of these are more prevalent amongst those of us who have had HIV or Hepatitis for some time. its important that you maintain a good relationship with your specialist and your General Practitioner.

Smoking

Tobacco is the one of the most widely used drugs in the world, nicotine is powerfully addictive and can have serious effects on your health. If you are living with HIV or Hepatitis one of the best things you can do for your overall health is to quit smoking.

Ageing

Many people now living with HIV and Hepatitis are over the age of 50 and this presents with particular challenges

How well we age and how the ageing of our bodies impacts upon our health is unique to each of us, Ageing and living with a Blood Borne Virus long term and taking treatments all impacts on our overall health. One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to maintain a healthy lifestyle including exercise, reducing our alcohol, and a balanced diet.

Alcohol & Other Drugs

If you drink alcohol or use another drug, as with any indulgence, the key is moderation.

Overuse any drug and you risk damaging your health and in some cases your treatment outcomes will not be successful. If you depend on alcohol or other drugs, it's a good idea to review what is going on in your life and seek advice to help with strategies to make a change.

Sexual Health

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are passed on during sexual contact. Some of these have no symptoms.

and therefor you might not know you have an infection so it's always advisable to practice safer sexual behaviour and use condoms, dams and water based lubricants.

Some STI's can increase the risk of passing on HIV which is why regular screening is important. It is recommended that you have a sexual health screen every six months and if you have sex frequently then test every three months.rite a description for this tab and include information that will interest site visitors. For example if you are using tabs to show different services write about what makes this service unique. If you are using tabs to display restaurant items write about what makes a specific dish particularly worthwhile or delicious.