Los Angeles Times Examines Stigma, Violence Toward MSM, HIV-Positive People in Jamaica
The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined the stigma associated with and violence toward men who have sex with men and HIV-positive people in Jamaica. A recent "spate of attacks on gays" and "foreign condemnation" have highlighted the country's "intolerant" attitude toward MSM and HIV/AIDS patients, according to the Times (Williams, Los Angeles Times, 1/9). The New York-based human rights advocacy group Human Rights Watch in November 2004 released a report saying that discrimination and violence against MSM and HIV-positive people in Jamaica have "hampered" the government's ability to fight HIV/AIDS. The 79-page report -- titled "Hated to Death: Homophobia, Violence and Jamaica's HIV/AIDS Epidemic" -- documented police harassment of men who are suspected of having sex with men, commercial sex workers and HIV-positive people. The report also said that many HIV-positive people often receive poor or no treatment from public health workers because of the stigma surrounding the disease (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 12/3/04). Jamaican government spokespeople rejected the report as "lies" and "nonsense" and called the allegations "unjustified," according to the Times (Los Angeles Times, 1/9). The complete article is available online.
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