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Welcome Message
Welcome to The Positive Connection, a first in the world, as it is an Online Dating Service for people living with HIV/AIDS. The site was created as a resource and a place for People Living with HIV/AIDS to meet each other. In this way eliminating the emotional trauma, which goes hand in hand with a HIV+ person having to disclose their positive status to their new partners. I want HIV positive people to also enjoy life the way they want to and not to be ruled by the limitations of others. Our own inhibitions are what labels people and sends then spiraling into a cocoon. We have done the same thing with so many other deadly diseases, that we have now come to accept banishment as the norm.
By Ben Sassman |
HIV + Stats
The papers and other HIV/AIDS related Organisations are throwing around different totals of the number of HIV positive people in South Africa, I have heard 4,2 million, 4,7 million 6 million and also 6,5 million. Whatever the totals are we will never know the true figures, but contemplate this. We all know that every five minutes a woman gets raped in South Africa, but that is reported rapes. Many women do not report a rape; therefore the statistics surely must be incorrect, the figure between how many women is raped in South Africa and the number of women who report a rape. Now look at our HIV positive stats; that too will only be reported tests. I was tested three times during the last four years, once when I took out personal insurance, again when I took out an education plan for my two boys and again when I made a bond application to purchase a home. Now look at the lower income group earner, whom we know makes up 70% of our workforce in this country and 80%of our population. Now think about when does he or she have a reason to be tested. Once again if 80% of our population has not been tested then does the 6,5 million infected people come from 20% of our population…?
By Ben Sassman |
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Population Decrease?
January 1st 2004 we all bought our local newspaper and read about all the crazy parties that went on all over the country, of people celebrating from the old into the New Year. But I think many of you missed a crucial bit of news. The papers all mentioned the “first baby” that was born for the New Year and those 86 babies who were born that day. I do not think this triggered a calculation in any ones mind. Are you aware it is estimated 1,000 people die, each day, because of AIDS in South Africa? If you want to include heart attacks, murders, car and other accidents I am sure we have about 1100 people dying in South Africa each day. Now if we have a thousand people dying each day and only 86 new babies being born, that means our population is decreasing each day.
By Ben Sassman |
Positive Media Campaigns
South Africa has one of the highest HIV positive infected ratios in the world, but yet many South Africans do not know the raw facts of HIV/AIDS. How it is transmitted, how it can be prevented, and that there is no cure for it yet. Corporate South Africa has already started to feel the pinch of loosing staff to this dreaded disease. What I would like to see, as part of the solution, is every time a prime time program comes on SABC 1/2/3, eTV, MNET or DSTV that they program in ten seconds of AIDS awareness viewing. Just a small clip stating the importance of using a condom, and how it will save your life. This should be the same for print media, on the front page of every newspaper and magazine, it does not have to be big just visible. Mention it over and over again that unprotected sex will kill you. Many people have come out and said, “we should not expose or kids to graphic anti-aids campaigns”, but I say lets rather, than to loose them to the disease. Condoms should be available at all schools (not with the guidance teacher), in toilets and other places where students will not be embarrassed to take one. Maybe condoms at school is a stupid idea as all kids now-a-days are waiting till they are married before they have sex for the first time (Let’s wakeup people).
By Ben Sassman |
