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HAPPINESS IS No 4 Vol 16 Winter 2014 VITAL December 2014_Layout 1 09/12/2014 16:51 Page 2

2 Editorial by Joe McDonagh 3 Challenging Times by Gerry Coy Editorial 4 An Appreciation by Dr. Shay On MOnday 1st december we celebrated develop empowerment in their own lives. 5 What's in the News? World aIdS day 2014 – it’s a day people all Later in the evening we held the special 6 Ask Lorraine over the world come together to raise candlelit memorial service in the wonderful 7 World AIDS Day Poster awareness about HIV/aIdS, encourage surroundings of St nicholas’ Collegiate Competition 2014 progress in prevention, treatment and care, Church in , to remember those who 8 World AIDS Day Memorial and look to break down the stigma still have died as a result of aIdS and to show Concert 2014 surrounding the condition. solidarity and support to those living with 9 World AIDS Day Memorial Sadly, the latest figures on HIV infection HIV. This was the 15th year that we have Concert 2014 rates for 2014 in Ireland already show an held this event and there were around 300 10 Poetry by Mary Turley increase of over 40 new diagnoses on the people in attendance. We were treated to a McGrath corresponding period for 2013 with the selection of wonderful hymns and carols 11 A Big Day Out In Australia by current figure for this year standing at 351 performed by Cois Cladaigh under the Alyce Vella new diagnoses. Regular testing for STI’s is musical direction of Brendan O’Connor as Scary Ebola by Neil Wilson essential as undiagnosed infection is widely well as the beautifully blended and recognised as a key factor driving the HIV magnificent voices of Bel Canto featuring 12 Patient Zero and the Origins of HIV/AIDS by Kate epidemic. Someone who remains delia Boyce, Sandra Schalks and Hildegarde Dawson undiagnosed is much more likely to pass the naughton under the musical direction of 13 Enthusiastic Consent by virus on unwittingly than someone who has Mairead Berrill. Siobhan O’Higgins been tested and is on treatment. The audience were deeply moved as we heard Fire in the Blood Film Review On Sunday 30th november, aIdS West an aIdS West service user describe his by Emma Martin hosted a seminar for our service users where journey through 25 years of living with HIV. 14 High Times by Neil Wilson local psychologist and author Michael He detailed his experiences with great Hardiman detailed how we can improve self- dignity, honesty and indeed humour, 15 Useful Contacts esteem and confidence through a clear focus, summarising that he felt fortunate to have and by the process of empowerment which met some truly remarkable and inspirational within our community’. enables us to move towards living in a way people on this journey who had a very special thank you to the Rev Gary that will bring greater fulfilment and demonstrated unconditional and true Hastings, Catherine and Jane from St satisfaction. The seminar was interesting and friendship. I sincerely thank him for sharing nicholas’ Collegiate Church for their they left with a clearer understanding of the his experience with us. support and for once again making us so variety of tools that they can utilise to help We were grateful that the Mayor of the City welcome in this beautiful church. To all who of Galway, donal Lyons was in attendance – attended on the evening and helped in he outlined that the World aIdS day theme making this such a wonderful evening. also, is ‘Getting to Zero - this means Zero new the excellent staff team at aIdS West a very infections, Zero discrimination and Zero special ‘thank you’. aIdS related deaths.’ Early in november, we were deeply saddened The Mayor thanked aIdS West for their to hear that dr Shay Keating’s long term essential work supporting people living with companion and civil partner Paul Strecker HIV in the West of Ireland and went on to Keating had died. Shay has been a very dear commend the work we do in delivering friend of aIdS West for a number of years ourSexual Health Education Programmes to and our thoughts and prayers are with Shay Schools, Colleges, and other community and the Strecker and Keating families at this groups stating ‘these excellent programmes time. play a major role in increasing awareness Joe McDonagh around HIV and sexual transmitted infection General Manager, AIDS West Happiness is Vital — page 2 December 2014_Layout 1 09/12/2014 16:51 Page 3 YouTube for the masses There are many things that make life easier Jools Live can also be found on you Tube. when we are trying to relax and enjoy our Last words on music, check out War on leisure time. My particular favourites are The drugs and Sharon van Etten. I Pad, netflix and yOU TUBE. It’s So to film and there are magnificent things to important to say that for the real enjoyment be found on the tube. Over the last number of any of these, a good fibre-broadband of years many great films have disappeared. I connection is important. It’s only in the last started checking a few months ago and found month I upgraded but the difference is the following: astounding. In this article I am going to naked - Mike Leigh, (1993) -one of my top concentrate on the free option among the ten films of all time and a winner at Cannes three listed, yOU TUBE. But first I have to no Surrender - (1985),from the writer of say: for anybody who loves the cinema and Boys from the Blackstuff, alan Bleasdale TV, at 7.99 a month netflix is amazing. Just The Ruling Class - (1972), great comedy with to mention a couple of treats now available: Peter O'Toole thinking he's Jesus Breaking Bad, House of Cards, The Thick of This Sporting Life - (1963), the It, Getting On, nurse Jackie and the two breakthrough film for Richard Harris. magnificent Scandi-thrillers, The Bridge and My dinner with andre (1981)- a film about and lastly moving quickly to T.V, two of my The Killing. My pick of the lot, if you enjoy 2 men talking in a restaurant ... need I say favourite series of all time are available: The off the wall comedy/thrillers, is Lillehammer. more! norman Conquests (1977) written by alan This concerns a former new york mobster, Gimme Shelter - (1970) - the Rolling Stones ayckbourn and starring Tom Conti in his relocated, under the witness protection at altamount, quiet harrowing finest role and Blackeyes(1989) written by programme, to Lillehammer in norway. The My Man Godfrey - (1936) - William Powell dennis Potter and unavailable for a long time. title role of Johnny is played by Bruce and Carole Lombard, magic and there are thousands of other fantastic Springsteen’s right hand man, Steve Van The Evil dead - (1981) - great horror items to find and Christmas is a great time to Zantz. Steve is a howl and his interactions comedy, long banned in Ireland start looking....and it's all free. with the locals are hilarious. The three series The Fog of War - (2003) - a fine to date are all up on netflix. documentary on the life of Robert S Happy new year and so to you Tube. What I love about the Mcnamara Gerry Coy site is the sheer amount of videos and films available for free and aside from the dodgy phone videos, there is a huge amount to enjoy. My particular interest is in music, cinema and TV. Starting with music the site has a magnificent collection of concerts from over the ages. Some highlights include: david Bowie, in a selection of performances from the start of his career. Van Morrison, live at Montreux 1980 The Rolling Stones, live in London, 1971 The Waterboys, live in nurburg, 1986 Miles davis, Isle of Wight, 1970 Marvin Gaye, live in atlanta, 1974 and lastly my favourite band of the moment, Future Islands in Washington this year. and speaking of Future Islands, they also had The staff at AIDS West would like to wish you and yours a very happy and healthy Christmas. my favourite single this year with ' Seasons We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support (waiting on you)', a fantastic live version from throughout 2014.

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Paul Keating Strecker an appreciation

On THE 8th OF nOVEMBER last, my ‘discuss with dr. Shay’ column. His advice longtime companion, civil partner and best on how to ‘pitch’ my writing was invaluable: friend died suddenly and unexpectedly at our we doctors often have a tendency to patronise house in Kilmainham, dublin. Paul and I or to talk over peoples’ heads. Paul kept me were together for 18 years, the best and most well grounded. Paul was also an accomplished fulfilled years of my life. writer himself. He wrote many poems and anyone who met Paul was immediately short stories. His children’s book ‘Paddy the drawn to him, his beaming smile, his larger Pigeon’ has not been published yet. than life personality, his amazing good looks Many did not know that Paul was a champion Like many of us, Paul had his demons. In life but mostly his honesty, empathy and his true pigeon racer, racing pigeons from the north he knew great suffering but never let this desire to care for all who crossed his path. of France to the back garden of his birth interfere with how he dealt with others. I Paul was a hugely popular man: the massive home in Clontarf and laterally to truly believe that this suffering made him the turn out at his funeral mass evidenced this. Kilmainham. at 17 years of age he was the kind empathic person he was. a patient of His last day of life was spent phoning patients youngest ever winner of the Miller Gold Cup, mine reminded me last week of the time he and friends, offering support to them in their a very prestigious trophy in the pigeon racing called Paul for help at 2 in the morning. Paul hours of need. fraternity. His 20 foot long pigeon loft is chatted away with him, reassuring him Paul was blessed with many fine attributes. empty now except for his old pal ‘King Billy’ without ever mentioning the time. I recall He was exceptionally intelligent. as a mature and a mate, which Paul always wanted to die many years ago my mother advising Paul that student he graduated with honors from of old age with us, at home. Paul’s dog Jack he needs two classes: one in cooking and Business, Economics and Social Studies, from was put down three months ago. Jack another in self belief and assertiveness. He Trinity College, dublin in 2003. at the time followed Paul everywhere: they were truly took neither. of his death he was the Practice Manager at best mates. Jack’s passing had a huge impact I feel so alone and empty now that Paul has ‘Harold’s Cross Surgery’, the largest privately on Paul who cried nonstop for a week. They passed. Paul lived his life for me, to make my run Sexual Health Service in the country. are together now. life easier. So too are his family and many This he built from nothing and it is a as I have mentioned, Paul was very easy on friends saddened and shocked. alive, Paul testament to his huge business acumen and the eyes and constantly defied the aging lived his life as best he could in the image of management skills. When I wrote on HIV or process, helped along by Botox and Face Christ. ar dheis an t–athair e a anam. sexual health for aIdS West, Paul was a true creams. It is sadly ironic that he will never help to me each time I wrote a piece for my have to face this aging process again. Shay Keating

Un urges ‘fast-track’ approach to end aIdS epidemic by 2030

TaKInG a FaST-TRaCK approach in the a press release. “now we have five years to break it battle against aIdS over the next five years will for good or risk the epidemic rebounding out of avert 21 million deaths and allow the world to end control.” the epidemic by 2030, the Joint United nations e fast-track approach emphasizes the need to Programme on HIV/aIdS (UnaIdS) said in a focus on the counties, cities and communities most commitments from both national and new report published in november 2014. affected by HIV, and recommends that resources international sources, UnaIdS said. e report, Fast-Track: ending the aIdS epidemic be concentrated on the areas with the greatest Other targets include reducing the annual number by 2030, outlines a set of targets that would need impact. of new HIV infections by more than 75 per cent, to be reached by 2020, including 90-90-90: 90 per In particular, the approach highlights that efforts to 500,000 in 2020, and achieving zero cent of people living with HIV knowing their HIV are needed in the 30 countries that together discrimination. status; 90 per cent of people who know their HIV- account for 89 per cent of new HIV infections adhering to the targets would mean that nearly 28 positive status on treatment; and 90 per cent of worldwide. To fast-track national responses in million new HIV infections would be averted by people on treatment with suppressed viral loads. these 30 priority countries will require extensive 2030, UnaIdS said. “We have bent the trajectory of the epidemic,” said mobilization of human, institutional and strategic Michel Sidibé, Executive director of UnaIdS in international partners, as well as significant UN AIDS Centre

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WHAT’S IN THE NEWS 120 HEP C PATIENTS TO GET “not just research for research’s sake, they are likely to acquire HIV in Ireland. 'MIRACLE' DRUGS AT LAST about implementation”. Figures released by the HSE’s Health around 120 patients who are seriously ill Pointing to the HIV initiative in particular, Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) with Hepatitis C are to be given so-called the senior officials said the studies have the show that there were 205 newly diagnosed "miracle drugs". potential to provide real-life improvement to cases of HIV in Ireland in the first 6 months Health Minister Leo Varadkar announced vulnerable people’s health. of 2014. Of these, 94 new diagnoses were gay the start of early access for patients with The HIV research is being led by UCd and bisexual men, up from 82 cases for the advanced liver disease following agreement expert and consultant in infectious diseases same period in 2013. on the price with the makers of Sovaldi and at the Mater Hospital, Patrick Mallon, and New cases two other drugs, Olysio and daklinza. will look at preventing osteoporosis and other Gay and bisexual men under the age of 35 But the wider availability of the expensive difficulties in long-term HIV sufferers. now make up 6 out of every 10 new cases of drugs depends on further price negotiations. dr Mallon said that, due to the anti-retro HIV. Haemophiliacs and women infected with viral drugs they take to fight the illness, HIV Between 2005 and 2013 there has been a four contaminated anti-d are among those who sufferers are more prone to bone loss and fold increase in the number of new diagnoses will benefit from early access. The powerful reduced bone density. among those aged between 25 34 years. anti-viral drugs are a last resort for these among the other projects is a study by Trinity The average age of HIV diagnosis for gay and patients. College researcher Juliette Hussey, examining bisexual men has fallen to 32 years from 37 Other European countries have also fast- how people recover from surgery for throat years in 2005. tracked the drugs for the most urgent cancer, both physically and emotionally. “There is a need for a rethink in our patients. The 36 projects were selected out of 190 approaches. Our strategic goals must be zero Mr Varadkar said the department of Health applications and will get between €330,000 new cases of HIV and zero discrimination has set up an advisory group to look at a and €800,000 over the five years. against people living with HIV” continued multi-annual approach to how Hepatitis C Health Minister Leo Varadkar said the focus Brady, adding: can be treated. on research is key to moving the health a new programme with clear goals and The aim is to provide access for as many service forward. targets, properly resourced, will need to patients as possible within the resources The Irish Examiner increase the number and variety of testing provided by taxpayers, he added. opportunities targeting gay and bisexual men. These drugs are very effective in clearing the AVERAGE AGE OF HIV DIAGNOSIS Early diagnosis can significantly improve a virus and potentially cures it. FOR GAY AND BISExUAL MEN HAS person’s long term health outcomes. It can Irish Independent FALLEN TO 32 also be a significant factor in reducing THERE nEEdS TO be a rethink around onward transmission of HIV to others as the HIV DRUG SIDE-EFFECTS TO GO HIV prevention for gay and bisexual men, majority of new cases are passed on by people UNDER THE MICROSCOPE says GLEn, the Gay and Lesbian Equality who do not know they are HIV positive. The unforeseen health problems for long- network. Speaking ahead of today’s meeting, term HIV sufferers due to their anti-retro Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Committee Chairman Jerry Buttimer said viral drugs are to be examined as part of a Committee on Health and Children today that with World aIdS day taking place next €13.5m medical research funding drive. that will be focusing on advances in testing Monday, it timely to focus on a number of State body the Health Research Board opportunities for HIV and enhancing HIV issues, in particular advances in testing confirmed the project will be included engagement with health services, Tiernan opportunities for HIV and enhancing alongside studies focusing on cancer, Brady, director of Gay HIV Strategies engagement with health services. pneumonia, and the road to universal health (GHS) with GLEn said that a new strategic “HIV is a preventable and treatable insurance during a high-profile meeting approach to HIV in Ireland needs to be condition, so it is important that we yesterday. established. encourage and help people to be proactive Speaking at the Royal College of Physicians Goals about looking after their sexual health and to in Ireland in central dublin, HRB chief The goal of zero new cases of HIV and zero engage with health services. Great strides executive Graham Love said the fund will be discrimination against people living with have been made in testing technologies and split between 36 studies into a range of health HIV needs to be a priority, said Brady, early diagnosis is crucial in improving the issues over the next five years. adding: It is clear from the latest figures that long-term health outcomes for people and While Mr Love admitted some people may HIV is an issue of critical concern for gay and preventing further transmission of HIV,” he feel the money could be put to better use in bisexual men. The figures for 2014 show that said. frontline services, he stressed the projects are gay and bisexual men are the group most The Journal

Happiness is Vital — page 5 December 2014_Layout 1 09/12/2014 16:51 Page 6 Ask Lorraine Lorraine is here to answer any of your questions in relation to sexual health. If you need a prompt reply to your query please contact us in confidence on 091-566266.

mutual pleasure. Dear Lorraine, I have been hearing so much about the dangers of porn these days and how it Many young people will have some exposure to internet pornography, find it affects young people’s views on sex. I have a 15 year old son, and I know he has amusing or boring or exciting, but then get on with the business of making looked at sites in the past. I was hoping to get some advice/information on the real-life relationships with people their own age. But some young people may effects of porn and how to broach a conversation on the matter. I was also be exposed to images which they find disturbing or which skew their view of wondering is this issue addressed in school through young people’s Relationships a ‘normal’ sexual relationship or a normal body. and Sexuality programme. a very small proportion of people who look at internet pornography get Marie. caught up in a cycle of compulsive use and spend more and more time looking at pornography and start to neglect work commitments, friends and family. DEAR MARIE, ey become very preoccupied with when they can next look at pornography Since the mid-1990s, online pornography has increasingly been framed as a and oen feel less engaged and invested in their everyday lives. risk to young people’s well-being, and a potential risk to their sexual young people’s sexuality is also still in the process of forming and taking shape. development. Researchers in australia, new Zealand and the If they are exposed to images of extreme or violent sexual acts during this time, have proposed that pornography may be sought out by young people as a they may find it hard to get these images out of their minds when they come source of informal sexuality education. ese researchers argue that where to have sex with a partner. Just as the fashion catwalks and media oen present other sources of education are lacking, young people may be motivated to seek a picture of ‘the perfect body’ that makes some young people feel unhappy out porn partly to gain access to detailed illustrations of genitalia or of bodies that their body does not match up to this ideal, so pornography can present engaged in sexual acts. In addition, they may seek instructions on how to an idealised image of sexual potency or sexual attractiveness and can leave initiate sexual activity and perform specific kinds of sex that may not be people feeling bad about themselves when they inevitably fall short of this described or represented within school-based sex education. While some ideal. resources have been developed by third parties for use in school based sexuality a Study was carried out by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and education the discussion of porn in the classroom can be a high-risk Tropical Medicine who interviewed 130 male and female teenagers between proposition for some teachers. 16 and 18 in heterosexual relationships. ey discovered that anal sex was Health researchers, feminist scholars, and popular commentators have also oen “painful, risky and coercive for young women”. Pornography was claimed that pornography has influenced young people’s sexual repertoires in frequently cited as an explanation for engaging in anal sex. e report also potentially damaging ways. Researchers have sought to link young men’s found that “many men said they encouraged one another to try the practice, consumption of pornography with ‘aggressive’ views towards women. a and men and women said men wanted to tell their friends that they had had number of studies in the fields of sexual health and psychology linked the anal sex. consumption of porn to ‘risky’ sexual behaviours among young heterosexual ere is a lot that you can do to limit your son’s or daughter’s exposure to men and women. Critics of pornography have drawn on this literature to pornography in your home. First, and most importantly, stay engaged with argue that porn has served as a ‘bad educator’ for these young people. them, encourage them to talk to you and support them in making real-life However, other researchers and commentators have sought to question the relationships. Secondly, get some insight into how your child might be using link between young people’s consumption of sexually explicit material and digital technologies to explore sex and relationships – this is a natural part of their actual sexual behaviours. Or they have suggested that the key question for growing up, it’s just that the younger generation is doing it in a different way ‘porn education’ is not so much which practices young people have seen and than we did. can name (or want to try), but whether young people have access to other ere is a lot of concern about the type of porn that’s online compared to what forms of education that promotes skills to help them navigate their sexual was easily available in the past. Porn is more explicit and it sometimes depicts learning processes ethically and safely. In the light of these concerns, it is worth acts that fantasise behavior that appears to be hurtful. Parents can help young considering whether simply adding a critique of porn to an existing sex and people distinguish between fantasy and reality when it comes to sexually relationships education programme will address broader cultural inequities – explicit material. particularly if other areas of the curriculum do not directly address questions e key is to remain calm. If you’re speaking to your son use a neutral and of power, gender relations and sexual negotiation skills. non-judgmental tone, taking care not to lecture. Prepare yourself in advance One of the aims of our Relationships and Sexuality programme in schools is so that you can be in the right mindset for an open conversation. e situation to encourage young people to critique the messages about men, women and can be turned into something extremely positive where you get the sex conveyed in mainstream pornography and articulate and promote a opportunity to talk about your own morals and values regarding relationships framework of sex and gender based on an understanding of shared human and sexuality. dignity and respect, using concepts such as communication, consent, and Regards, Lorraine

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Congratulations! to Kasia Zarzycka and Klaudia Czyz from the Mercy Secondary School whose poster won our World aIdS day poster competition. On behalf of all of the staff at aIdS West, I would like to thank all of the Transition year students from the Mercy Secondary School, Salerno, and Colaiste Iognaid who participated in the competition. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of new years!

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World aids day

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Memorial Service 2014

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e Hem of Islam

Shell-white ships slip through the Straits between Tarifa and Tangier. Spain seems close to the african coast, where scattered white villages fade

into Moroccan foothills, patterned Poetry like the spine of a sleeping monster. by Mary Turley-McGrath Lace-fringed tips of the Rif Mountains lie at the vanishing point.

From these villages emigrants flee, packed tightly into fragile pateras Mary Turley-McGrath grew up in Mount Talbot on the fit for less than six. at night they risk Galway/Roscommon border and now lives in Letterkenny. She their lives against the undercurrents

has published two collections of poetry, New Grass under Snow of the Straits of death. Some survive, (Summer Palace Press) and Forget the Lake, (arlen House) 2014. others are washed up on the beach. e nameless ones, buried three deep She is the winner of the Trocaire/Poetry Ireland Competition in a graveyard above the town. 2014, and was shortlisted in the Listowel Single Poem and Cuirt along Costa de la Luz, waves Short Story Competitions this year. roll towards creamy-silver sand, wide coils of transparent turquoise, like tunnels of thin glass. ey seethe Knowing the Map Equality Emerging a sculpture by John Behan I lost you in the city, up the beach and splash into fronds then could not remember of frothy snakes near the Moorish castle, arms and shoulders ready to run, where you lived, that street built to a God of mercy and clemency her hair and breasts loose, of tall, red-berried trees. when few Christians knew this place. she is flung free of the stone slab; at the corner stood a child; only her feet are bound. she took my hand, led me to her family in the ghetto. Time of Water Someone has placed daffodils ey made wedding dresses at her feet; their sap will help ink only of white, snow and ice; that hung along a dim room; clear what was never written its weird transparent grip on skin needles and threads flecked in stone. as if magnetised for a moment, clings the blackened floorboards. its cold lust for warm blood, the need Patterns half-folded on a table e Cathedral casts its shadow to enter and dissolve elsewhere; like old Chinese maps towards her; it can not touch. and when the lake froze two years ago, of coasts, houses and temples. a young Polish lad slid out across the ice We spread them on the floor– Behind her, Corrib waters roar dragged by two alsatians on silver chains. I tried to think of your number, over the Salmon Weir; churned I could only remember nine, white lips fold over the thrust of it Children in houses near the lake and that was not your number. down to the open sea. stood with faces close to window panes, My canvas bag fell to the floor; their mouths like tiny circles, transfixed the red journal, I always carry, by fear in their bellies that the centre-ice flung open. would creak, crack and suck them down to where torpid glass-eyed pike eased by.

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Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll and other novel ways to reach young people

AUStRALIA: we are known for our hot summers, our cold beers, and our great live music. Aussie summer music festivals are a mecca for young people; to catch up with friends, have a good time, and, for some, wear the shortest shorts known to man. And, you can almost guarantee that smartphones will be recording, SnapChatting and Instagramming the events that take place (#awesome). So, why not tap into these settings to talk to young people about sexual health and drug and alcohol use? For the past 10 years, researchers at the Burnet Institute have been attending the annual ‘Big Day Out’ music festival in Melbourne, which attracts around 50,000 punters annually. we set up a stall in the market/food area and exchange showbags filled with goodies (condoms, health brochures, sweets and cold water) for a two page survey on demographics, sexual behaviour and drug and alcohol use. we have also recently asked about sexting, accessing pornography, mental health and gambling. One year we also offered take-home chlamydia testing kits! we usually attract more than Our (olunteer team at the Big Day Out (Dr Megan Lim is the head of the Sexual Health research team and I am giving her bunny ears!) 1,000 16-29 year olds each year who have no qualms about filling out a survey of this nature with their mates. ey especially love taking photos project to inform young people about the ramifications sexting (primarily with our mascot, Dr Dickson. the non-consensual forwarding of messages), cyber bullying and the reality Historically, capturing data on young people and their behaviour has been of porn (which is, that it ISN’t reality!). limited to school-based or over-the-phone surveys, which, while Young people have indicated that they are open to receiving health informative, are likely to be biased towards lower risk individuals. In the age information from more “modern” sources (e.g. the internet, including social of technology, we, as researchers, must look at new ways to reach young media, as opposed to traditional sources like doctors or schools), so we really people in an engaging, safe and validated manner, especially now that most need to keep up with technology and other novel ways to reach young young people own a smartphone and use the internet daily. One of our phD people. And if that means attending a music festival every year or using students, Cassandra wright, has recently undertaken a pilot project Facebook at work, then sign me up! involving the sending of tailored SMS incorporating health promotion For more information on the Sex, Drugs and Rock’n Roll project (including messaging to young people while they are on a night out drinking. we have surveys results), or any other Burnet projects, check out our website: also recently received funding for a social media-based health promotion http://www.burnet.edu.au/ SCARY HEADLINE ON EBOLA! MANY NEwS REpORtS around the world have employers Mèdecins sans Frontiéres. Until he considered Spencer could have transmitted the disease through recently made reference to Ebola. Most lack any sense of himself unwell he continued to live his life as normal, subway poles, hand railings, or via bowling balls. e subtlety with words like ‘Killer’ virus or ‘plague’ being taking the subway, walking the new high-line park, word ‘unlikely’ was perhaps in hindsight unlikely to quell readily bandied about. Other headlines may shout ‘Ebola jogging, eating out in a Brooklyn restaurant and going public fears. Elsewhere Vox.com published a clearer and here !’ or even see it as a possible terrorist plot ‘Ebola : bowling. unambiguous message : e Isis of biological agents’. whilst it is true that both e initial response seemed to suggest that lessons had HIV and Ebola emerged from Africa aer a suspected been learnt as New York’s Governor, Mayor and City transmission from the animal world and both are Health Commissioner calmly informed the public about currently without a vaccine or a cure, they also exhibit the situation and how a public health plan was to be very striking differences. implemented to prevent secondary infection. Unlike the Ebola can be transmissible by all bodily fluids including arrival of AIDS, Ebola was not an entirely unknown urine, saliva, sweat, feces and vomit. HIV requires a phenomenon with nearly 40 years of scientific research direct route into the body through mucous membrane into its epidemiology having been built up. or damaged tissue. e only bodily fluids which HIV can In less than 24 hours policy was turned on its head. e be transmitted through are blood, semen, vaginal fluid, Governor of New Jersey imposed quarantine on all An article in the Guardian newspaper (27th Oct) rectal fluids, and breast milk. people travelling from African States that had recorded concluded that for decades HIV activists have vowed You would hope that people who contract Ebola would infection whether they had any symptoms or not. In that this sort of public health insanity would never not suffer the moral stigmatisation that was apparent in addition high-profile teams were sent to disinfect the happen again. Once again we face the consequences of the early days of the HIV virus, but unfortunately history infected doctor’s house and even the local bowling alley political leaders failing to listen to medical experts. is beginning to repeat itself. he had visited the previous night. Craig Spencer is now clear of Ebola having been released Craig Spencer, an American Doctor, had been working Reassurances in the press from health officials seemed a from hospital on 11th November. in west Africa where he had potentially contracted little half-hearted. For example the New York times Ebola. Craig followed the code of practice of his reported that health officials said it was unlikely that Neil Wilson

Happiness is Vital — page 11 December 2014_Layout 1 09/12/2014 16:53 Page 12 PATIENT ZERO and the origins of HIV/AIDS THE GREaTEST MySTERIES have a figure democratic Republic of Congo. is suggests and eaten the two smaller monkeys. at the centre – someone who gets the ball that the HIV virus entered into the human But how did the virus enter the human rolling. In epidemiology (the study of causes population in the early 40s or 50s. In January population? Some believe that HIV is a and effects of health and ill-health) this central 2000, the results of a new study suggested that conspiracy, or that it was man made to wipe out character is known as patient zero. the first case of HIV-1 infection occurred large numbers of people. although these In the early 1980s epidemiologists raced to around 1931 in West africa. However, a 2008 theories cannot be definitively disproved, they understand a mysterious illness that was killing study dated the origin of the virus much earlier ignore the very clear link between SIV and young men in . We now know that than the previous estimates –between 1884 and HIV. Scientific research has proven that certain this medical condition was aIdS (acquired 1924. is was found by comparing and viruses can pass between species, just as strains Immunodeficiency Syndrome), which is caused analysing the viral sequence (what it’s made up of flu come from birds, HIV has come from by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), but of ) from the oldest known sample from 1959, primates. e most commonly accepted theory back then nobody knew what it was or how it to a newly discovered sample from 1960. is is the “hunter theory”. is suggests that HIV was killing people. at the time the Centre for analysis found that the two samples of the virus was transferred to humans as a result of disease Control (CdC) commissioned a study were significantly different. is showed that chimpanzees being being killed and eaten, or to look at how the virus was spreading. e the virus was around a long time before the the blood of the chimpanzees getting into the results were startling. not only did they find worldwide epidemic began. cuts or wounds of the hunter. Usually, a human's that the virus was being transmitted through But how did the virus come to be? immune system would be able to fight off the sexual intercourse, but the data collected Two strains of the virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2 bear SIV virus, but on a rare occasion the virus seemed to point to a single figure at the centre of a very close resemblance to certain strains of adapted itself within the new host to create the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV). SIV is HIV virus. e very fact that several strains of found in primates. HIV-2 corresponds to a the virus exist, all with marginally different strain of SIV found in the sooty mangabey genetic makeup, supports this theory. monkey, which is indigenous to West africa. So HIV has been around since the late 1880s. HIV-2 is less transmissible than HIV-1, and is What caused the epidemic? HIV was largely slower to develop within the body. e most confined to certain parts of Central and infectious strain, HIV-1 is found to be most Western africa until its sudden emergence in closely related to a type of SIV found in the 80s. a number of factors are responsible for chimpanzees. Which Chimps? a study which the spread of the virus. e process of analysed thousands of faecal samples (yes, poo) transmission is far too complex to place blame from chimpanzees all over the african on one individual or group. continent, found that the chimpanzees carrying However, new research, published this year has the virus, which was most similar to HIV-1 in found that the Virus did originally spread from humans, came from a small area in Southeastern Kinshasa, a fishing village and popular truck Cameroon.e final findings of this study were route in the democratic Republic of Congo. later published. e study concluded that these Increase in trade and national and International wild chimpanzees would have to have been travel played a major role in its development infected simultaneously with two different worldwide. Similarly, HIV infected blood strains of the SIV virus in order for the strain donations were shipped around the world, that was capable of infecting humans was created. infecting people receiving blood transfusions. the outbreak. is man was later revealed as also, the availability of heroin in the 70s Gaetan dugas – a Canadian flight attendant stimulated growth in intravenous drug use, and who worked for air Canada. dugas was subsequent needle sharing by users. as a result, mistakenly labelled by the media, as the cause many injecting drug users contracted the HIV of the pandemic and dubbed “patient zero”. He virus. was by no means the initial carrier of the virus. Over the years much focus has been placed on So, when did it originate? e two strains were traced back to red-capped where the virus originated. Today, far more Several strains of the HIV virus are known to be mangabeys (above right) and spot nosed guenons pressing concerns exists; how can the spread of in existence. HIV-1 is the strain that caused the (above le). In essence, the hybridisation the virus be stopped, and how can the lives of global pandemic. In 1998 a HIV-1 infected occurred when the chimp(s) became infected people living with HIV/aIdS be improved. plasma sample taken in 1959 was found in the with both strains of SIV, aer they had killed Kate Dawson

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Enthusiastic Consent dr. Siobhán O’Higgins, Educator at aIdS West

aLTHOUGH I SPEnd my working life as a sexual introduced as a debating point by Muehlenhard and an american study of over 3,000 adolescent girls, those sexual health promoter, coming from the sex positive Peterson (2005). Some young women may not have been who had been sexually abused were reported as being viewpoint, extolling the virtues of loving intimate looking for a sexual experience, so it could be labelled as twice as likely to state that they did not use contraception relationships I remain acutely aware of the darker side of being unwanted, yet they did not feel forced to at last sexual intercourse. In some countries, violence sex. at a very good training session run the by the Galway participate. The World Health Organisation(WHO) against women is seen as normal, and young women may Rape Crisis Centre recently they talked about the ‘rape review found that 19-48% of females and 5-32% of males say nothing about the coercion they are experiencing in culture’ which we all inhabit. I was made to realise that did report forced sexual initiation (WHO, 2007). Focus order not to lose their relationship. It is suggested that we are all, to a greater or lesser degree, guilty of the groups in South africa and Kenya revealed that both girls this is more likely to happen in societies where a failed ‘bystander’ syndrome, as we tend to accept without and boys considered girls being coerced into sex as partnership can damage women’s social position challenge that a woman (of whatever age) ‘is asking for it’ normal within relationships. (Marston & King, 2006). if they find themselves walking home, or wears Forced sexual initiation has been associated with risky There are lots of recent reports on the numbers young provocative clothes (whatever those are!), or accepts an sexual behaviours for both males and females, such as women have been exposed to sexual assault from rape to invitation to coffee after the pub, or even gets so drunk more sexual partners in adulthood. Pregnancy in early unsolicited sexual harassment while walking, in broad that remembering if they actually agreed to having sexual adolescence was also found to be related to sexual assault daylight, to work or college or even school. In Ireland, intercourse with another is impossible. This darker side or forced initiation (WHO, 2007). For example, in we have access to programmes like –dapper Laughs on can be very damaging. a definition of sexual violence South africa pregnant girls under the age of 19 were ITV2- crawling out from the internet, full of given by the Un in 1998 sees sexual violence as an found to be twice as likely to have been forced into their misogynistic quips and jokes about rape or how to get overarching term used to describe "any violence, physical first sexual intercourse and beaten by their boyfriends women into bed by getting them drunk and then leave or psychological, carried out through sexual means or by more often than non-pregnant adolescents. Similarly, a before they wake up. Our criminal rape statistics reveal targeting sexuality." So sexual violence includes rape and study in north america found that those adolescents very little of the true story of sexual violence as people attempted rape, and such acts as forcing a person to strip who experienced sexual coercion were twice as likely to are still too intimidated by the whole legal process and naked in public, forcing two victims to perform sexual become pregnant; and an alaskan study estimated that fear of being labelled, to see cases through to acts on one another or harm one another in a sexual 39-66% of all births to under 16 year olds were the result prosecution. manner, mutilating a person's genitals or a woman's of rape. So how do we challenge the rise in sexual violence, breasts, and sexual slavery (Human Rights Watch, 2003). a crucial aspect of coerced sex is its effects on future misogyny, unloving, and unlooked for sexual encounters Forced sexual initiation is an example of sexual violence sexual practises. For many women unwanted sexual that are neither pleasurable, safe, nor mutually satisfying? perpetrated on adolescents. For many young women, experiences affect their ability to enjoy subsequent sexual Is it all down to the pornification of our culture and early their early sexual experiences were unplanned and said to relationships, and are often quoted as being the cause of sexualisation of our children? We need to stand up and be the result of coercion, evidence for this comes from female sexual dysfunction, such as vaginismus. For many demand that before someone comes into anyone’s both developed and developing countries. Coercion is adolescent girls, contraceptive use is informed by their personal space they are sure, totally totally sure, that they seen by some as sexual abuse. at the other end of the first sexual experience and if that initial sexual activity have been invited. Enthusiastic consent is what we need spectrum is the ‘missing discourse of ambivalence’ was not wanted they are less likely to practice safe sex. In to educate our boys and our girls to give and expect.

Film review by Emma Martin “Where are the drugs? The drugs are where the disease is not.” diligently which would eventually lead to the virus becoming resistant to them. The actual concern Fire in the Blood is an eye opening documentary film made by dylan Mohan Gray; being that if low cost medication was available in released in 2013. It explores the horrifying truth of the inhumane patent laws existing africa, it would be expected to be available in the to prohibit the production and sale of relatively cheap generic drugs in many countries. US and Europe also, thus ‘diminishing’ the massive These laws, as one might imagine, are most detrimental to countries in the developing profits being made by the pharmaceutical world. companies in these countries. Fire in the Blood draws attention to the HIV and aIdS crisis on the continent of africa. Fire in the Blood also explores how these patent We are reminded of the fact that while the continued development of drugs and laws were challenged by a number of individuals treatments for HIV and aIdS were changing lives in the first world in the nineties, and groups deeply opposed to their inhumane nature. Their tireless activism and africa, the continent with 2/3 of the world’s HIV and aIdS cases, was not benefiting defiance eventually lead to change in some countries. We see fascinating interviews with from the advances in treatment for HIV and aIdS. Why? Once a drug is developed by such people as South african Zachie achmat who refused to take his aIdS medication a multinational pharmaceutical company, the company can put a patent on the drug until his government addressed the issue of HIV and aIdS in South africa; and Indian prohibiting its replication by any other company for 20 years thus allowing them to chemist yusuf K. Hamied whose company Cipla’s production of low cost generic HIV charge colossal prices for the drug due to lack of competition. These patent laws are at and aIdS drugs saved many people inside and outside of his country thus providing an the discretion of individual governments under recommendation from the WTO example of what was possible. all of this activity prompted discussion among individuals (World Trade Organisation). in positions of power. The american government eventually became involved to a large as we see in Fire in the Blood, the majority of people diagnosed with HIV and aIdS in degree introducing PEPFaR (President's Emergency Plan for aIdS Relief ) during africa at this time were dying without any intervention; a diagnosis was a death George W. Bush’s presidency in 2003. sentence. The film includes interviews with many people whose first-hand experience The film concludes with a warning; let’s not have a sequel. although changes have been of this will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Ugandan physician Peter Mugyenyi made and millions of lives have been saved, there is still a major global healthcare talks of how representatives from the major pharmaceutical companies tried to convince problem where profit and greed prevail. Fire in the Blood is an informative watch; its those in developed countries that people in africa wouldn’t take the medication portrayal of the facts has been described as “quietly shocking”.

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High Times with nEIL WILSOn

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink led to the widespread myth that PCP is primarily e rhyme of the ancient Mariner made up of embalming fluid. Some dealers and users have picked up on this mis-understanding WaTER SEEMS TO BE much on our minds of and actually use embalming fluid either alongside late, although Samuel Taylor Coleridge at least PCP itself or even as a straightforward wasn’t worrying about how he was going to pay for replacement. it. We may crave the liquid when we are PCP has a reputation for inducing extreme dehydrated and it is even possible to overdose on violence in its users. is reputation is probably it, but unless you believe some of the wilder more due to a combination of media hype and a conspiracy theories on the internet about our few very high profile cases than anything else. One drinking water being contaminated, it’s not such case is that of ‘Big Lurch’. Big Lurch (real psychoactive ! name : antron Singleton) is currently serving a life Interestingly, the term ‘water’ is a common slang sentence for the of his former 21 year old based prescription strength cough syrup mixed term for smoking cigarettes that have been dipped roommate Tynisha ysais. e especially grizzly with a so drink such as 7up or Sprite and hard in liquid PCP (Phencyclidine). is strong murder was lapped up by the press who reported at fruit candies for an extra kick of sweetness. dissociative and hallucinogenic drug, more length on the details such as the teeth marks found Its origins seem to go back to blues musicians in commonly known as ‘angel dust’ first appeared in on the face and lungs which had been torn from 1960’s Houston mixing a certain cough medicine the 1950’s as an anesthetic pharmaceutical, her chest. Big Lurch was picked by the police in a with beer and later wine coolers. Rap artists later although medical sales finished in 1965. is nearby road, he was naked, covered in blood and picked up the habit with rappers such as dJ Screw didn’t stop People magazine naming PCP as the staring wildly at the sky. His defence of ‘not guilty producing very slow-tempo rap records aided by United States “number one” drug problem in by reason of insanity’ due to his use of PCP was drinking copious amounts of the ‘anti-energy’ 1978. It’s use dropped dramatically from the not accepted by the court. Later on Tynisha’s drink. e beverage was further popularised by 1980’s onward, although the use of Ketamine mother launched a separate lawsuit against ‘Black artists such as Jay-Z, ree 6 Mafia, Beanie Sigel (which has similar dissociative effects), especially Market Records’ claiming that Big Lurch’s record and Paul Wall making reference to it in their work. in Europe, demonstrates the attractiveness of this company had plied him with drugs" to encourage Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ appears to have no type of drug to some consumers. [him] to act out in an extreme violent manner so as relationship to the drink, despite the slang usage PCP is usually snorted from its salt form, where it to make him more marketable as a '' of the term. appears as a white-tan crystal or powder. When artist”. Typically drunk from styrofoam cups, one cup PCP base is dissolved (usually in ether) it can be another liquid that has been strongly associated alone could exceed the recommended dose of sprayed onto various plants such as tobacco, with rap music is ‘Purple drank’. e drink also cough syrup by up to 25 times. In more modern cannabis or even parsley, mint and oregano before known as sizzurp, syrup, tea and Lean times lil’Wayne, Soulja boy and Justin Bieber have being smoked. e liquid is also referred to as (because you need to lean against something aer been accused of using or promoting the drink. ‘embalming fluid’, most likely because of the drinking it for few hours) can be formulated in a now there seems a very sound argument for somatic or numbing effects of the drug. is has number of ways but normally consists of a codeine sticking to good old Irish uisce. 2014 Cryptic News Quiz Can you work out the answers from these better together, darling (8) May: Which sporting event saw riders race from crossword-type cryptic clues ? October: Enthusiastic player gets three against a Belfast to dublin this month? January: Irish people now have to be 66 to enter a rock? (6,5) June: Which television company signed a contact cheap French Hotel run by the government (5,7) November: Pretend lifeguard provides the with the Gaa to show ? February: Top duck links to holes in soundtrack for German demolition? (5,10) July: Which singer had to cancel his five sell-out Clare? (6,5) December: Born on Christmas day, he linked concerts planned for Croke Park? March: Star whose film didn’t plummet at the Galway to new york in song (5,8) august: Which famous film actor and producer Oscars (6,7) (credits included ‘Gandhi’ and ‘Cry Freedom’) April: Whose London address was for commoners Or here are the simplex clues with the same died this month? and Lords alike? (7,1,7) answers: September: Which country narrowly voted May: Which race was tickled pink to arrive in January: e rules around entitlement were against pushing for full independence? dublin (4,7) changed for which state benefit this month? October: Which Irish player scored a hat-trick of June: e first sliother went up this high for the February: Which famous businessman invested in goals against Gibraltar? first time this month. (3) a golf complex in County Clare this month? November: Which singer reissued his hit July: e singer who couldn’t high five this month March: Which film won the most Oscars at this ‘Looking for freedom’ to coincide with the 25th (5,6) year’s academy awards? anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall? August: e Great Escape’s ‘Big X’ passes on (7,12) April: e President who was welcomed across the December: Which singer was one half of the duet September: What said no thanks to a divorce, it’s water for a short visit? who sang the ‘Fairytale of new york’?

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Contact aIdS WEST e STI Clinic Opening Hours Monday Aernoon at Ozanam House Galway 14.00-15.30 new Patients’ Clinic By Appointment Only aIdS WEST SUPPORT SERVICE offers 16.00-17.45 STI Review & Treatment Clinic By Appointment Only to anyone concerned about their sexual health and Tuesday Morning HIV in particular . . . Results (telephone) Telephone at time advised • Free/Confidential counselling and information attendance for Results By Appointment Only • Support to individuals ( and their families) living Wednesday Morning with HIV ‘Walk In’ STI Clinic* Doors Open at 8.50am • Buddying programme for people living with HIV Wednesday Aernoon (PLHIV) 14.00-17.00 STI Review & Treatment Clinic By Appointment Only • alternative treatment therapies for PLHIV Friday Morning • Confidential helpline ‘Walk In’ Clinic* Doors Open at 8.50am Friday Aernoon AIDS WEST OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF Results (telephone) Telephone at time advised SExUAL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMES attendance for Results By Appointment Only Schools Programmes e clinic is located in a self-contained building to the le of the Positive main hospital. as you enter the grounds of the hospital, take the Secondary Schools* Senior Cycle Sexual Health first le, then follow signs for Genito-urinary Medical Clinic, negotiating Infectious diseases and hepatology – in front of maternity services. Secondary Schools* Junior Cycle Relationships Tel: 091-525200. Primary School* 6th Class Basic Facts of Life * is clinic is based on a ‘first come, first served’ basis with Secondary Schools** Senior Cycle Risky Behaviour a maximum quota that can be seen at any one time. * ese programmes provide the students with age appropriate knowledge about positive sexual health. Topics include puberty, relationships, gender roles, contraception and both the positive/negative consequences of sexual USEFUL SERVICES behaviour. duration 3x 1.5 hours sessions AIDS WEST ** is programme focuses on how misuse of alcohol and (091) 566266 drugs can lead to various risky behaviour STI Clinic Galway (091)525200 Parenting Seminar : “I am a parent get me out of here!” STI Clinic Ballinasloe Provides information and advice to parents on how to Portiuncula Hospital Ballinasloe. 09096-48372 support their teenager through the minefield that is Sexual Health Education, drugs, alcohol, Social Media and STI Clinic Mayo related risky behaviour. duration -2 hours Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar. 09490-21733 STI Clinic Sligo Much Much more … Regional hospital, e Mall, Sligo. 071-9170473 • “Risky Behaviour and you - a guide to negotiating student life around Sex, drugs and alcohol.” ird Level STI Clinic Limerick Limerick Regional Hospital, dooradoyle. 061-482382 College Workshop –duration - 1 hour. • Sexual health programmes tailored to meet needs of Dublin AIDS Alliance Professional groups , youth groups , youth Workers and at 53 Parnell Square West, dublin 1. 01-8787700 Risk groups. G.U.I.D.E Clinic Dublin St. James’ Hospital. 01-4162315/2316 CONTACT US STI Clinic Letterkenny t: 091 566266 Letterkenny, Co. donegal 074-9123715 e: [email protected] Sexual Health Centre w: www.aidswest.ie 16 Peter’s Street, Cork, 021-4276676 f: facebook.com/aidswest GOSHH Limerick APP Redwood Place, 18 davis Street,Limerick. (061) 314 354 For iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/sexual-health-guide Galway Rape Crisis Centre For Android: Helpline: 1800 355 355 Business Line: 091-564800

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Winning Poster: Congratulations to Kasia Zarzycka and Kladia Czyz from the Mercy Secondary School Galway.

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