Understanding and Challenging Stigma toward ... - Pact Cambodia

Moving to
Action
Example Responses:
Train health staff in the skills to diagnose and treat STIs in MSM and talk with
comfort about different sexual practices without judgment.
Invite MSM to attend the stigma training workshops for health workers so
that health workers learn directly from MSM how they feel about the way they
are handled in the clinic.
Implement a new code of conduct: treat all patients equally; confidentiality;
non-stigmatizing attitudes.
Build working relations between health staff and MSM support groups and
invite MSM support groups to advise health staff on services provided to MSM
patients.
When providing information on HIV transmission, include information
on same sex relationships and getting HIV through anal or oral
sex.
Educate other patients/community that MSM are like anyone
else and deserve respect, acceptance and equal treatment.
Example: Police Setting
Picture 1 – World with stigma:
MSM lodges complaint at police station about being harassed,
but police refuse to deal with it. Police insult MSM long hair
and threaten to arrest them. Police chase two MSM in the park;
force them to have sex. Two MSM dancing in the pagoda and the
police chase them away. MSM blamed for any disorder even
though it is not caused by them.
Picture 2 – World without stigma:
MSM with family in house, going to school, getting work and
accessing public space without harassment.
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