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Voices from the CommunityFour FGDs were conducted, two in a rural community and two from an urban setting. Ineach of these communities, discussions were conducted in sex-specific groups of eight toten participants each with ages ranging from 20 to 50 years of age.Knowledge of HIV/AIDSTransmissionAll members of the community have heard of HIV/AIDS but their level of knowledgediffered. All members associated HIV/AIDS with drug abuse. This was especially so inthe rural community where according to the members they have had one of their villageyouths who worked in the city contracted it and was buried in the village. There werealso conscious of the fact that it is the sharing of needles in drug abuse that spreads theinfection – “Jarum, Berkongsi lah. Suntikan dadahlah. Orang yang menagih dadah lah.”(Sharing needles. Injecting drugs, people who are addicted to drugs). One participant feltthat it was drugs that also lead those who abuse it to indulge in risky behavior includinghaving “seks bebas” (free sex).“Dadah yang negatif ah..yang dilarang oleh kerajaan. Bila diakena dadah dia carilah perempuan – perempuan sumbanganhubungan seks kan”(“Drugs that is negative, that is forbidden by the Government.When they get addicted they search for girls – girls source ofsexual relations isn’t it?”)(Urban, Malay, Male)All the participants also agreed that the infection could spread through sex with multiplepartners. Some the terms used included:“seks rambang” (casual sex)“Pergaulan bebas”(free socialising)“Bertukar-tukar pasangan” (multiple sex partners)“Seks bebas” (free sex)They also mentioned that homosexuality can also spread the virus.“membuat atau melakukan hubungan seks dengan sesiapa sajasama ada perempuan atau lelaki sama jenis ataupun sama jenis inicara berlakunya.”(“Having or doing sex with anybody be it women or men same sexor same sex that is how it spreads”)(Rural, Malay, Male)87