Emotional support for persons infected with HIV is a vital aspect of living with HIV. The emotional needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS have never been more acute. HIV positive individuals are living longer than any time in the past 12 years. Because they are living longer, they have to deal with longer-term stresses. Increasingly they are seeking out and even demanding compassionate and non- judgemental emotional support from our communities.
A support group helps one to deal and survive with the truth, horror, pain and deep sorrow. A community needs to share and care together. In a support group, help comes from all directions. Ones experiences will also give another person hope! HIV-positive people who are well and coping with their lives can serve as a model to others. It provides an opportunity for people to connect with each other and share similar problems and experiences – a vital part of the human condition. Support groups are often good places to share information, problem-solving tips, and emotions related to HIV infection.
A support group will allow to one to gain insight into one’s self while at the same time building confidence and self-esteem to deal with issues and situations. Sometimes, you come across information very late. Hence it is necessary, for there to be a support group where members can exchange information and experiences which will encourage and promote confidence and awareness.
Support groups play a significant role in promoting discussion on sex and sexuality. It is essential to ensure that accurate information is available in support groups so this can be shared and discussed among members of the group. Some people find it easier to talk about sex in private, so it is also necessary to provide a protective and confidential environment to enable individual and group discussions around sex and relationships to happen outside of support groups.
Myths and misperceptions continue to surround people’s understanding of HIV and AIDS. For many PLWHIV (People Living with HIV), the opportunity to be accurately informed about issues such as safer sex, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and even condoms needs to be reinforced.
It helps to prepare members to be comfortable with disclosure beyond the support group, for example, to spouse, family, friends or colleagues. Further more in Singapore the laws and regulation in regards to the Infectious Disease Act, which govern the HIV infection and treatment in Singapore, are ever changing. Therefore accurate and up-to-date information is necessary to be disseminated to its members to keep them abreast of the changes in the society and the law.
There are four main objectives to CG.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality in support groups for PLHIV is a critical issue that, if not properly respected, can prove to be a true obstacle to the success and effective running of any support group. Some members may have a lot at stake if confidentiality about their HIV status was breached. This might include stigmatization, discrimination, rejection, the possible breakdown of relationships and, at times, abuse. At CG we are emphasize greatly to members to learn to respect the confidentiality of others.
While CG allows any MSM who been diagnosed HIV+ is allowed to join the support group, before any member is admitted to CG, they are required to read and sign a confidentiality agreement and to abide by a set of rules of membership and to as best of their abilities prescribe in a code of conduct as set in the membership application form. All CG members are required to keep all information pertaining to CG members and HIV-positive individuals discussed at CG meetings in the strictest confidence.
CG cannot guarantee with absolute certainty that every member will uphold confidentiality. However CG will emphasize the importance to fellow group members regularly of respecting confidentiality.
Code of conduct CG Members
In terms of acceptable conduct in CG, what is important to note is that CG always emphasizes on safer sex practices and advocates 100% condom use. CG works closely in empowering members whose partners are HIV negative to remain negative. CG is not a police force on safer sex. But we will stress the importance of it.
No Offensive, hate, derogatory, racial or sexually explicit remarks made to any member will be tolerated. At the end of the day, CG is promoting a non-judgemental approach to behaviour change.
No member may use CG as a platform to advertise their business and products for sale even if it is a HIV related product or supplement unless cleared by the CG committee. CG will do the necessary research to avoid any misleading or phoney products and services being introduced at CG.
Cg members should not discriminate against any PLWHIV in any way and neither can members impose any religious, personal beliefs and values on individuals within CG.
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