Sex Work, Drugs, Sex Between Men & HIV

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

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Basic knowledge of HIV and its routes of transmission is recommended but not essential. This subject can be taken in conjunction with, and is complimentary to other MPH subjects with a HIV theme.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website.

This 5-day largely interactive and participatory subject uses case studies from around the world to highlight the myriad of factors that contribute to HIV vulnerability of sex workers and examines the overlapping vulnerabilities of sex work and injecting drug use (IDU) and men who have sex with men (MSM). It explores the themes of stigma and discrimination, gender inequities, violence, trafficking, funding policies and legal frameworks, and their impact on HIV vulnerability and mitigation. The training is co-coordinated by Brigitte Tenni and will be conducted in conjunction with sex worker representatives from Vixen, and includes a guided field visit by RhED to a working brothel to see firsthand the settings in which the Victorian sex industry operates.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate increased knowledge of issues pertaining to sex work and HIV, including overlapping vulnerabilities of injecting drug use and sex between men
• Demonstrate increased confidence to develop effective action plans to reduce sex workers’, people who inject drugs (PWID) and MSM vulnerability to HIV, which are inclusive of human rights approaches, advocacy, HIV prevention initiatives, treatment and access to appropriate services;
• Reflect on good practice, evidence and policies regarding HIV and sex work, sex between men and injecting drug use;
• Demonstrate an increased ability to address issues of stigma and discrimination regarding sex work, injecting drug use and sex between men and HIV including personal and community attitudes that might encourage or hinder sex workers access to care and utilise/ modify accordingly;
• Articulate the link between sex work and gender;
• Demonstrate a clearer understanding of the value of promoting and supporting better HIV prevention, treatment and access to appropriate services for sex workers, PWID and MSM.

• Group oral presentation of 20 minutes to be delivered on the last teaching day of the subject (20%)
• Minor written assignment of 1000 words due two weeks after the last teaching day of the subject (20%)
• Major written assignment of 3000 words due six weeks after the last teaching day of the subject (60%)

Hurdle Requirement: Attendance at a minimum of 80% is required to pass this subject.

Students will be issued key readings for this subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Upon completion of this subject, students will have developed skills in:

• Critical thinking and analysis,
• Finding, evaluating and using relevant information,
• Written communication,
• Oral communication,
• Initiative, autonomy and organisation.