|
|
China Exclusive: Jailed with HIV -- a struggle against despair (6) |
 |
+ |
- |
20:32, July 09, 2007 |
The survey shows China''s university students still consider it a "challenge" to shake hands with or embrace a HIV carrier. Once they finally do it, they regard it as a "breakthrough" in life.
Attitudes in the outside world hurt the HIV-affected inmates in Qingliu prison.
Fan recalls a China Central Television news program about the life of China''s AIDS victims. The inmates were deeply depressed when they saw AIDS patients being disowned by their families and their possessions -- like clothes and bed covers -- being burnt.
"Many inmates tossed and turned in bed late into the night but just could not sleep." Fan said it was not until days later that most of them began to recover.
"They feared that what they saw on TV would be what happened to them," says Fan, adding that less than half the HIV-positive inmates agree to reveal the health test results to their family. For others, it is a secret only known to other inmates and certain guards.
Fan says that the letters of ex-inmates who wrote back after being released -- and confronted with the prevalence of with social prejudice -- were often distressed and confused.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
|
|
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article