Office of Alcohol, Drug, Health Education Sponsors “Stop HIV”
HIV/AIDS Awareness Week Offers Educational Events
Staff Writer Matt Todd

Launched last Tuesday, in co-sponsorship with Student Health Services and numerous campus student groups, HIV/AIDS Awareness Week continues through Dec. 5 with speakers, exhibits, kiosks, workshops and free testing–all in an effort to promote safer sexual activity. The week also pays tribute to those already infected with HIV or another sexually transmitted infection, and to those who have lost their lives. The Office of Alcohol, Drug, and Health Education will conclude this week with a series of educational events as part of its “Stop HIV” program.

Testing on campus has increased due to the rising epidemic of HIV, with half of new infections occurring among those aged 25 and under. One in 20 people residing in the D.C. Metro area, which includes Northern Virginia, is infected with HIV, according to the University Life office.

“Young Americans between the ages of 13 to 24 are contracting HIV at the rate of over two per hour,” said Danielle Lapierre, the Coordinator of Health Education for OADHE. In response, OADHE has taken measures to attempt to prevent this high rate of HIV at Mason.

“OADHE implements campus wide prevention efforts to address campus health needs, creates and disseminates health information, and provides individual consultations to students as it relates to all health issues, including HIV prevention and safer sex,” Lapierre said.

The OADHE, the Wellness Education Resource office, and Pride Alliance, all housed in SUB I, also provide free safer sex materials for students, including condoms for men and women, dental dams, and lubricants.

“STOPHIV: HIV/AIDS Awareness Week will educate and inform students about HIV and AIDS, increase awareness of this global epidemic, stimulate thought to produce action, and help to put a face on a disease that often seems too far from home,” Lapierre said. “Many aspects of the disease are covered so it reaches a wider audience and, hopefully, has a wider impact on students. Opportunities to make healthy behavior changes in an individual’s own life are offered as well.”

Events that took place last week included the appearance of speaker Elaine Pasqua, who presented narratives that helped students comprehend the gravity of the fatal disease while providing educational information. There was also a photographic exhibit documenting the strife of hemophiliacs afflicted with STI’s, and a photo display of children orphaned by the disease. A reading of names of those lost to the disease in the D.C. Metro area was supposed to occur, but was cancelled due to a lack of proper equipment.

Student Health Services is also providing free HIV testing throughout the week. It is suggested that people get tested approximately three months or more after sexual intercourse with a possible carrier of the virus.

“Students appreciate the services that we provide since they know that it is important to get tested to know their status,” Lapierre said. “They are especially eager to get tested when it is free, involves only an oral swab and takes just 20 minutes for the results.”

The Women’s Coalition, Pride Alliance, Caribbean Student Association, and the GMU Chapter of the NAACP are co-sponsors of the awareness week.