Personal stories
Thriving, a filmed performance poem, depicts the lived experiences of women with HIV
Thriving is a beautiful, inspiring and emotional filmed performance poem featuring seven women living with HIV who collaborated with Melbourne performance poet Fleassy Malay and speaks of the importance of visibility and inclusion for women with HIV. The aim of…
Read MoreWould You Touch Me – a short film that explores stigma
EXPLORING HIV STIGMA TRAILER BY STEPH LEE – (a Documentary film project) Steph Lee, PWV Vice Chair, and living with HIV, is developing a documentary film on HIV-related stigma as a social experiment, but needs funding to make it happen. …
Read MoreBev’s story
Positive Women Victoria was founded in 1988 by two women (Bev Greet and Deborah Gillies) as a result of their isolation following their positive HIV diagnoses. It was a time when HIV was so stigmatised and women were a minority…
Read MoreStephanie Raper
BORN WITH HIV, PWV CHAIR STEPHANIE RAPER, CHALLENGES HIV STIGMA Stephanie Raper, Chair of Positive Women Victoria shares her story of being born with HIV and today as a young woman, is thriving with HIV. Launched on the 8th National…
Read MoreReaching Your Potential – A Confidence and Skills Building Course for Women Living with HIV
Reaching Your Potential – A Confidence and Skills Building Course for Women Living with HIV This unique and innovative program laid the foundation for ten women (WLHIV) to reach their potential in both their personal and work life, but also…
Read MoreJoave
Joave grew up in Fiji and was diagnosed with HIV as a 19-year-old when she was pregnant and thought she would always be alone. However, she found love on Positive Singles, an online dating site for people living with HIV…
Read MoreJessica
Jessica was diagnosed with HIV just before Christmas in 2020. She had the test for a sexual health check-up and thought: ‘I’m going to die.’ But she was quickly reassured about treatments and U=U. Jessica, who’d struggled with her mental…
Read MoreEmily
EMILY Diagnosed with HIV in 2010 while pregnant, Emily works as a peer support worker with Positive Women Victoria and feels her experience can support and nurture confidence in other women living with HIV, especially those newly diagnosed when pregnant.
Read MoreChrissie
Chrissie, who moved to Australia from Zimbabwe in 2009, is using her advocacy skills to combat HIV stigma in African communities in Australia. She set up a Facebook page ‘Stop HIV Stigma and has set up a registered charity to…
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