Listening to the voiceless: lived experiences of asylum seekers living with HIV in Scotland and the implications for social work practice

George Palattiyil, Dina Sidhva

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    Abstract

    HIV thrives in conditions of powerlessness, poverty and inequality;
    the very issues that mark the lives of asylum seekers, making them
    vulnerable to HIV. Drawing on a recent study, this paper explores the lives
    of asylum seekers in Scotland—a country they call home today. The study
    uncovered conditions that continue to present a real threat to the human
    rights and health of HIV-positive asylum seekers: stigma, human rights
    violations, detention, deportation and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
    While some reported positive stories of support from voluntary agencies, any
    reference to front-line statutory social work was conspicuous by its absence.
    In the current environment of austerity, managerialism and neo-liberal
    approaches, the paper argues for mainstream social work and policy-makers
    to re-engage with this most vulnerable group to develop culturally sensitive,
    inclusive and rights-based practices to facilitate timely access to support,
    care and treatment, so that their voices are heard in informing policy and
    practice.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationGetting to Zero
    Subtitle of host publicationGlobal Social Work Responds to HIV
    EditorsMark Henrickson, David Chipanta, Vimla Nadkarni, Vincent Lynch, Hernando Muñoz Sanchez, Tetyana Semigina, Vishanthie Sewpaul
    Place of PublicationGeneva
    PublisherMassey University Press
    Pages201-225
    Number of pages25
    ISBN (Electronic)978- 0 -9941407-2-2
    ISBN (Print)978-0-9941415-4-5
    Publication statusPublished - 17 Mar 2017

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