Post exchange sharing

1. POST-TAIWAN EXCHANGE SHARING
2 - 4 NOVEMBER

2. Current HIV/AIDS Situation in Taiwan
• Dec 1984: First case
• 1990: HIV Infection Control and Patient Rights Protection
Act (HIV Act)
• 2015: Policy repealed. Foreigners affected by HIV/AIDS
will not be deported again and are entitled to residency.
2
Condition HIV(+) * ％ AIDS ％
Alive 26,557 83.5% 11,109 76.8%
Dead 5,209 16.4% 3,354 23.2%
Out of Taiwan 38 0.1% 8 0.1%
Total 31,804 100.0% 14,471 100.0%
Reported Cases of HIV / AIDS by Condition in Taiwan
* including People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV)

4. Current HIV/AIDS Situation in Taiwan
• HIV/AIDS nationals’ medical treatment costs are covered
by Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI).
• To offer a pull factor for HIV+, anonymous testing has
been introduced to certain public hospitals. During such
testing, real names may not be provided, and the test
results will not be divulged to third parties and end up in
written reports.
4

5. Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association

6. Tongzhi Hotline
• Founded in 1998
• The oldest national LGBT organisation in Taiwan
• Hotlines available for both LGBTs and their parents
6

7. Positioning of Tongzhi Hotline
Mission:
• Peer Mentoring
• Support Network
• Community Centre
Focus groups:
• Telephone Consultation
• LGBT Rights
• Gender Education
• Family Services
• Elders
• Intimate Relations
• HIV/AIDS
• Transgender
7
• Youth LGBT Meet-ups & Growth Groups
• Activities on Atypical Relationships
(Open relationships, multi-player
relationships, Living Apart Together
(LAT), non-sexual partner etc.)
• Volunteer Training

8. Positioning of Tongzhi Hotline
Mission:
• Peer Mentoring
• Support Network
• Community Centre
Focus groups:
• Telephone Consultation
• LGBT Rights
• Gender Education
• Family Services
• Elders
• Intimate Relations
• HIV/AIDS
• Transgender
8
Courses on gender and life education:
• Talks on such topics as gender diversity,
gay, safe sex, LGBT-friendly campuses
etc. among other topics
• Group workshops
• Teacher training
• Movie talks
Discussion topics:
• Getting to know gays, gender equality,
gender diversity, transgender, bisexuals,
LGBT culture, LGBT rights, elder
LGBTQ, LGBT sex and relationships,
LGBT and religion, LGBTs’ parents,
coming out, AIDS/HIV, relationship
education, safe sex etc.

9. Positioning of Tongzhi Hotline
Mission:
• Peer Mentoring
• Support Network
• Community Centre
Focus groups:
• Telephone Consultation
• LGBT Rights
• Gender Education
• Family Services
• Elders
• Intimate Relations
• HIV/AIDS
• Transgender
9
• Discussion groups for parents and
relatives of LGBTQ children
• Afternoon tea for parents of LGBTQ
children
• Talks on family issues
• “To come out or not” meet-ups
• Volunteer training

10. Positioning of Tongzhi Hotline
Mission:
• Peer Mentoring
• Support Network
• Community Centre
Focus groups:
• Telephone Consultation
• LGBT Rights
• Gender Education
• Family Services
• Elders
• Intimate Relations
• HIV/AIDS
• Transgender
10
• Taiwan LGBTQ oral history publishing
project
• Discussions and talks
• Care for the community, e.g. Rainbow
Bus
• Education for healthcare and welfare
staff
• LGBTs with disabilities
• Advocacy education

11. Positioning of Tongzhi Hotline
Mission:
• Peer Mentoring
• Support Network
• Community Centre
Focus groups:
• Telephone Consultation
• LGBT Rights
• Gender Education
• Family Services
• Elders
• Intimate Relations
• HIV/AIDS
• Transgender
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• HIV/AIDS Telephone Consultation
• LGBT HIV/AIDS Talks
• Anonymous Testing
• Pre- and post-testing consultation and
clinic escort
• Interviews with partners and relatives of
HIV+
• Gay Sex Guide
• SongYY
• HIV/AIDS movies
• HIV/AIDS talks at various schools
• LGBT talks for healthcare professionals
• HIV/AIDS volunteer training

12. Positioning of Tongzhi Hotline
理念：
• 同志同儕輔導
• 同志支援網絡
• 同志社區中心
重點小組：
• 接線小組
• 性權小組
• 教育小組
• 家庭小組
• 老同小組
• 親密關係小組
• 愛滋小組
• 跨性別小組
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• HIV/AIDS Telephone Consultation
• LGBT HIV/AIDS Talks
• Anonymous Testing
• Pre- and post-testing consultation and
clinic escort
• Interviews with partners and relatives of
HIV+
• Gay Sex Guide
• SongYY
• HIV/AIDS movies
• HIV/AIDS talks at various schools
• LGBT talks for healthcare professionals
• HIV/AIDS volunteer training

13. Telephone Consultation
• 1,427 Calls
13
Content Percentage
Relationships 28%
HIV/AIDs and sex 23%
Family 15%
Self recognition 13%
Others 21%

14. LGBT and Gender Education
• 548 Sessions
14
Target Participants Percentage
Students from national
primary schools to
universities
90%
Education practitioners 5%
LGBT communities,
community members, public
organisations etc.
5%

15. Family Services
• 36 Sessions with 620 participants. Individual interviews
with 10 people and telephone consultations with 44
people
15
Target Participants Percentage
“To come out or not” meet-
ups
33%
Talks on family issues 31%
Discussion groups for
parents and relatives of
LGBTQ children
19%
Afternoon tea for parents of
LGBTQ children
17%

16. Elders
• 44 sessions with 1,544 participants
• Visits and care services for elderly LGBTQ
16
Category Percentage
Talks on elderly LGBTQ and those
with disabilities and need long-
term care by the government,
healthcare and welfare personnel
and LGBT community
45%
Discussion Groups 30%
Support programmes for LGBTQ
individuals with disabilities
14%
Middle-aged lesbian meet-ups 11%

17. Groups and Meet-ups
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Group / Meet-up Frequency
LGBTQQ Youth Twin Meet-ups
Middle-aged Gay Meet-up
LGBTQ with Disabilities Meet-up
(Regular) Once a month
Transgender Meet-up (Regular) Once every odd month
Middle-aged Lesbian Meet-up (Regular) Once every even month
Lesbian Chat Group (Regular) 5 sessions a year
(Atypical Relationships) Experience Sharing Workshop on
Multiplayer Relationships
(Regular) Held between March and
June every year
(Atypical Relationships) Reading Clubs on Open
Relationships
(Regular) Held between November
and December every year
Middle-aged Gay Support Group
Middle-aged Lesbian Support Group
Once at the end of every year
Bisexual Meet-up
Transgender Chat Group and Support Group
Lesbian Erotic Writing Workshop
Gay Erotic Writing Workshop
Irregular

18. HIV/AIDS Prevention
• Movie footages to showcase the side effects at the initial stage of medication and
the anxiety about being found taking HIV/AIDS drugs in the hope of letting the
public realise the emotional support and companionship needed among HIV+
• Organising the “HIV/AIDS Alliance for Law Amendments” to push through policy
amendments as regards the medical costs after HIV/AIDS law amendments and
issues on foreigners affected by HIV/AIDS
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Category No. of Participants
Quick test and consultations 287
Clinic escort and interviews 33
SongYY 656,682
Talks 5,617 (61 sessions)
AIDS testing consultation
education for frontline HIV/AIV
healthcare professionals
111

19. HIV/AIDS Prevention
• Content includes male-to-male finger-fucking, oral sex, ass-fucking, condom and lubricant
choices
• Adorned with excellent illustrations to aid comprehension and reading. Sections include:
1. HIV/AIDS and other common sexually transmitted
diseases
2. The indispensable condoms and lubricants
3. Correct steps of wearing condoms
4. Common excuses for barebacking and the way out
5. The glamorous foreplay
6. The delicious oral sex
7. Cleaning your ass before getting fucked
8. Q&A for first-time fuckers
9. Reaching orgasm through jerking off, G-spots,
ass kissing and finger fucking
10. Getting into gay saunas
11. Party drugs and home parties
12. About HIV/AIDS testing
Appendix 1: HIV/AIDS-related resources
Appendix 2: Hospitals for anonymous HIV/AIDS testing
Appendix 3: Links to gay-friendly spaces
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20. Others
• Rights advocacy and social movements
• Major events, e.g. LGBT civil movements, international
seminars, LGBT parades, etc.
• Visits and exchanges
• Participation in international affairs
20

21. Persons with HIV/AIDS Rights Association of
Taiwan
(PRAATW)

22. PRAATW
• Founded in 1997
• The first non-profit organisation to put forward protecting
the rights of HIV/AIDS individuals in Taiwan
22

23. Positioning of PRAATW
Rights advocacy of the infected in various areas:
• Right to education
• Right to employment
• Right to healthcare
• Right to Nursing and Rehabilitation
• Right to Privacy
• Right to Migration
• Right to Intimate Relationships
• Policy analyses and scrutiny
• Decriminalisation of AIDS/HIV
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24. Survey on the Infringement on the Rights of PLHIV
PRAATW conducted the third biennial survey on the rights
infringement experiences of PLHIV in Taiwan since 2012.
Questionnaires were sent to 1,415 PLHIV, of which 1,036
effective samples were returned:
• 87.6% respondents expressed that they experienced
human rights violation in the past two years
• Top 3 violated rights:
1. Right to intimate relationships
2. Right to healthcare
3. Right to employment
24

25. Right to Education
1987
• A student of National Taiwan Normal University was forced to drop out
after confessing his HIV status
1993
• A student of National Penghu University of Science and Technology
was tested HIV+ and all of his classmates asked for a transfer
2002
• A new student of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and
Tourism was barred from school after testing HIV+
2012-16
• The Ah Li Case from the National Defense University of Taiwan
2013
• A Taipei student, having lived in Harmony Home because of family
reasons, was quarantined for virus screening but was later readmitted
to school after confirming that he is HIV-
25

26. Right to Employment
• 19.3%, a 17.8% increase from 2014
• Effective November 2012, Taiwan’s “Employment Service Act”
added an article to ensure respect for the privacy of job
seekers. Employers should not, during the interview, request
job seekers to surrender any personal information unrelated to
the employment. Anyone who violates such provision shall be
fined NT$60,000 to NT$300,000.
• After the revised act has been in force, employers cannot
flagrantly request HIV screening in pre-employment health
checks.
• However, there are still employers who ask for privacy during
the interviews
26

27. Right to Healthcare
• 58.3%, a 48.4% increase from 2014
• Among which 41.6% respondents avoid seeking healthcare
due to the PharmaCloud system. 27.2% respondents have
had unfriendly experiences.
• Common violations: Using the excuse of infection control,
assigning the last number of the waiting sequence, asking for
transfers or changing methods of treatment, e.g. replacing
surgical treatments by medical treatments etc.
• On 24th November 2016, Executive Yuan passed the revised
“HIV Infection Control and Patient Rights Protection Act”.
Future diagnosed donors may be able to donate to other
diagnosed recipients and the proposed amendments will be
sent to the Legislative Yuan for review.
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28. Right to Nursing and Rehabilitation
• In Taiwan, there are currently 13 nursing and rehabilitation
centres which are willing to take care of the diagnosed.
All these centres are government or public units.
• Applicants can try to register in the above-mentioned
centres, but chances can be that they may reject such
applications.
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29. Right to Privacy
• 30.1%, 12.7% of which has been disclosed HIV status by
healthcare professionals
• The privacy rights of some diagnosed have been violated
because of the NHI IC cards. Certain designated HIV/AIDS
hospitals did not follow the instructions of the NHI Bureau in
advance and designed appropriate codes for HIV/AIDS. When
a doctor keyed in the data using the central system, HIV/AIDS-
related information was automatically loaded into the system,
resulting in leakage of information
• When an employer got to know the HIV status of an employee
from outsiders, he/she would request HIV/AIDS testing, job
rotations or dismissals using special excuses
29

30. Right to Intimate Relations
• 67.8%, a 12.9% increase from 2014
• When an infected asked for breaking up with his partner, his
AIDS/HIV status became something the other party could
threaten him with, e.g.:
• Threatening to disclose his personal information on Facebook,
and asking him not to break up
• The other party trying to reveal his AIDS/HIV status to his boss,
leading to loss of jobs
• The other party trying to reveal his AIDS/HIV status to his
family members
• Threatening that he intended to transmit HIV in court, forcing
the HIV+ to compromise in relationships
• Stalking with knives
• Asking for money
30

31. Decriminalisation of HIV/AIDS
“HIV Infection Control and Patient Rights Protection Act”
Article 21:
• Individuals who are fully aware that they are the infected
have, by concealing the fact, unsafe sex with others or
injections by sharing needles and syringes, diluted fluids
or containers, and thus infect others, shall be sentenced
for five years up to twelve years.
• Individuals who are fully aware that they are the infected
and supply blood or provide organs, tissues, body fluids
or cells for transplantation or for use by others, and thus
infect others, shall be sentenced the same.
31
Addressing public health through legislation

32. Decriminalisation of HIV/AIDS
Result:
• Decriminalisation can no longer serve the purpose of “disease
prevention” from the very beginning
Drawbacks of legislation:
• Carrying a stigmatised insinuation for criminalising AIDS/HIV
alone
• Affecting the quality of life of the infected
• Scaring people suspected of HIV infection away from quick
testing, aggravating the spread of HIV in the community
• Becoming an easy revenge tool for falling out in a relationship
• Spawning endless litigations, wasting public money
32

33. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
2012
• A NDU student, identified by the pseudonym Ah Li, tested positive for
HIV at a hospital
• The hospital passed on
the results to his school
without his permission
• NDU banned Ah Li from
swimming classes and
forced him to wash his
eating utensils separately
from other students
• NDU interviewed him daily
to convince him to drop
out of his own accord
• Ah Li was expelled on
charges of information
security and discipline
violations
33
For the past 10 years, only two
students were expelled from NDU for
disciplinary reasons:
1. Criminal behaviour
2. Altering results documents

34. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
May 2014
• Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) concluded that
the appeal could be established
July 2014
• MOHW demanded that the university reinstate or proceed
toward a settlement with Ah Li
August 2014
• NDU filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan’s Appeals
Council but was eventually turned down
34

35. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
February 2015
• NDU pursued the case again through the court system
35

36. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
March 2016
• Taipei High Administrative Court handed down its judgment against
MOHW on the basis that MOHW is not in charge of education and is not
entitled to withdraw expulsion decisions
• MOHW appealed the case to the Supreme Administrative Court for the
third time, saying that the court’s decision will affect Taiwan’s
international image, as well as HIV prevention and control
April 2016
• The case attracted media attention
August 2016
• The President Tsai Ing-wen expressed support for the first time: “PLHIV
should not be ostracised but should be treated with care and
consideration”
• The joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, sent a letter
to Taiwan to express its concerns on the case’s subsequent development
36

37. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
Up-to-date results
37
Ah Li MOHW NDU
• Insists that the
university issue a
public apology
• Slapped a fine of
NT$1 million on the
university
• Agreed to issue a
proof of credits
• NDU should admit
ostracising PLHIV
• Paid for MOHW’s
fine, while trying to
recoup NT$800,000
paid tuition and
other school fees
from Ah Li
• NDU should accept
MOHW’s penalty

38. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
Ah Li’s case has become
Taiwan’s first legal case
in which:
• Discrimination took place
at an educational institute;
• A government department was fined; and
• The fine is the highest among such cases in Taiwan
38
According to Taiwan’s statistics, over
the past 3 years, there have been 5
cases involved with discrimination
against HIV patients:
• 3 cases at the workplace
• 2 cases at the hospitals

39. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
39
Ah Li NDU
• Expelled from the university for
three years, during which Ah Li
was not able to look for jobs in the
absence of academic credentials
• The special academic proof
exposes him to the risk of
divulging his HIV status
• Eventually gave up the plan of
finishing the last semester to
avoid being sidelined
• The “lieutenant” dream faltered.
No hope of working his way
towards music composition and
being a conductor
• The court proceedings reaffirmed
the discrimination and illegal
behaviour of the university
• Took the lead to discriminate as
an educational institute
• Invited protests from various
AIDS/HIV groups and advocacy
groups on the right to healthcare.
UNAIDS even expressed its
concerns.
• Backed down under tremendous
external pressure, sabotaging the
ideal image of a military school

40. The Ah Li Case from the National
Defense University of Taiwan
40
Ah Li NDU
• Expelled from the university for
three years, during which Ah Li
was not able to look for jobs in the
absence of academic credentials
• The special academic proof
exposes him to the risk of
divulging his HIV status
• Eventually gave up the plan of
finishing the last semester to
avoid being sidelined
• The “lieutenant” dream faltered.
No hope of working his way
towards music composition and
being a conductor
• The court proceedings reaffirmed
the discrimination and illegal
behaviour of the university
• Took the lead to discriminate as
an educational institute
• Invited protests from various
AIDS/HIV groups and advocacy
groups on the right to healthcare.
UNAIDS even expressed its
concerns.
• Backed down under tremendous
external pressure, sabotaging the
ideal image of a military school
A Lose-Lose
Situation

41. MOHW’s Education for HIV/AIDS Control
• Executive Yuan’s HIV/AIDS Control Committee
MOHW’s Committee for HIV Infection Control and Patient
Rights Protection
• 12 Vice Ministers from various ministries, 14-16
community representatives, including the Vice Minister
from the Ministry of Education, AIDS prevention
organisations, HIV+ and media representatives
• A 5-Year Plan for AIDS Prevention by MOHW’s Centres
for Disease Control (2012-2016)
41

42. MOHW’s Education for
HIV/AIDS Control
• MOHW’s departments and committees work on
the annual education and promotion plans in
accordance with the HIV Act
Promotion
• Promotion channels include movie theatres,
television, print media, outdoor, internet and
social networks
• Various departments and committees take
actions for the prevention and promotion of
AIDS testing and consultation services with
respect to target participants
• Press conferences etc.
42

43. MOHW’s Education for HIV/AIDS Control
• MOHW’s departments and committees work on the annual education
and promotion plans in accordance with the HIV Act
Education
• Education training given to staff in associated units, e.g. police,
schools, nursing and rehabilitation centres
• Sex education on campus (including HIV/AIDS control)
• HIV/AIDS control introduced to syllabi. Grade 5 students at national
primary schools or above have >=2 contact hours each semester.
43

44. MOHW’s Education for HIV/AIDS Control
• MOHW’s departments and committees work on the annual education and
promotion plans in accordance with HIV Act
Education
• Explain sex and HIV/AIDS education to parents in parents’ association activities
• Sex education (including HIV/AIDS control) as part of the mandatory agenda in
the schools’ health programmes. Experience sharing in selected centres of
excellence.
• Set up “AIDS/HIV Alliance”, combining local governments, educational units and
community groups to step up efforts against HIV/AIDS
44

45. MOHW’s Education for HIV/AIDS Control
Future directions:
• To propagate anti-discrimination (especially after Ah Li’s
case)
• To prevent HIV- from being infected and take good care of
HIV+
• To contribute to the physical, emotional and community
well-being of target groups
45

46. Differences between HK’s and Taiwan’s
Situations
Taiwan Hong Kong
Basic HIV/AIDS knowledge not in life-based
situations
Basic HIV/AIDS knowledge not in life-based
situations
More side effects of commonly prescribed
medications
Fewer side effects of commonly prescribed
medications
More solidary among HIV/AIDS support groups HIV/AIDS support groups compete for
government funding
Students at each level of primary and secondary
schools should have at least 4 hours of gender
education in each academic year
HK government has denied giving any resources
to HIV/AIDS education years ago
Dedicated community organisations protecting
basic HIV+ human rights and scrutinising
discrimination
• Diagnosed not sure of his/her rights and even
self-stigmatise
• No common platform to speak for
HIV+
Community organisations in place to
scrutinise the government
No community organisations in place to
scrutinise the government
“HIV Infection Control and Patient Rights
Protection Act” criiminalises behaviour of infecting
the others on purpose
No related legislation
46

47. H*ours Cafe
• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 2pm-11pm; Sat-Sun: 12nn-11pm
• Tel: (02)2364-2742
• Metro: Taipower Building
Station Exit No. 1
47

48. H*ours Cafe
48

49. H*ours Cafe
49

50. H*ours Cafe
• In support of Ah Li’s
case, an advertisement was
set up at the front door and
which unleashed heated debates:
50

51. Snapshots
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