Narratives Towards Ending Stigma: HIV-Related Stigma in the Netherlands from the Standpoint of Those who Experience it First-Hand

While there is a decent amount of research that has been done regarding HIV related stigma in the Netherlands, little has been done qualitatively, working from the standpoint of individuals who have experienced that stigma first hand. This research uses qualitative methods, weaving the stories of individuals as well as participant observations to understand what people believe are the most essential methods in erasing HIV stigma. It also looks at what people see as the types of stigma and conflicts within HIV positive communities that are the most detrimental to the larger erasure of stigma. Through interviews and volunteer work at HIV Vereniging, it was found that education and ending self-stigma are necessary to end stigma as a whole. It is important to work from the inside out, starting with HIV positive individuals who feel shame about themselves or their stories. There is a lot more work to be done in this field, namely in finding a more diverse group of participants