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Fighting the stigma of HIV in India

Lakshmi - "After starting work as a housemaid in Pondicherry, I was beaten and forced to work in the red light district of Bombay for 5 months. When I escaped I was caught by four police who raped me and took me to a mental hospital where I was tortured for three years. After leaving the hospital, my father arranged my marriage. My husband threatened to pour kerosene over me if I didn't give him more money. After fleeing from that greedy husband, I became pregnant by a married man I was working with. The hospital refused to give me an abortion after tests showed I was HIV positive. I didn't know what HIV was. I just wanted to die. After my child was born safely I started working with CHES (Community Health Education Service) and I met this good man there who was also HIV positive and .we decided to get married. Yes HIV is there, but I must live as a normal person, I must live for my child."

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Fighting the Stigma in India
Lakshmi - "After starting work as a housemaid in Pondicherry, I was beaten and forced to work in the red light district of Bombay for 5 months. When I escaped I was caught by four police who raped me and took me to a mental hospital where I was tortured for three years. After leaving the hospital, my father arranged my marriage. My husband threatened to pour kerosene over me if I didn't give him more money. After fleeing from that greedy husband, I became pregnant by a married man I was working with. The hospital refused to give me an abortion after tests showed I was HIV positive. I didn't know what HIV was. I just wanted to die. After my child was born safely I started working with CHES (Community Health Education Service) and I met this good man there who was also HIV positive and .we decided to get married. Yes HIV is there, but I must live as a normal person, I must live for my child."
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