Source Link - 'Ridiculous' rise in HIV/AIDS cases among deaf
Officials at the Jamaica Association for the Deaf and the Jamaica AIDS Support are reporting a "huge" increase in the number of deaf persons contracting the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) and engaging in risky sexual behaviour.
Reports of loose, multi-partner, unprotected sex, and what Jamaica AIDS Support officials call "inter-sexing", which involves homo and bisexual intercourse, have emerged, as the organisation grapples to deal with the growing number of deaf clients on its hands.
Executive Director of the Jamaica AIDS Support (JAS) Stacy-Ann Jarrett said that while there were no statistics to support specific numbers, cases have been "growing ridiculously", among all their target groups which include homosexual men, commercial sex workers, children and deaf persons. She confirmed that the organisation had been seeing a worrying increase in the number of deaf persons contracting the disease.
"We've learnt that this group is involved in a lot of inter-sexing and bi-sexuality. They seem to be a lot more sexual and don't have the same kind of discrimination; they don't seem to have the same kind of hang-ups about sex... We've realised that HIV and AIDS messages are not impacting on them. They seem to have a lot of myths. We've started having counselling with deaf same-sex practitioners," she said.
She fingered the recent recession as a possible reason for the increase in the number of HIV infections among deaf commercial sex workers. "We had two commercial sex workers before the recession, now we have nine and this is within seven months."
The Jamaica Association for the Deaf says it too has no official statistics on the number of deaf persons with the disease, but Public Relations Officer Marcia Anderson confirmed that a "huge number" of deaf persons were contracting the disease and "quite a number of them are commercial sex workers". She said once the cases come to their attention, they do what they can through their social services department, then turn them over to the Jamaica Aids Support.
The situation is worrying officials at the association so much, that they have intervened to lift the awareness of HIV and AIDS among the deaf community. The organisation has launched a series of HIV prevention workshops, dubbed "Reducing HIV Vulnerability in Deaf Children" which uses dance and signing to spread the message of safe sex among especially school-aged deaf persons. A recently-concluded training programme, held at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf in Knockpatrick, Manchester, saw 25 teaching assistants being trained to take the message into schools which accommodate students with hearing impairments.
The HIV Prevention message will be spread through a series of choreographed dance programmes, which Mrs Anderson told the Observer will be entered in the Jamaica Cultural Development Committee's (JCDC) 2010 national dance competition. The best pieces will be chosen, and taken to the deaf community across the island, through its schools. Mrs Anderson said the project has the backing of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which pumped some $1.3 million into the programme.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica AIDS Support says it is working hard to dispel what Ms Jarrett calls the many myths plaguing the deaf community, which she insists is fuelling the rapid rate of infection among the deaf. "They have severe self-esteem issues, the deaf are constantly recording issues of sexual abuse. That is a big demon that plagues that group. So our support group work with them focuses on self-esteem building," she said.
She said deaf clients have even reported being preyed on in their churches, by adults. "Some are taken out of church, and taken around a corner and somebody says to them, 'I want sex', if you're being preyed on in this manner, how are you going to negotiate condom use?" She told the Observer that in addition to deaf persons, Christian married women were emerging as another vulnerable and neglected group. "They have a challenge insisting that their men use condoms". She said the organisation has not yet figured out how to reach this group.
She told the Observer that her organisation had yet another problem group on its hands - it recently found a group of homeless gay men living on the streets. "We found about 15 of them in the Kingston and St Andrew area. Their families have thrown them out. Some of them are not even gay, but they were suspected homosexuals and they were beaten out of their communities. "
She said, given its limited resources, the JAS can only meet their basic needs of a bath and a meal. "Most of them are illiterate, they have no skills. What is particularly painful to me is that many of these people don't live beyond the day. They come in and they go back out by 5pm, because we don't have anywhere to put them. When they leave, you can't know if they're coming back, you don't know if you're going to see them again."
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Caregiver sentenced for rape of deaf, blind woman
Source Link - Caregiver sentenced for rape of deaf, blind woman
A former assistant at a Kent assisted-living facility previously convicted in the rape of a developmentally disabled patient was sentenced Friday to a minimum eight-year prison term, which could be extended to a life sentence.
Following a bench trial, a King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott found Joseph Thurura guilty on July 16 of second-degree rape in the 2008 assault.
Prosecutors had argued that Thurura impregnated a 45-year-old woman, who is blind and unable to speak or otherwise communicate due to her disabilities. The woman later had a miscarriage.
Unable to identify her assailant, police took DNA samples from 11 men who had been in a position to have sexual contact with the woman. Prosecutors asserted that Thurura proved a 99.99 percent match to DNA recovered from fetal tissue.
After completing his eight-year term, Thurura's status would be reviewed under state sentencing laws that allow for an indefinite period of confinement for some sex offenders. Thurura could be held for life if state reviewers believe he continues to pose a threat.
A former assistant at a Kent assisted-living facility previously convicted in the rape of a developmentally disabled patient was sentenced Friday to a minimum eight-year prison term, which could be extended to a life sentence.
Following a bench trial, a King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott found Joseph Thurura guilty on July 16 of second-degree rape in the 2008 assault.
Prosecutors had argued that Thurura impregnated a 45-year-old woman, who is blind and unable to speak or otherwise communicate due to her disabilities. The woman later had a miscarriage.
Unable to identify her assailant, police took DNA samples from 11 men who had been in a position to have sexual contact with the woman. Prosecutors asserted that Thurura proved a 99.99 percent match to DNA recovered from fetal tissue.
After completing his eight-year term, Thurura's status would be reviewed under state sentencing laws that allow for an indefinite period of confinement for some sex offenders. Thurura could be held for life if state reviewers believe he continues to pose a threat.
Iowa School for the Deaf could become regional center
Source Link - Iowa School for the Deaf could become regional center
Iowa’s special school for the deaf at Council Bluffs is expecting about 110 students when pre-kindergarten through high school classes begin next Monday. That includes some students from Nebraska because that state has closed its special school and is taking advantage of the close proximity of Iowa’s school on the western border.
Iowa Board of Regents member, Robert Downer, says enrolling Nebraska’s deaf children may be just the beginning. Downer says there are serious discussions with one other state to do something similar with the possibility of another state being added. Downer says Iowa's school could become a hub of learning for several states.
Downer says it's possible the Council Bluffs school could be something of a regional center for deaf education. School for the Deaf Superintendent, Jeanne Prickett says even after adding the Nebraska students, the school is operating at about two-thirds capacity and could accommodate 50 more students.
Iowa’s special school for the deaf at Council Bluffs is expecting about 110 students when pre-kindergarten through high school classes begin next Monday. That includes some students from Nebraska because that state has closed its special school and is taking advantage of the close proximity of Iowa’s school on the western border.
Iowa Board of Regents member, Robert Downer, says enrolling Nebraska’s deaf children may be just the beginning. Downer says there are serious discussions with one other state to do something similar with the possibility of another state being added. Downer says Iowa's school could become a hub of learning for several states.
Downer says it's possible the Council Bluffs school could be something of a regional center for deaf education. School for the Deaf Superintendent, Jeanne Prickett says even after adding the Nebraska students, the school is operating at about two-thirds capacity and could accommodate 50 more students.
Twitter Your Elected Representatives
Now we can twitter some of our elected representatives.
The representatives below have twitter accounts!
Artur Davis - http://twitter.com/ArturDavis
Harry Mitchell - http://twitter.com/HarryEMitchell
Jeff Flake - http://twitter.com/JeffFlake/
Gabrielle Giffords - http://twitter.com/Rep_Giffords
Trent Franks - http://twitter.com/RepTrentFranks
John Boozman - http://twitter.com/JohnBoozman
George Miller - http://twitter.com/askgeorge
Joe Baca - http://twitter.com/Bacacalifornia43
Howard McKeon - http://twitter.com/BuckMcKeon
Dana Rohrabacher - http://twitter.com/DanaRohrabacher
Darrell Issa - http://twitter.com/DarrellIssa
Duncan Hunter - http://twitter.com/duncanhunter
Elton Gallegly - http://twitter.com/eltongallegly24
Kevin McCarthy - http://twitter.com/kevinomccarthy
Mary Bono Mack - http://twitter.com/MaryBonoMack
Maxine Waters - http://twitter.com/MaxineWaters
Nancy Pelosi - http://twitter.com/nancypelosi
Mike Honda - http://twitter.com/RepMikeHonda
George Radanovich - http://twitter.com/repradanovich
Jared Polis - http://twitter.com/jaredpolis
Mike Coffman - http://twitter.com/repmikecoffman
Ed Perlmutter - http://twitter.com/RepPerlmutter
Jim Hines - http://twitter.com/jahimes
Chris Shays - http://twitter.com/ShaysCongress
Michael Castle - http://twitter.com/repmikecastle
Ander Crenshaw - http://twitter.com/AnderCrenshaw
Connie Mack - http://twitter.com/ConnieMackIV
Gus Bilirakis - http://twitter.com/GusBilirakis
Ileana Ros Lehtinen - http://twitter.com/IRL
Kendrick Meek - http://twitter.com/kendrickbmeek
Tom Rooney - http://twitter.com/TomRooney
Vern Buchanan - http://twitter.com/VernBuchanan
Jack Kingston - http://twitter.com/JackKingston
Henry Johnson - http://twitter.com/RepHankJohnson
John Barrow - http://twitter.com/repjohnbarrow
Paul Broun - http://twitter.com/RepPaulBrounMD
Phil Gingrey - http://twitter.com/RepPhilGingrey
Tom Price - http://twitter.com/RepTomPrice
Neil Abercrombie - http://twitter.com/neilabercrombie
Don Manzullo - http://twitter.com/donmanzullo
Judy Biggert - http://twitter.com/JudyBiggert
Mark Kirk - http://twitter.com/markkirk
Peter Roskam - http://twitter.com/PeterRoskam
Aaron Schock - http://twitter.com/repaaronschock
Rep Shimkus - http://twitter.com/RepShimkus
Dan Burton - http://twitter.com/RepDanBurton
Rep Mike Pence - http://twitter.com/RepMikePence
Leonard Boswell - http://twitter.com/LeonardBoswell
Steve King - http://twitter.com/SteveKingPress
Tom Latham - http://twitter.com/TomLatham
Lynn Jenkins - http://twitter.com/RepLynnJenkins
Anh Joseph Cao - http://twitter.com/AnhJosephCao
John Fleming - http://twitter.com/RepJohnFleming
Chellie Pingree - http://twitter.com/chelliepingree
Mike Michaud - http://twitter.com/RepMikeMichaud
Candice Miller - http://twitter.com/candicemiller
Pete Hoekstra - http://twitter.com/petehoekstra
David Lee Camp - http://twitter.com/RepDaveCamp
Sander Levin - http://twitter.com/repsandylevin
Thad McCotter - http://twitter.com/ThadMcCotter
Erik Paulsen - http://twitter.com/Erik_Paulsen
Jim Oberstar - http://twitter.com/JimOberstar
Keith Ellison - ttp://twitter.com/keithellison
Michele Bachmann -http://twitter.com/MicheleBachmann
Gregg Harper - http://twitter.com/GreggHarper
John Russell Carnahan - http://twitter.com/RepCarnahan
Roy Blunt - http://twitter.com/RoyBlunt
Todd Akin - http://twitter.com/ToddAkin
Denny Rehberg http://twitter.com/dennyrehberg
Jeff Fortenberry - http://twitter.com/JeffFortenberry
Lee Terry - http://twitter.com/LEETERRYNE
Dean Heller - http://twitter.com/DeanHeller
Frank Pallone http://twitter.com/FrankPallone
Albio Sires http://twitter.com/Rep_Albio_Sires
Ben Lujan - http://twitter.com/repbenraylujan
Charles Rangel - http://twitter.com/cbrangel
Christopher Lee - http://twitter.com/chrislee_ny26
Gregory Meeks - http://twitter.com/GregoryMeeks
Randy Kuhl - http://twitter.com/RandyKuhl
Patrick McHenry - http://twitter.com/PatrickMcHenry
Walter Beaman - Jones http://twitter.com/RepWalterJones
Virginia Foxx - http://twitter.com/virginiafoxx
Bob Latta - http://twitter.com/boblatta
Dennis Kucinich - http://twitter.com/dennis_kucinich
John Boehner - http://twitter.com/GOPleader
James Jordan - http://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan
Mary Jo Kilroy - http://twitter.com/MaryjoKilroy
Marcia Fudge - http://twitter.com/mlfudge
Steve Austria - http://twitter.com/SteveAustria
Mary Fallin - http://twitter.com/RepMaryFallin
John Sullivan - http://twitter.com/USRepSullivan
Earl Blumenauer - http://twitter.com/repblumenauer
Greg Walden - http://twitter.com/repgregwalden
Kurt Schrader - http://twitter.com/repschrader
Glenn Thompson http://twitter.com/CongressmanGT
Jim Gerlach - http://twitter.com/JimGerlach
Joe Sestak - http://twitter.com/JoeSestak
Bill Shuster - http://twitter.com/RepBillShuster
Michael Doyle - http://twitter.com/USRepMikeDoyle
Bob Inglis - http://twitter.com/bobinglis
Joe Wilson - http://twitter.com/CongJoeWilson
Gresham Barrett - http://twitter.com/RepBarrett
Zach Wamp - http://twitter.com/zachwamp
John Culberson - http://twitter.com/johnculberson
John Carter - http://twitter.com/judgecarter
Lamar Smith - http://twitter.com/LamarSmithTX21
Michael Burgess - http://twitter.com/michaelcburgess
Pete Olson - http://twitter.com/PeteOlson
Joe Barton - http://twitter.com/RepJoeBarton
Ken Marchant - http://twitter.com/RepKenMarchant
Kevin Brady - http://twitter.com/RepKevinBrady
Jason Chaffetz - http://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse
Eric Cantor - http://twitter.com/EricCantor
Glenn Nye - http://twitter.com/GlennNye
Jim Moran - http://twitter.com/Jim_Moran
Randy Forbes - http://twitter.com/Randy_Forbes
Robert Goodlatte - http://twitter.com/RepGoodlatte
Rob Wittman - http://twitter.com/RobWittman
Tom Perriiello - http://twitter.com/tomperriello
Cathy McMorris - http://twitter.com/cathymcmorris
Dave Reichert - http://twitter.com/davereichert
Gwen Moore - http://twitter.com/RepGwenMoore
Jay Inslee - http://twitter.com/RepInsleeNews
Norman Dicks - http://twitter.com/RepNormDicks
Paul Ryan - http://twitter.com/reppaulryan
Cynthia Lummis - http://twitter.com/CynthiaLummis
The representatives below have twitter accounts!
ALABAMA
Artur Davis - http://twitter.com/ArturDavis
ARIZONA
Harry Mitchell - http://twitter.com/HarryEMitchell
Jeff Flake - http://twitter.com/JeffFlake/
Gabrielle Giffords - http://twitter.com/Rep_Giffords
Trent Franks - http://twitter.com/RepTrentFranks
ARKANSAS
John Boozman - http://twitter.com/JohnBoozman
CALIFORNIA
George Miller - http://twitter.com/askgeorge
Joe Baca - http://twitter.com/Bacacalifornia43
Howard McKeon - http://twitter.com/BuckMcKeon
Dana Rohrabacher - http://twitter.com/DanaRohrabacher
Darrell Issa - http://twitter.com/DarrellIssa
Duncan Hunter - http://twitter.com/duncanhunter
Elton Gallegly - http://twitter.com/eltongallegly24
Kevin McCarthy - http://twitter.com/kevinomccarthy
Mary Bono Mack - http://twitter.com/MaryBonoMack
Maxine Waters - http://twitter.com/MaxineWaters
Nancy Pelosi - http://twitter.com/nancypelosi
Mike Honda - http://twitter.com/RepMikeHonda
George Radanovich - http://twitter.com/repradanovich
COLORADO
Jared Polis - http://twitter.com/jaredpolis
Mike Coffman - http://twitter.com/repmikecoffman
Ed Perlmutter - http://twitter.com/RepPerlmutter
CONNECTICUT
Jim Hines - http://twitter.com/jahimes
Chris Shays - http://twitter.com/ShaysCongress
DELAWARE
Michael Castle - http://twitter.com/repmikecastle
FLORIDA
Ander Crenshaw - http://twitter.com/AnderCrenshaw
Connie Mack - http://twitter.com/ConnieMackIV
Gus Bilirakis - http://twitter.com/GusBilirakis
Ileana Ros Lehtinen - http://twitter.com/IRL
Kendrick Meek - http://twitter.com/kendrickbmeek
Tom Rooney - http://twitter.com/TomRooney
Vern Buchanan - http://twitter.com/VernBuchanan
GEORGIA
Jack Kingston - http://twitter.com/JackKingston
Henry Johnson - http://twitter.com/RepHankJohnson
John Barrow - http://twitter.com/repjohnbarrow
Paul Broun - http://twitter.com/RepPaulBrounMD
Phil Gingrey - http://twitter.com/RepPhilGingrey
Tom Price - http://twitter.com/RepTomPrice
HAWAII
Neil Abercrombie - http://twitter.com/neilabercrombie
ILLINOIS
Don Manzullo - http://twitter.com/donmanzullo
Judy Biggert - http://twitter.com/JudyBiggert
Mark Kirk - http://twitter.com/markkirk
Peter Roskam - http://twitter.com/PeterRoskam
Aaron Schock - http://twitter.com/repaaronschock
Rep Shimkus - http://twitter.com/RepShimkus
INDIANA
Dan Burton - http://twitter.com/RepDanBurton
Rep Mike Pence - http://twitter.com/RepMikePence
IOWA
Leonard Boswell - http://twitter.com/LeonardBoswell
Steve King - http://twitter.com/SteveKingPress
Tom Latham - http://twitter.com/TomLatham
KANSAS
Lynn Jenkins - http://twitter.com/RepLynnJenkins
LOUISIANA
Anh Joseph Cao - http://twitter.com/AnhJosephCao
John Fleming - http://twitter.com/RepJohnFleming
MAINE
Chellie Pingree - http://twitter.com/chelliepingree
Mike Michaud - http://twitter.com/RepMikeMichaud
MICHIGAN
Candice Miller - http://twitter.com/candicemiller
Pete Hoekstra - http://twitter.com/petehoekstra
David Lee Camp - http://twitter.com/RepDaveCamp
Sander Levin - http://twitter.com/repsandylevin
Thad McCotter - http://twitter.com/ThadMcCotter
MINNESOTA
Erik Paulsen - http://twitter.com/Erik_Paulsen
Jim Oberstar - http://twitter.com/JimOberstar
Keith Ellison - ttp://twitter.com/keithellison
Michele Bachmann -http://twitter.com/MicheleBachmann
MISSISSIPPI
Gregg Harper - http://twitter.com/GreggHarper
MISSOURI
John Russell Carnahan - http://twitter.com/RepCarnahan
Roy Blunt - http://twitter.com/RoyBlunt
Todd Akin - http://twitter.com/ToddAkin
MONTANA
Denny Rehberg http://twitter.com/dennyrehberg
NEBRASKA
Jeff Fortenberry - http://twitter.com/JeffFortenberry
Lee Terry - http://twitter.com/LEETERRYNE
NEVADA
Dean Heller - http://twitter.com/DeanHeller
NEW JERSEY
Frank Pallone http://twitter.com/FrankPallone
Albio Sires http://twitter.com/Rep_Albio_Sires
NEW MEXICO
Ben Lujan - http://twitter.com/repbenraylujan
NEW YORK
Charles Rangel - http://twitter.com/cbrangel
Christopher Lee - http://twitter.com/chrislee_ny26
Gregory Meeks - http://twitter.com/GregoryMeeks
Randy Kuhl - http://twitter.com/RandyKuhl
NORTH CAROLINA
Patrick McHenry - http://twitter.com/PatrickMcHenry
Walter Beaman - Jones http://twitter.com/RepWalterJones
Virginia Foxx - http://twitter.com/virginiafoxx
OHIO
Bob Latta - http://twitter.com/boblatta
Dennis Kucinich - http://twitter.com/dennis_kucinich
John Boehner - http://twitter.com/GOPleader
James Jordan - http://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan
Mary Jo Kilroy - http://twitter.com/MaryjoKilroy
Marcia Fudge - http://twitter.com/mlfudge
Steve Austria - http://twitter.com/SteveAustria
OKLAHOMA
Mary Fallin - http://twitter.com/RepMaryFallin
John Sullivan - http://twitter.com/USRepSullivan
OREGON
Earl Blumenauer - http://twitter.com/repblumenauer
Greg Walden - http://twitter.com/repgregwalden
Kurt Schrader - http://twitter.com/repschrader
PENNSYLVANIA
Glenn Thompson http://twitter.com/CongressmanGT
Jim Gerlach - http://twitter.com/JimGerlach
Joe Sestak - http://twitter.com/JoeSestak
Bill Shuster - http://twitter.com/RepBillShuster
Michael Doyle - http://twitter.com/USRepMikeDoyle
SOUTH CAROLINA
Bob Inglis - http://twitter.com/bobinglis
Joe Wilson - http://twitter.com/CongJoeWilson
Gresham Barrett - http://twitter.com/RepBarrett
TENNESSEE
Zach Wamp - http://twitter.com/zachwamp
TEXAS
John Culberson - http://twitter.com/johnculberson
John Carter - http://twitter.com/judgecarter
Lamar Smith - http://twitter.com/LamarSmithTX21
Michael Burgess - http://twitter.com/michaelcburgess
Pete Olson - http://twitter.com/PeteOlson
Joe Barton - http://twitter.com/RepJoeBarton
Ken Marchant - http://twitter.com/RepKenMarchant
Kevin Brady - http://twitter.com/RepKevinBrady
UTAH
Jason Chaffetz - http://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse
VIRGINIA
Eric Cantor - http://twitter.com/EricCantor
Glenn Nye - http://twitter.com/GlennNye
Jim Moran - http://twitter.com/Jim_Moran
Randy Forbes - http://twitter.com/Randy_Forbes
Robert Goodlatte - http://twitter.com/RepGoodlatte
Rob Wittman - http://twitter.com/RobWittman
Tom Perriiello - http://twitter.com/tomperriello
WASHINGTON
Cathy McMorris - http://twitter.com/cathymcmorris
Dave Reichert - http://twitter.com/davereichert
Gwen Moore - http://twitter.com/RepGwenMoore
Jay Inslee - http://twitter.com/RepInsleeNews
Norman Dicks - http://twitter.com/RepNormDicks
Paul Ryan - http://twitter.com/reppaulryan
WYOMING
Cynthia Lummis - http://twitter.com/CynthiaLummis
Ebay Store Showcases Things Made By Deaf People
Ebay Store Showcases Things Made By Deaf People
The following items are handmade by deaf people in our Enableworks program. To see image just touch item link with cursor. To see them in action click on the item link.
Light Up Heart
ILY Wallet
ILY Handsign Defender
ILY Wind Twister
ILY Nightlight
ILY Candle Holder
ILY Candle
It's time to start your holiday shopping. Kwanzaa, Christmas, and Hanukkah holidays are coming up! Remember your co-workers, your bosses, friends, associates, and relatives.
These are great gift items. Start your holiday shopping today!
The following items are handmade by deaf people in our Enableworks program. To see image just touch item link with cursor. To see them in action click on the item link.
Light Up Heart
ILY Wallet
ILY Handsign Defender
ILY Wind Twister
ILY Nightlight
ILY Candle Holder
ILY Candle
It's time to start your holiday shopping. Kwanzaa, Christmas, and Hanukkah holidays are coming up! Remember your co-workers, your bosses, friends, associates, and relatives.
These are great gift items. Start your holiday shopping today!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)