Human Immunodeficiency Viruses Epidemic Pertaining - Essay Example

"Human Immunodeficiency Viruses Epidemic Pertaining" is a great example of a paper on social and family issues.

The article delves into the intricacies of the HIV epidemic pertaining to perceptional change across Western and Australian media circles. To this end the major issues discussed are;

1. Repositioning of HIV as a global heterosexual issue from previous linkages with other identities.
2. Australian media coverage on heterosexuality in relation to HIV prevalence.
3. The emergence of criminal prosecution of HIV related crimes.
4. Gender and racial discrimination pertaining to reporting of HIV related crimes.
5. Comparison of Western and Australian media coverage of HIV related offense in relation to racial alignment toward African racial ties.

Method/Procedures Used

In reference to the HIV context in Australia, the article sought to establish the paradigm of heterosexuality reporting within contemporary media coverage on HIV prevalence. It also sought to establish the criminal prosecution of HIV related offenses. To this end, the research involved an examination and review of secondary literature media articles. To this end, a literature review was conducted on several copies of The Sydney Morning Herald published between 2000 and 2005. The literature review was useful in uncovering the research goals. Consequently, the research established that heterosexuality in relation to the HIV epidemic was prominently covered within the archival literature of the article reviewed. Furthermore, the article provided sufficient evidence to suggest that HIV prevalence was highly attributed to African immigrant populations. Other research methods that could have been employed included the examination of journalism tabloids. Moreover, an extensive review of other popular media such as television news networks would have been successful.

Summary of Findings

The research finding identified that media reporting on HIV in Australia had shifted from reporting solely on infection rates by the gay community but extended to include prevalence among heterosexuals. Furthermore, the findings indicated that HIV prevalence rates were mostly blamed on the immigrant populations particularly of African descent. In addition, the findings indicated that personalized stories of women and men were distinctively labeled as ‘innocent victims’ and ‘betrayers’ respectively. Furthermore, most of the male perpetrators portrayed as spreading the HIV virus to ‘innocent’ white females were labeled as ‘African heterosexual men.’

The implication of these results points to several issues. Foremost, that HIV prevalence had grown out of the initial stereotype in Australia. To this end, it was linked previously linked as a problem of the gay community. Consequently, the media reporting had begun acknowledging that the heterosexual community and behavior was equally a factor in its prevalence. However, despite the media reporting on the heterosexual prevalence of HIV, a negative perception had emerged. Evidently, the new perception blamed HIV infected males for spreading the virus to innocent females. To this end, gender discrimination was evident in the criminal reporting of HIV cases. In addition, the focus on the male perpetrators was racially maligned towards African people. The implication here was that Africans were the major cause of HIV prevalence in Australia in contrast to the whites. Ultimately, this contemporary form of media reporting showed characteristic relations with other Western media that exhibited racial and gender discrimination in HIV reporting.

In future research, the article should explore the possibility of conducting face to face interviews with the stakeholders and persons affected by HIV in Australia. This would aid in providing information on the true causal factors of HIV prevalence from the grassroots. Consequently, the realities regarding the misconception and discrimination on gender and race in HIV reporting can be inextricable drawn.

Overall Evaluation

The article was insightful in providing information pertaining to the misconceptions and discrimination of HIV reporting by Western and Australian media. To this end, it is quite evident that the HIV epidemic has failed to achieve recognition as a global affliction that extends to all races and boundaries. Furthermore, there still pervades the attempt of trying to link the HIV virus with certain racial groups and geographic boundaries. The new perspective on HIV criminal reporting is just another deceptive way of attempting to discriminate and vilify a particular racial grouping through legal mandarins.