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Gay Britain for migrants
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The Terrence Higgins Trust has launched a website aimed at migrant gay men.
Gay Britain is a programme designed to help migrant gay and bisexual men who have moved to England and Wales stay safe and well, while getting the most out of living in the country.
The new website www.chapsonline.org.uk/gaybritain and a set of leaflets in six languages have been produced that include information on HIV and sexual health, as well as a guide to staying safe on the scene and information on how to access healthcare and benefits and where to learn English. There is also a glossary of terms commonly used in gay sex.
Migrant gay men are at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) not just through lack of awareness and knowledge, but because of other social and economic factors relating to their migration.
“Some men come to the UK to escape homophobia and abuse and to live a more liberated life,” says Marc Thompson, Deputy Head of Health Promotion at the Terrence Higgins Trust. “But when they get here they find things are more difficult than they expected.
“Problems with the language, finding work and affordable accommodation, as well as new-found sexual liberation and the highly sexualised nature of the gay scene can leave men vulnerable to picking up or passing on HIV and other STIs.”
The pocket-sized leaflets have been produced in English, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish and can be downloaded from the Gay Britain website.
