The rise of sexualized drug use among key populations: The intersectional complex issue and promising community-led responses

SY13

Symposium

Other

CME accreditation

Plaza Terrace Room/Channel 2

25 July 14:45 - 15:45

Moderators

Annie MADDEN
International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD), Australia
Isaac OGUNKOLA
University Of Calabar, Nigeria

Sexualized drug use is a growing concern in the Asia-Pacific region, affecting not just the MSM community but also other key populations such as transgender individuals, people who use drugs, and sex workers. Despite this, there is often a focus on the negative aspects of drug use, rather than a holistic understanding of the issue and the human rights of those affected. Harm reduction, psychosocial support, and peer-based services for this group are severely lacking, and effective interventions are not well-known. Limited investment and awareness to address these complex problems, combined with criminalization, punishment, and stigma towards drug users, act as barriers to accessing social services, healthcare, and rights, leading to increased mental health problems. It is crucial to address this intersectional issue with a human rights-based approach, investing in effective interventions and supporting the dignity and well-being of all key populations affected by sexualized drug use.

14:45 5 min	Introduction Annie MADDEN International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD), Australia Isaac OGUNKOLA University Of Calabar, Nigeria

14:50 10 min	METHODOLOGIES: A CHEMSEX STUDY is a two-year research study exploring chemsex, the sexualized use of methamphetamine Andrew ZEALLEY York University, Canada

15:00 10 min	Chemsex among trans people: A holistic approach to sexual health from the community's perspective Paulie Amanita CALDERON-CIFUENTES TGEU, Germany

15:10 10 min	Empirical data that supports the implementation of person-centred interventions and peer-to-peer services for the chemsex community Adam BOURNE La Trobe University, Australia

15:20 25 min	Live Q&A Adam BOURNE La Trobe University, Australia Paulie Amanita CALDERON-CIFUENTES TGEU, Germany Andrew ZEALLEY York University, Canada Isaac OGUNKOLA University Of Calabar, Nigeria Annie MADDEN International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD), Australia

AUTHOR

Bridget Haire

SUMMARY

Sexualised drugs use, also known as ‘chemsex’, is engaged in by key populations including gay men and other men who have sex with me, sex workers, trans people and people who use drugs. Focused on rights-based approaches, presenters argued that criminalisation and stigma create barriers to health care.

HIGHLIGHTS

Dr Andrew Zeally from York University, Canada, reported on a two year multimodal study on the sexualized use of methamphetamine. The study included art-based outputs (a notebook, video, LP and EP) alongside traditional journal papers. In his experiential presentation, fragments of interviews including lines such as “not all meth use is problematic” were broadcast against a backdrop of pulsing music and abstracted rectal imagery. Paulie Amanita Calderon-Cifuentes from Transgender Europe, Germany, presented on Chemsex among trans people: A holistic approach. Her presentation discussed why community members might opt to engage in chemsex. Grounding her presentation in attachment theory, Calderon-Cifuentes argued that the disinhibition produced by particular drugs could facilitate sex for trans people without the debilitating impacts of cisnormativity and transphobia. Professor Adam Bourne from La Trobe University, Australia discussed the evidence base for the nature and extent of chemsex use in particular populations, and provided examples of a range of studies collecting data using somewhat different indicators, making the measurement of the phenomenon challenging. Bourne affirmed the importance of peer-to-peer services, and the necessity of making chemsex interventions sensitive to the goals of their clientele, while arguing that better measurement was needed to inform service planning.

CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

This sex-positive symposium highlighted the reasons why chemsex may be desirable for members of key populations, and why harm reduction interventions need to be peer based and respectful of client goals. Calderon-Cifuentes’s trans-specific data addressed an important research gap, bringing an often-overlooked perspective into the chemsex discussion. This issue of lack of standardised data collection raised by Bourne gestures towards a need for consolidation in future research.