What is HIV?

Have you recently been told you are HIV positive?

This may be a time when you are looking for information to understand what this means.

The following fact sheet on HIV/AIDS is available in several community languages:

HIV/AIDS: your questions answered (Vic, Australia)

The Education + Centre information sheet talks you through some of the issues you are dealing with when you are first diagnosed:
Newly diagnosed with HIV? (Vic, Australia)

For introductory information on living with HIV, see the website of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO). Linked to their HIV Health button you will find information specifically designed for the person who has just been diagnosed.

You are also very welcome to visit the drop-in resource centre at the Education + Resource Centre. At the Centre you can pick up brochures, borrow a video or a book, get some help with searching the Internet or just chill out with a cup of tea or coffee. The Centre can also put you in touch with counselling services. This is a free and confidential service.

You may also be looking for someone to talk to. That may be someone who is also HIV positive and can share their experiences with you or, it could be someone who can help you to get in touch with the services, support and counselling available to someone with HIV in Victoria.

People living with HIV/AIDS support groups in Victoria:

People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA): phone 9865 6772

Positive Women Victoria (HIV+ women): phone 9276 6918

Straight Arrows
(HIV+ heterosexual men and their partners and families): phone 9276 3792

Country AIDS Network

34 Myers Street, Bendigo, 3552

ph  5443 8355

Other services

VAC (Victorian AIDS Council) provides a counselling service. It also offers many other services to people living with HIV: phone 9865 6700 TTY 9827 3733

AIDSLINE (AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Health Line)
Victoria's telephone counselling service:
ph (03) 9347 6099
country freecall 1800 133 392
Vietnamese info Line 1800 456 007
TTY for deaf callers  1800 032 665

Positive Counselling HIV/Hep C at The Bouverie Centre provides free and confidential counselling to people whose lives are affected by HIV and/or Hepatitis C. Phone: 9376 9844

For more information on support services, go to the Support section