The company debuted the books, which were created in collaboration with the Black Women’s Working Group to Reframe Risk, on Friday, which was National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
The goal of the book series is to raise awareness of new HIV infections, offer women and young girls educational materials about the disease and provide resources that promote HIV prevention and care.
The three activity books — titled Self, Intimates and Care Providers — are self-guided journals that include tips on how to approach sex and intimacy in a way that prioritizes HIV prevention. The books also reframe how the disease is perceived in society and include dialogues addressing gaps in sex education among Black women.
Additionally, ViiV is seeking to convey its message in a way that breaks down stigmas and is culturally relevant to Black women, who account for nearly 60% of new HIV infections among women in the U.S. On its website, ViiV calls Risk to Reasons the “largest philanthropic investment dedicated to Black women’s needs, voices and leadership related to HIV in the U.S.”
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day started in 2005 as an effort to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, which disproportionately affects Black women and women of color. The theme for the 2023 awareness day is “Prevention and testing at every age. Care and treatment at every stage.”
In addition to ViiV, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also promoting the awareness day on social media with an informational page about HIV prevention, posts in English and Spanish, as well as two hashtags: #NWGHAAD #StopHIVTogether.
This story first appeared on mmm-online.com.
