Helping others, helping oneself, helping each others: experiences ofstreet-based female sex workers who inject drugs in a participatoryaction research project aimed at the prevention of HIV
Peer interventions are likely to take on a growing importance among initiatives aimed at the prevention of HIV transmission. The success of such interventions rests upon the participation of the individuals and groups concerned. Yet, few studies have documented the experiences of participation of individuals who are considered to be particularly vulnerable to HIV, for example street-based female sex workers who inject drugs, who have participated in a peer intervention project focused on the prevention of HIV. The qualitative results of the Projet LUNE, a participatory action research project conducted in Quebec City between 2007 and 2010, are presented in this article. The article discusses the characteristics of the 20 women who were interested in being involved in the peer-helper intervention, their motivations, the factors enabling and hindering their participation as well as the benefits of their involvement for themselves and their community. Results indicate that the women considered themselves to be capable of helping their peers based on their knowledge and experience. Their motivations for being involved evolved throughout the 3-year duration of the project, starting from activism oriented towards supporting their peers then moving to a more personal quest for benefits. Different realities closely linked with drug use seem to have been major impediments to the participation of several women, whereas feelings of being accepted, respected and considered integral to the project facilitated participation. The women who maintained sustained participation in the peer intervention stated that their participation enabled them to introduce some structure and discipline in their life, to learn to know and understand each other better, to acquire skills and to improve their self-esteem. The conclusion includes recommendations for practice that are formulated based on observations of the processes and changes that occurred during the project.