The Red Scarf Project finally makes its way to Halifax

The AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia will be launching the province's first ever Red Scarf Project in time for World AIDS Day on December 1.

The initiative — which hopes to boost awareness and education about HIV prevention and treatment — was introduced in 2012 when volunteers installed hundreds of red scarves in downtown London and Stratford to represent the AIDS ribbon. 

The movement has since spread across Canada by those attempting to battle the stigma associated with those living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS.

“I first heard about it three or four years ago because of colleagues in Ontario that were doing it,” notes Chris Aucoin, the executive director of the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia.

He says initiating the idea in Halifax was stifled for years after the organization suffered funding cuts which diminished staff and resources for such events.

“But I thought this is an idea I want to revisit and when the opportunity came for me to step up into the executive director role, I wanted to make this a priority and make it happen sooner than later.”

The Red Scarf Project is a volunteer-based initiative in which community members are invited to knit or crochet scarves to donate to the AIDS Coalition in time for World AIDS Day. The donated scarves will then be placed on streetlamps and fixtures around downtown Halifax on December 1.

“There’s going to be information tags attached to each of the scarves,” adds Aucoin. “Details about HIV testing or what the prognosis is today if someone is diagnosed with HIV, what’s the reality at this point in time versus 25 years ago when it was seen as a death sentence — those kinds of things.”

The public will be permitted to take the scarves but Aucoin adds they should be reserved for those community members who need them. Instead, he asks that people mainly read or take the messages that will be fixed to the items in order to help get educated and end the confusion associated with people living with HIV and AIDS.

“The stigma is still largely in place — that’s one of the challenges,” notes Aucoin, adding that HIV rates in the province have practically unmoved for more than a decade with one exception in 2018.

“We’re not using the prevention tools that are available to us to their best advantage yet (and) we know that — with the prevention information we have now that’s far more nuanced than we ever had before — we could end new HIV infections in Nova Scotia within a decade if we had full-impact, adequate access and unstigmatized access to HIV testing.”

Aucoin says that HIV and AIDS is preventable and treatable and those who are diagnosed can live full and healthy lives. He adds there is even a wide variety of testing options — including home testing kits — but people are still largely in the dark on the details.

“The scenario in most cases of sexual transmission is that the person who is the source of the infection doesn’t know that they are themselves infected yet,” adds Aucoin. “We still hear back from people that they resisted going to get an HIV test for fear of people knowing about their business.”

The AIDS Coalition used to host large events like the annual AIDS Walk to create awareness surrounding the virus. A victim of those previously-mentioned funding cuts, that event hasn’t happened in Halifax for at least five years.

Aucoin hopes the Red Scarf Project will be able to swing a public spotlight back onto AIDS education and re-engage volunteers and a large segment of the population.

“In addition to being one of our main annual fundraisers as it had been for many years, (the AIDS Walk) was also a very public event and had a high public visibility aspect to it,” says Aucoin. “We need those too so people are aware of us and our work.”

To volunteer or knit a red scarf or to obtain more information about the Red Scarf Project, visit the website.