ABRPO

Funded by the Ministry of Health, AIDS & Hep C Programs.

AIDS Bereavement and Resiliency Program of Ontario (ABRPO) provides grief care to workers and organizations in response to the traumatic multiple loss of both HIV/AIDS and drug poisoning/overdose.

12/19/2025

International Human Solidarity Day happens tomorrow December 20th and emphasizes the importance of unity, cooperation, and shared responsibility in addressing global challenges. It serves as a reminder that by working together in solidarity, we can create a better world for all and achieve common goals, including peace, social justice, and sustainable development.

12/17/2025

"S*x workers are a part of our neighborhoods, communities and families" - Dr. Annie Sprinkle

"Every year on December 17th, S*x Workers and their Allies mark this day as a day of not only mourning for those who were lost to violence but also a day to call for change - for the rights and justice for s*x workers.

It is estimated that 45% to 75% of s*x workers have experienced violence in one way or another. S*x workers often hesitate to report incidents to police out of fear of criminal charges, stigma, or further abuse. In a 2020 Canadian study, only 38% of s*x workers who experienced violence reported it to police. S*x workers also face barriers to support and are blamed for the violence they experience.

What you can do
There are many steps each person can take to do their part to end violence against s*x workers:
• Be aware of your own unconscious bias about s*x work
• Understand how pervasive stigmatizing images and language are in popular culture
• Recognize the unique life experience of each individual s*x worker
• Address stigma and misinformation among peers, colleagues and family
• Educate yourself about s*x workers’ experiences and issues"

- from Ending Violence Association of BC

12/15/2025

Grief and loss keep coming to work with increasing frequency in these extraordinary times we’re living and working in. Many workers are experiencing heightened grief related to loss of community members, colleagues, family members and friends. From fatal and near fatal opioid overdose, complications from HIV-related illnesses, AIDS, covid deaths, violence, suicides, accidents, people leaving the workplace, and other losses, there is so much to grieve.

Email Craig, our TTOA Co-Ordinator to register.

12/12/2025

We must couple grief and gratitude in a way that encourages us to stay open to life. - Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow.

12/10/2025

Human Rights Day is a global observance dedicated to promoting and celebrating the fundamental rights and freedoms that all individuals are entitled to, regardless of their nationality, gender, race, religion, or background. It serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding human rights and addressing issues related to social justice and equality.

In Canada, it marks the end of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.

12/08/2025

We commemorate National Pans*xual Pride Day on December 8th and the efforts made by the pans*xual and panromantic community to gain acceptance and understanding. When it comes to their romantic or s*xual attraction to others, many pans*xual persons now identify as “gender blind,” which is described as “not restricted in s*xual choice with respect to biological s*x, gender, or gender identity.”

12/05/2025

It has been 36 years (December 6, 1989) since the mass femicide of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montreal in a deadly act of misogyny. This is not an issue of the past though - femicide was the cause of death of 187 women and girls in Canada in 2024. Gender-based violence is an issue that intersects with other issues such as HIV, drug use, colonization, racism, poverty, incarceration, housing instability, health care and more.

Ways to take action against gender-based violence:
- Check in on the women, girls, and gender expansive people in your life.
- Look to WHAI for resources to help you understand the gendered impacts of SCS closures and access to HIV treatment.
- Speak out when you encounter misogyny. What might sound like a joke or an innocent comment normalizes the devaluation of women, girls, and gender expansive people. Devaluation normalizes violence.

12/03/2025

The leadership of persons with disabilities is epitomized by the global disability rights movement’s slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us”. It means the basic requirements of participation, representation and inclusion and calls for persons with disabilities to actively shape the conditions of their lives.

Did you know?
An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.

Persons with disabilities have twice the risk of developing conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke, and more.

Health inequities arise from unfair conditions faced by persons with disabilities, including stigma, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and barriers faced in the health system itself.

12/02/2025

The following words were shared with us yesterday during World AIDS Day from one of the Peers that attend our monthly TTOA virtual meeting and we felt the words needed to be shared with all of you.

To my dear ABRPO/TTOA family,

AIDS World Day is never an easy day, and yet it reminds me of the strength we share.
Our diagnosis does not define us - we are defined by the way we lift each other, hold each other, and refuse to let anyone feel alone. Your courage is not loud, but it is life-saving. Your presence is not small - it is monumental. And your stories - our stories - deserve to be honoured today and every day.

Thank you for allowing me the honour of standing beside you. Thank you for reminding the world that hope is not an idea - it is us.

12/01/2025

This year for World AIDS Day the theme is REBUILD, RETHINK, RISE. It's a pivotal time in the HIV movement in Ontario, when the funding for HIV services is not matching the demand created by rising HIV rates. It's a time when the evidence-based harm reduction science is being disregarded in favour of ideology. The outrage around this has been palpable this year - as has the grief. It's a grief around knowing things could be different and struggling to see a way forward. Grief is also present at this time of year when we remember all the community members, family and friends, and activists who got us to where we are now. And it's also a time to advocate for the people who are still here with us show us how far we still have to go.

If you, your co-workers, colleagues, community members, and friends are grieving at this time of year, we hope you'll check out our resource on HIV & Grief Talking Points. It offers 5 ways we can talk about the grief that's present around personal losses and structural factors.
And to everyone who worked in an A*O this year, thank you for the hard work you do, and the presence and dignity you bring to your work with community members and service users. The movement is stronger because of you.

Check out our resource page, or click the following link to access the resourcehttps://abrpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/WAD-Resource-1.pdf

11/28/2025

We fight the same battles over and over again. They are never won for eternity, but in the process of struggling together, in community, we learn how to glimpse new possibility that otherwise never would become apparent to us, and in the process we expand and enlarge our very notion of freedom. - Angela Davis, The Meaning of Freedom.

11/25/2025

The United Nations General Assembly in 2014 designated November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The concept of this day is to raise awareness around the world about Intimate Partner Violence and other forms of violence that affects women and is often hidden.

What can we do to end Gender Based Violence not just today but everyday:
- Listen: be open to learning from the experiences of others
- Believe: support survivors and those affected by violence. It is very important that you say the words ‘’I believe you’’ and ‘’This is not your fault’’
- Educate (yourself and others): learn the facts about GBV; know what your workplace policies say about violence and harassment; take a course; participate in an event
- Speak out: add your voice to call out violence
- Intervene: find a safe way to help when you see acts of gender-based violence. Name what you see. Express your concern and ask how you can help. Intervening can also mean providing support and resources
- Act: give your time or donate to organizations working to end gender-based violence

Address

Sherbourne Street
Toronto, ON
M4X1K9

Website

https://abrpo.org/contact/

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