three years ago while sitting at the infectious-disease class I realized for
infectious-disease class I realized for
infectious-disease class I realized for the first time HIV is not the only
the first time HIV is not the only
the first time HIV is not the only sexually transmitted disease at that
sexually transmitted disease at that
sexually transmitted disease at that time I was a 27 year old girl who was
time I was a 27 year old girl who was
time I was a 27 year old girl who was migrated from Iran and I was pursuing my
migrated from Iran and I was pursuing my
migrated from Iran and I was pursuing my PhD was I the only person who did not
PhD was I the only person who did not
PhD was I the only person who did not know anything about STDs couple months
know anything about STDs couple months
know anything about STDs couple months later one of my friend who was suffering
later one of my friend who was suffering
later one of my friend who was suffering from a very rare autoimmune disease
from a very rare autoimmune disease
from a very rare autoimmune disease which was misdiagnosed with HIV for some
which was misdiagnosed with HIV for some
which was misdiagnosed with HIV for some years called me and told me that she
years called me and told me that she
years called me and told me that she came up with the idea to raise awareness
came up with the idea to raise awareness
came up with the idea to raise awareness about sexually transmitted diseases in
about sexually transmitted diseases in
about sexually transmitted diseases in the Middle East and North Africa the
the Middle East and North Africa the
the Middle East and North Africa the spark was there and we just followed his
spark was there and we just followed his
spark was there and we just followed his signs to make sure we are not the only
signs to make sure we are not the only
signs to make sure we are not the only people who are suffering who do not know
people who are suffering who do not know
people who are suffering who do not know anything about STDs in our community we
anything about STDs in our community we
anything about STDs in our community we started to search online and we figured
started to search online and we figured
started to search online and we figured out every day 1 million people get
out every day 1 million people get
out every day 1 million people get infected with STDs and specifically in
infected with STDs and specifically in
infected with STDs and specifically in the Middle East and North Africa there
the Middle East and North Africa there
the Middle East and North Africa there are 26 million people who are infected
are 26 million people who are infected
are 26 million people who are infected with the curable STDs and it does not
with the curable STDs and it does not
with the curable STDs and it does not include herpes or HPV the two most
include herpes or HPV the two most
include herpes or HPV the two most prevalent STDs worldwide back then we
prevalent STDs worldwide back then we
prevalent STDs worldwide back then we were five grad students with one aim we
were five grad students with one aim we
were five grad students with one aim we wanted to provide educational
wanted to provide educational
wanted to provide educational information for the people who may not
information for the people who may not
information for the people who may not have access to information about STDs or
have access to information about STDs or
have access to information about STDs or sexual health either because lack
sexual health either because lack
sexual health either because lack because of lack of education or the
because of lack of education or the
because of lack of education or the stigma associated with this topic we
stigma associated with this topic we
stigma associated with this topic we started to translate some information
started to translate some information
started to translate some information from CDC up-to-date and other reliable
from CDC up-to-date and other reliable
from CDC up-to-date and other reliable sources that we
sources that we
sources that we new and modify them to make them
new and modify them to make them
new and modify them to make them culturally appropriate for our target
culturally appropriate for our target
culturally appropriate for our target population which were Farsi speaking
population which were Farsi speaking
population which were Farsi speaking people all around the world if you don’t
people all around the world if you don’t
people all around the world if you don’t know the native language of your on the
know the native language of your on the
know the native language of your on the country that will come from is Persian
country that will come from is Persian
country that will come from is Persian or Farsi and then one year later after
or Farsi and then one year later after
or Farsi and then one year later after that call we launched our website the
that call we launched our website the
that call we launched our website the first educational website about STDs and
first educational website about STDs and
first educational website about STDs and sexual health in Farsi in the control s
sexual health in Farsi in the control s
sexual health in Farsi in the control s website people can educate themselves
website people can educate themselves
website people can educate themselves about the sexual health and STDs also
about the sexual health and STDs also
about the sexual health and STDs also they can ask their question anonymously
they can ask their question anonymously
they can ask their question anonymously from our volunteer group of physicians
from our volunteer group of physicians
from our volunteer group of physicians so considering the fact that there is a
so considering the fact that there is a
so considering the fact that there is a stigma associated with the STDs in our
stigma associated with the STDs in our
stigma associated with the STDs in our community we provided the most important
community we provided the most important
community we provided the most important feature of our website which is letting
feature of our website which is letting
feature of our website which is letting people to ask their questions and our
people to ask their questions and our
people to ask their questions and our volunteer physicians would answer their
volunteer physicians would answer their
volunteer physicians would answer their questions within 24 hours and we used
questions within 24 hours and we used
questions within 24 hours and we used the social media channels of course the
the social media channels of course the
the social media channels of course the popular ones in Iran to promote the
popular ones in Iran to promote the
popular ones in Iran to promote the services that we provide and it’s
services that we provide and it’s
services that we provide and it’s amazing if you know that after two years
amazing if you know that after two years
amazing if you know that after two years since we started this service our
since we started this service our
since we started this service our physicians answered more than 12,000
physicians answered more than 12,000
physicians answered more than 12,000 questions and although we let people to
questions and although we let people to
questions and although we let people to stay anonymous only 19 percent of the
stay anonymous only 19 percent of the
stay anonymous only 19 percent of the people who asked questions from us
people who asked questions from us
people who asked questions from us decided to not release their identity
decided to not release their identity
decided to not release their identity and contact information also for
and contact information also for
and contact information also for providing a better and more focused
providing a better and more focused
providing a better and more focused services to our audience we started to
services to our audience we started to
services to our audience we started to analyze the data that we got and what we
analyze the data that we got and what we
analyze the data that we got and what we observed was a significant difference
observed was a significant difference
observed was a significant difference that we were seeing in the questions
that we were seeing in the questions
that we were seeing in the questions that are coming from females and males
that are coming from females and males
that are coming from females and males females usually ask us questions when
females usually ask us questions when
females usually ask us questions when they are experiencing symptoms or they
they are experiencing symptoms or they
they are experiencing symptoms or they and they don’t feel comfortable to see
and they don’t feel comfortable to see
and they don’t feel comfortable to see the physicians and they were afraid of
the physicians and they were afraid of
the physicians and they were afraid of to do that on the other hand males
to do that on the other hand males
to do that on the other hand males usually
usually
usually protest when they have had sex in risky
protest when they have had sex in risky
protest when they have had sex in risky sexual behavior and they are really
sexual behavior and they are really
sexual behavior and they are really worried about their sexual health and
worried about their sexual health and
worried about their sexual health and they’re wondering if they got infected
they’re wondering if they got infected
they’re wondering if they got infected with any form of STDs we were providing
with any form of STDs we were providing
with any form of STDs we were providing through and comprehensive information
through and comprehensive information
through and comprehensive information about the sexual health and STDs in our
about the sexual health and STDs in our
about the sexual health and STDs in our website but we were missing a very
website but we were missing a very
website but we were missing a very important group of people in Iran who
important group of people in Iran who
important group of people in Iran who did not have access to the Internet so
did not have access to the Internet so
did not have access to the Internet so our team members decided to go back home
our team members decided to go back home
our team members decided to go back home in Iran and then run some in-person
in Iran and then run some in-person
in Iran and then run some in-person workshops to make that goal possible we
workshops to make that goal possible we
workshops to make that goal possible we started to design some visually
started to design some visually
started to design some visually appealing educational material with the
appealing educational material with the
appealing educational material with the content that is appropriate for the
content that is appropriate for the
content that is appropriate for the people with different levels of the
people with different levels of the
people with different levels of the education these workshops are meant to
education these workshops are meant to
education these workshops are meant to be interactive and we talk about the
be interactive and we talk about the
be interactive and we talk about the signs and symptoms of the STDs the
signs and symptoms of the STDs the
signs and symptoms of the STDs the available treatment and most importantly
available treatment and most importantly
available treatment and most importantly prevention methods and at the very end
prevention methods and at the very end
prevention methods and at the very end of the workshops people can ask
of the workshops people can ask
of the workshops people can ask questions from the Midwife or the
questions from the Midwife or the
questions from the Midwife or the physician of our team couple months
physician of our team couple months
physician of our team couple months after we started running these workshops
after we started running these workshops
after we started running these workshops about the STDs in Iran we figured out
about the STDs in Iran we figured out
about the STDs in Iran we figured out that we cannot ignore the overlap
that we cannot ignore the overlap
that we cannot ignore the overlap between the STDs reproductive health and
between the STDs reproductive health and
between the STDs reproductive health and child sexual abuse and we came to that
child sexual abuse and we came to that
child sexual abuse and we came to that conclusion after getting many questions
conclusion after getting many questions
conclusion after getting many questions about basic concepts of the sexual
about basic concepts of the sexual
about basic concepts of the sexual health also we had lots of personal
health also we had lots of personal
health also we had lots of personal stories from the people who experience
stories from the people who experience
stories from the people who experience child sexual abuse in their life so we
child sexual abuse in their life so we
child sexual abuse in their life so we decided to expand our program and added
decided to expand our program and added
decided to expand our program and added two other series of workshop the puberty
two other series of workshop the puberty
two other series of workshop the puberty or sexual health workshops and also the
or sexual health workshops and also the
or sexual health workshops and also the child sexual abuse prevention workshops
child sexual abuse prevention workshops
child sexual abuse prevention workshops in the puberty or reproductive health
in the puberty or reproductive health
in the puberty or reproductive health workshops we run some workshops for the
workshops we run some workshops for the
workshops we run some workshops for the parents and all
parents and all
parents and all so for the kids who may go through the
so for the kids who may go through the
so for the kids who may go through the puberty who are going through the
puberty who are going through the
puberty who are going through the puberty and let them know what are they
puberty and let them know what are they
puberty and let them know what are they should expect from this period of their
should expect from this period of their
should expect from this period of their time and one thing that we were really
time and one thing that we were really
time and one thing that we were really that was really important for us was
that was really important for us was
that was really important for us was that to make that puberty stage of life
that to make that puberty stage of life
that to make that puberty stage of life fun and let the people to enjoy this
fun and let the people to enjoy this
fun and let the people to enjoy this period don’t be afraid don’t be mad and
period don’t be afraid don’t be mad and
period don’t be afraid don’t be mad and just just enjoy the time that they are
just just enjoy the time that they are
just just enjoy the time that they are experiencing enjoy the changes but for
experiencing enjoy the changes but for
experiencing enjoy the changes but for the child sexual abuse workshops we have
the child sexual abuse workshops we have
the child sexual abuse workshops we have different approach we have two series of
different approach we have two series of
different approach we have two series of workshops for the adults and also for
workshops for the adults and also for
workshops for the adults and also for the children during the adult workshops
the children during the adult workshops
the children during the adult workshops we focus on the importance of knowing
we focus on the importance of knowing
we focus on the importance of knowing who are the potential abusers we let
who are the potential abusers we let
who are the potential abusers we let parents know that usually abusers are
parents know that usually abusers are
parents know that usually abusers are the people who their parents trust and
the people who their parents trust and
the people who their parents trust and are very close to the children we talk
are very close to the children we talk
are very close to the children we talk about the common scenarios that abusers
about the common scenarios that abusers
about the common scenarios that abusers used to get close to the children what
used to get close to the children what
used to get close to the children what are the signs and symptoms that a child
are the signs and symptoms that a child
are the signs and symptoms that a child who has experienced child sexual abuse
who has experienced child sexual abuse
who has experienced child sexual abuse may show and if they come across any
may show and if they come across any
may show and if they come across any person who are experiencing these
person who are experiencing these
person who are experiencing these problems what they need to do how to
problems what they need to do how to
problems what they need to do how to manage the situation to minimize the
manage the situation to minimize the
manage the situation to minimize the problem and most importantly we talk
problem and most importantly we talk
problem and most importantly we talk about the prevention methods but for the
about the prevention methods but for the
about the prevention methods but for the children workshops we have the different
children workshops we have the different
children workshops we have the different approach we do not have any lecture
approach we do not have any lecture
approach we do not have any lecture style workshop but what we do we start
style workshop but what we do we start
style workshop but what we do we start with reading some books about how to say
with reading some books about how to say
with reading some books about how to say no how to protect their private part
no how to protect their private part
no how to protect their private part what is the difference between the good
what is the difference between the good
what is the difference between the good touch and bad touch and then to
touch and bad touch and then to
touch and bad touch and then to emphasize the concepts that we talked
emphasize the concepts that we talked
emphasize the concepts that we talked about we do some interactive games we
about we do some interactive games we
about we do some interactive games we ask kids to identify the private parts
ask kids to identify the private parts
ask kids to identify the private parts and also we focus on the importance of
and also we focus on the importance of
and also we focus on the importance of protecting it
protecting it
protecting it and one of another game that we have in
and one of another game that we have in
and one of another game that we have in the workshop is that input the
the workshop is that input the
the workshop is that input the importance of the personal space let
importance of the personal space let
importance of the personal space let them know that you have the right to
them know that you have the right to
them know that you have the right to protect yourself by having the personal
protect yourself by having the personal
protect yourself by having the personal space and at the very end of the
space and at the very end of the
space and at the very end of the workshops encourage children to draw a
workshops encourage children to draw a
workshops encourage children to draw a picture to have the take home message
picture to have the take home message
picture to have the take home message with them forever
with them forever
with them forever two years ago when we started this
two years ago when we started this
two years ago when we started this program we were five graduate students
program we were five graduate students
program we were five graduate students with no funding or support and our aim
with no funding or support and our aim
with no funding or support and our aim was empowering the next generation we
was empowering the next generation we
was empowering the next generation we heard so many notes and it took a lot of
heard so many notes and it took a lot of
heard so many notes and it took a lot of effort to convince people to believe in
effort to convince people to believe in
effort to convince people to believe in our vision but today after three years
our vision but today after three years
our vision but today after three years we are not alone anymore
we are not alone anymore
we are not alone anymore we are expanding every day and a really
we are expanding every day and a really
we are expanding every day and a really good group of young educated people are
good group of young educated people are
good group of young educated people are joining us and put the heart in the work
joining us and put the heart in the work
joining us and put the heart in the work that we are doing I believe there are
that we are doing I believe there are
that we are doing I believe there are not many people in this audience that
not many people in this audience that
not many people in this audience that can read Farsi or Persian but this is a
can read Farsi or Persian but this is a
can read Farsi or Persian but this is a sample of the message that we receive
sample of the message that we receive
sample of the message that we receive every day from different people a person
every day from different people a person
every day from different people a person got HPV vaccine another one gets tested
got HPV vaccine another one gets tested
got HPV vaccine another one gets tested for the STDs other person got treatment
for the STDs other person got treatment
for the STDs other person got treatment a girl do learned about our program let
a girl do learned about our program let
a girl do learned about our program let her partner know about it and they
her partner know about it and they
her partner know about it and they decided to educate themselves through
decided to educate themselves through
decided to educate themselves through our website and these are the things
our website and these are the things
our website and these are the things that are motivating us and then cause
that are motivating us and then cause
that are motivating us and then cause that we stay here and don’t give up and
that we stay here and don’t give up and
that we stay here and don’t give up and before leaving the stage I want to ask
before leaving the stage I want to ask
before leaving the stage I want to ask every one of you to join us with your
every one of you to join us with your
every one of you to join us with your spark and let’s have the revolution for
spark and let’s have the revolution for
spark and let’s have the revolution for the sexual health education
the sexual health education
the sexual health education no one should left behind because of
no one should left behind because of
no one should left behind because of lack of education in her life thank you
lack of education in her life thank you
lack of education in her life thank you [Applause]
”
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