Urban Angst

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HIV Needles Warning

To many, the Big City is a hostile place, with sinister shadows everywhere. People who have never lived in a Big City expect the very worst combination of Bladerunner, Taxi Driver and Metropolis. As a result of this, Urban Legends about various aspects of the Big City have sprung up.

In Dispute: There are several email warnings circulating about HIV infected needles being left about with the deliberate intent of infecting other people. Coin return slots, cinema seats and childrens' ball pits all have been mentioned. The ball pit variant also has contained the detail of a heroin-filled syringe.

There appears to be no proof of any sort to back up this assertion. No traceable newspaper report of any needlestick injuries in public places involving HIV has been published, and HIV does not remain infectious for long outside the human body. Hepatitis is far, far more infectious, yet no warnings about needles infected with this are circulating. HIV has a stigma attached to it like no other disease, and it is this paranoia which is being played upon. HIV, at least among the unedified, is a disease only "bad" people catch. Drug users, the promiscuous and gays are all the targets of HIV fear. The needles are said to be placed in places where "ordinary people" will be exposed to the risk. These, and the Big City factor make for a very powerful UL which the credulous will swallow with alacrity.

A series of variants involve stabbing with HIV-infected needles, at random (e.g. in discos) or targeting certain groups (e.g. Asians in Australia, un-veiled women in Pakistan).