Read along as Katie Horneshaw confronts an Australian media outlet’s portrayal of heroin addiction and challenges some of the distorted perceptions around addiction. This article may be rooted in Australia, but it’s message of empathy is inspiring no matter where in the world you’re located.
“Stigma toward injecting drug users is normalised to the extent that we view them as inherently unworthy of sympathy. But if we try to set aside that attitude for a moment, we can see the images in the Herald Sun for what they really are: a glaring example of just how badly we are failing in the areas of addiction, mental health and homelessness.”
“The men in the photos probably don’t want to be shooting up in a dirty car park any more than the lot’s clients do. I’m sure they’d much prefer to have a safe and hygienic place to use drugs; maybe they’d even like some help in getting off them. But to get there, we first need to accept that these men are worthy of empathy.”
Click the “Source” link to access the full article from 10 Daily.