A victim without murmuring

I've written before about the Denver Principles, proclaimed by a group of HIV-positive activists in 1983 at the first AIDS conference. I noted then the preamble to the declaration, which noted:

We condemn attempts to label us as ‘victims,’ a term which implies defeat...

Yet 25 years later, some of us are quite happy to be given that label - at least the Indonesian language equivalent, "korban' (which also means 'sacrifice' as in a religious offering). A year or so back, a group of people living with HIV demonstrated at the Hotel Indonesia circus in Jakarta (the favourite place for such activities) wearing T-shirts proclaiming themselves to be 'AIDS victims'.

I personally feel even more strongly than those early activists that the term is totally inappropriate - and almost dangerous. Because it suggests that we have no control over what happens to us, that it is all the fault of someone else. Perhaps for some (clearly for babies), this may be true, but does it help to spend the rest of your life blaming others?

It sort of raises the question: for how long is an 'accident victim' a victim? For life? Even if they suffer disability, surely there must be a limit to how long they consider themselves victims? Most are able to get over it and get on with their lives; why not people with HIV?

Is this different for drug users? They have formed the Indonesian Drug Victims Network. Partly this is to avoid being considered criminals; the law is thought to treat victims more humanely. But does that mean they have to be victims all their lives?

There must be a 'statute of limitations' for victims...

Babé