Untitled Document
ABOUT TRIP
HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE LATE NIGHT DANCE COMMUNITY
Where
we came from
TRIP was born in 1995 out of a need for appropriate drug and sex information
within the Toronto rave scene. The act of partying often meant using drugs,
and for some, being promiscuous. These activities, on their own as well as together,
had the potential to put people at risk for drug dependencies, sexually transmitted
diseases, HIV and more. That’s where TRIP came in. A recruitment process
began with a community picnic, organized by Kim Stanford, at the time an HIV
Educator working for Toronto Public Health. From there came the volunteers from
within the community, who contributed their time, energy and creativity into
making TRIP a unique and innovative drug and sex education project. The idea
of ‘harm reduction’ (link to HR article) was relatively new to the
general public at this time in North America, although it had been widely practiced
in Europe for some time and with great success. It was a concept that ravers
were into…it was new and different; it challenged social constructs and
empowered individuals to make their own decisions around their lives and how
to live them – with awareness. TRIP blossomed into a huge community success.
In the following years, the North American rave scene would see several other
rave-based harm reduction projects sprout up in communities across the continent,
based on TRIP’s model. We can’t take credit for creating rave-based
harm reduction --- several European groups and one South African project had
already been at it for some time. Much respect to them – they have pioneered
a strong and influential movement that continues to this day.
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What we offer
TRIP provides several services to the dance community and beyond. Most notably
the project is known for its onsite outreach booths, a vendor-style setup staffed
by 2-3 TRIP workers and volunteers, which offers a display of safer drug use
and safer sex information and supplies. It is here that partyers can find a
place to chill out and talk, pick up earplugs, condoms and lube, utilize our
needle exchange services, and talk to TRIPsters about sex, drugs and partying.
All TRIP staff and volunteers are trained in basic counseling, crisis intervention,
how to handle drug-related emergencies, and CPR. Therefore, TRIP’s presence
adds first responders in the event of an emergency, which increases the safety
of all in attendance at any given event. All of our onsite services are FREE
to the community, and TRIP gratefully receives free admission to events by event
organizers.
TRIP provides general information and referrals to community members outside
of the party environment. Partyers need only to call TRIP! Headquarters at 416-703-8482x125
or email trip@ctchc.com with their questions/concerns.
TRIP provides a variety of workshops on safer drug use, safer sex, and safer
partying to other organizations, volunteer groups, schools, universities, colleges…
even church groups! All workshops are catered to the demographic at hand. You
can click here to book TRIP.
TRIP has an extensive volunteer base, and each year the project recruits and
trains partyers who are interested in volunteering. All volunteers are trained
in the following:
-Harm Reduction Philosophy
-Dance Drugs
-Safer Sex/HIV Prevention and Awareness
-Cultural Diversity
-Sexual Diversity
-Basic Counseling
-Crisis Intervention
-How to Handle Drug-Related Emergencies
-CPR
Additional trainings occur through the year, and can include such topics as:
-Safer Snorting (Reducing the Risk of Hepatitis C)
-How Drugs Work in the Body
-Problematic Drug Use
-Safer Injection Drug Use
Once trained, volunteers will work the TRIP booth onsite at dance music events;
write and design literature; work on the website; throw fundraisers for the
project; and find unique and creative ways to promote safer drug use and safer
sex among their peers.
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Harm
reduction is a way of thinking about and practicing healthy ways of
being that build on the risk reduction strategies we all use to keep ourselves
as safe and healthy as possible.
Harm reduction is gaining worldwide acceptance and popularity as a public health
philosophy and strategy because it has proven more effective in meeting people’s
diverse health needs than the traditional public health models. People are starting
to realize that medical models of health are very exclusive and benefit only
a small group of people (those considered culturally, mentally and physically
‘normal’).
Some popular examples of Harm Reduction in practice:
· Free condoms – making condoms available for people who are sexually
active, to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
rather than simply telling people not to have sex at all
· Designated Driver Programs – an official government message on
alcohol doesn’t say don’t drink, but rather if you choose to drink,
don’t drive a car
· Needle exchanges – offering new needles to IV drug users (anonymously)
to reduce the risk of blood-born infections like HIV and Hepatitis that are
transmitted by sharing injection supplies.
What came first, the philosophy or the practice?
Keeping ourselves as safe and healthy as possible is a part of human nature.
We don’t go out into the world saying, “Oh yea, I’m going
to really mess myself up this time!”…rather we do what we can to
take care of ourselves based on what is available to us in the circumstances
of our lives. Remember, just because an option exists theoretically for all
of us, doesn’t mean its accessible to or realistic for all of us.
At TRIP We are dedicated to reducing harm by providing non-judgmental info and
supplies around safer drug use and safer sex through means that are practical,
realistic and attainable for the person.
This philosophy and practice is not in opposition to abstinence (ie: the just
say no approach) but recognizes that just say no is not a realistic, desirable
or attainable goal for many of us. Instead it offers a broader range of options
for anyone looking for ways to sustain their health and wellbeing.
In order to know how to reduce harm, first we need to know what the risks are.
For example with drugs there are generally three categories of harm that can
be associated with drug use.
Risk of harm will generally depend on many variables of drug use. They are:
· Quality and Quantity – how much and how often of what drug, taking
into
consideration the potency and purity of the drug (which is highly variable among
illicit).
· Set and Setting – the where and when of doing drugs: both physical
environment,
including who you are surrounded by, and your own headspace at the time
· Route of Administration – the method of consumption: different
ways we get drugs
into our systems (snorting, shooting, eating, smoking, hoping, etc.) come along
with
different risks The focus becomes the ways in which people use rather than whether
or not they use. It is based on a reality that people always have and always
will use illegal drugs.
The above factors of drug use can help us begin to think about the ways that
we use so that we can make informed choices.
By users, for users…
TRIP drug info is written by and for drug users in the party scene and although
this is a rare type of info production (most drug info is written by docs, scientists,
social workers, teachers, clergy, non-drug users, anti-drug warriors), We are
not the first to do it. Harm reduction as a movement, was started by users who
wanted their voices heard and their needs met. They were tired of being excluded
from health care and ignored or discriminated against because of their drug
use.
Some words on RISK…
Risk is a big word these days and reducing or minimizing risk is a hot topic
especially when adults talk about young people and our ‘risk-taking activities.’
Risk is the element of the unknown, the potential for harm that can be as exciting
as it can be scary (think of bungeejumping or skydiving).
We learn a lot through taking risks…think about some of the most important
lessons you’ve learned: was it from someone telling you something? Or
was it through something that you experienced first hand? Risk is a part of
life and through taking chances we figure out so much about ourselves and the
world around us. We can’t always know where borders are until we cross
them…ya hear what we’re saying?
That being said, some risks we choose to take and others we didn’t know
we were risky to begin with. That’s where informing yourself comes into
play so you aren’t walking blindly into things unaware of the possible
outcomes. Of course nothing is 100% guaranteed, but when we share our knowledge
and experience as youth, as drug users, as party people, we find that we are
our own best library, school and teachers. For example, knowing what happens
in the body when someone does too much of a drug, or a mix of drugs, can help
us figure out both how to prevent
overdose and what to do if someone is ODing.
The knowledge we share with each other helps us make more informed decisions
around how we live our lives. This being a community project, we welcome feedback,
criticism and any user, youth or party people experiences that you think would
add to the richness of our collectively generated information.
In conclusion: knowledge is power. Fuck safe, shoot clean. Just say
KNOW!
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For more information about
TRIP!, contact trip@ctchc.org
