A “soft target” is “a person or thing that is relatively unprotected or vulnerable, especially to military or terrorist attack.” Alternatively, a highly defended target is referred to as “hard target“. – Wikipedia
Back in 2010 in sexual health, we all used the word holistic
The idea was that if a person felt unvalued in their community, it was unrealistic
To expect them to place value on their own sexual wellbeing
And that theory was borne out in the things that we were hearing in the youth group.
“What do I want with condoms? I’m bound to die of HIV one day
It’s just what I’ve been told will always happen if you’re gay
And being too demanding might just drive this man away…
He’s the only proper boyfriend I’m ever going to get: I’ll do anything he wants to make him stay…”
So we thought, helping people to feel they were worth something
Instead of a lot of judgemental chuntering about
“Lifestyles”
Might actually mean that they started to see their own lives
As worth saving,
Find the confidence and agency to take control of their destiny.
Instead of being told by a finger wagging clinic nurse
With a face like an angry headmistress (if not worse)
“You’re back again? D’you WANT to catch an STD?”
As if going to the clinic was somehow a mark of shame
As if patients respond wonderfully to bigotry and blame.
Our approach was unorthodox
And as such
Had to be stopped
Because the NHS became all about targets.
Hard targets, my new boss explained
Were Chlamydia screens that came back positive.
Enough of those and we could positively prove
That we were making a difference.
But education? Empowerment? Good conversations? Preventing “service users” from transitioning to “patients”?
Keeping the most vulnerable in our community off the mental health ward bedsheets?
No, it isn’t really work if you can’t put it on a spreadsheet.
You can’t prove that somebody is HIV negative because of what you’ve done
So you can’t get any funding. The NHS can’t pay for your bit of fun
A handful of queer kids chatting over biscuits and tea?
You’d rather we spent money on that than on medicine for HIV?
They’re soft targets.
Easier to take out.
A quick win for admin
To prove we’re economising.”
They closed the youth group down.
Cut the lifeline.
Within 3 months I’d heard about an unplanned pregnancy on the grapevine.
I didn’t keep in touch with all the kids
But I wonder
How many of them, and how many who came after them will take risks,
Fall pregnant,
Fall sick,
Fall victim to depression and stress
To HIV
Knowing how little value they possessed
In the NHS’s false economy.
Still, at least they’ll boost the hard target figures
When their tests come back positive.
Tom Juniper Poetry 