The Mensline service operates an information and referral telephone line. The service is operated by volunteers who also have sex with other men. This service is confidential and calls are not recorded. The operators are able to give callers information on safer sex, safer places to go to find other like minded guys, confidential HIV and other STI testing, and referrals to other service providers. Or you may just wish to have a chat in general about your situation - the operators are not counsellors - but if you wish to speak to a counsellor they can point you in the right direction of a counsellor who will have an understanding of your situation.

This service operates:   Fridays 10am - 10pm Mondays 10am - 10pm Sundays 10am - 10pm (Except public holidays) Metro callers (local call) 9322 8401 (Western Australia only) Country callers (free call wont show on your bill) 1800 671 130 (Western Australia only) At all other times the Mensline service is diverted to an interactive computer phone system, callers can listen to Recorded Messages about: Information on confidential HIV/STI testing locations. Updates on reported violence and harassment at beats, callers can also leave anonymous messages about incidences at beats and these messages will be re-recorded (using a different voice) so other callers can listen to your reported message. Information on the 26 up social support group. Leave a message for the Mensline co-ordinator to make suggestions on how we can improve the service or give us a compliment or to make a complaint.

What You can expect from us:

• An accessible information and referral service.
• Respect.
• Simple, clear messages about transmission and prevention of HIV and other blood borne viruses.
• Encourage healthy behaviour through information and education about transmission and prevention of HIV and other     blood borne viruses.
• Appropriate referrals to agencies and organisations as required.
• Appropriate referrals to venues that are safe and supportive, to meet other like minded men.
• Work within an advocacy role to meet the needs of clients.
• Staff and volunteers who are also attracted to, or have sex with men.

What Mensline does not offer:

This service runs on a peer model so therefore we are able to discuss subject matter that is sexually explicit. The Mensline is not a phone sex line, we ask callers not to deliberately entice the operators into explicit conversation for their own sexual pleasure. If the operator feels that the caller is using the phone line for something other than its intended purpose the operators have been instructed to end the call immediately.

The Mensline operators are not trained counsellors, they can listen to your story and due to operating from a peer model they might share their own story with you. If you would like to have formal counselling, the operator can give you a referral to the appropriate service.
 

The Mensline program runs within a peer education/involvement model. The program aims to empower men who have sex with men to reduce the transmission and impact of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and STI's. Our main aim/activity is to offer men who have sex with other men appropriate support, and to provide them with easily understood information that will allow them to make healthy choices.

Mensline has a somewhat controversial history; the line opened in 1993 and was initially called the bisexual men's help line, the first advertisements encouraging callers to the line caused considerable public outrage. The main reason being:

The relatively unknown sexual behaviour of some straight identifying men was now being publicly acknowledged, this at a time when the Medias portrayal of "AIDS" as the "Gay Plague" was only fuelling the publics fear and ignorance of the issue.

A few years later the name Mensline was adopted, and up unto 2004 we have received over 11,000 calls. We advertise in local and regional papers in Western Australia, recently we introduced adverts that can be seen on the local Perth community television station ACCESS 31, this has seen a steady rate of callers who would normally not know about our service. Due to information technology changes we continue to move with these changes and this is why we now have an internet presence.

For more information about this service, or to find out about about becoming a volunteer contact:

Clyde du Bois
Mensline Coordinator: (08) 9482 0000 (business hours only)
Email: cdubois@waaids.com

If you would like to talk to a Mensline Operator:

Metro callers (local call) 9322 8401 (Western Australia only)
Country callers (free call wont show on your bill) 1800 671 130 (Western Australia only)