TYPES
OF RAPE
Are men who abuse women more likely to have HIV?
A new study by the Medical Research Council’s Gender & Health Group shows that women who have experienced violence from intimate partner have a 50% higher risk of being infected with HIV. These findings were among the conclusions of the first major study to explore the relationship between HIV risk and gender-based violence amongst women who did not know their HIV status at the time of interview. 1395 pregnant women in Soweto were interviewed in the study.
Rachel Jewkes, Director of the MRC Gender and Health Group, says women who have very controlling husbands or boyfriends have similarly increased risk. She also said that these findings pertain even after other established HIV risk behaviours such as number of partners, problem drinking and having sex for cash or presents are accounted for.
"Whilst it’s often said that women who experience violence from their male partner find it harder to negotiate condom use, our findings suggest that this is likely to be just part of the connection between violence and HIV. There is a strong possibility is that men who are violent towards women are simply more likely to be infected with HIV because of other aspects of their behaviour – such as having multiple partners” says Dr. Jewkes. Dr Jewkes said that the study offers conclusive evidence of links between gender-based power inequalities and women’s risk of HIV infection in South Africa. The findings show that reducing gender inequalities and making men more respectful of women are critical to combating the HIV epidemic as well as building a society in which women can enjoy the right to live free from violence.
As in other studies on the topic, women in the Soweto project who had experienced intimate partner violence were more likely to report several forms of HIV risk behaviour, as were women who had experienced sexual assault in childhood and rape as adults. "However, the Soweto study is among the first to show that this alone does not explain the relationship between intimate partner violence and HIV. Women with violent or controlling partners were significantly more likely to be HIV infected then women who had never had a violent partner even after their own risk behaviours had been taken into account,” said Dr. Jewkes.
Dr Jewkes further stated that South Africa is moving into a new phase of efforts to combat its HIV epidemic with renewed efforts to increase uptake of voluntary counselling and testing and the introduction of HIV treatment. "It is critically important that information on gender based violence be integrated into interventions aimed at changing attitudes and behaviour as part of the intensified programme of action. It is also vital that the health care staff who will provide the new services to women are be trained on gender issues so that they can identify women who are in abusive relationships and provide appropriate counselling and care when addressing women’s HIV related health problems. Most importantly, South African men need to change their sexual behaviour and stop abusing their intimate partners,” said Dr Jewkes.
This study was funded by AusAID and a full report of the findings is available from the MRC, see contact details below. Contact details Dr Rachel Jewkes, Director, MRC Gender & Health Research Group Tel: 012 339 8525 / Cell: 082 442-3655
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