Gender Based Violence and Risk of HIV Infection among Women Attending VCT Services in Addis Ababa City
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2005-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: HIV/AIDS and violence are among the major health problems affecting the
lives of millions of women, worldwide. As women get increasingly infected by HIV/AIDS,
violence and fear of violence are emerging as important risk factors contributing to their
vulnerability to HIV infection, directly through forced sex and indirectly by constraining
women’s ability to negotiate safe sexual behavior. Few studies linked men’s use of violence
to their own high risk sexual behavior, hence, their own as well as their partner’s risk of HIV
infection. Despite the recognition of both problems of violence and HIV in Ethiopia, no study
yet assessed gender based violence as a risk factor for women’s HIV infection.
Objectives: This study was conducted: to measure the prevalence of various forms of
gender based violence, including intimate partner physical and sexual violence and to assess
associations between gender-based violence, HIV risk behaviors and HIV infection among
women attending voluntary counseling and testing service in Addis Ababa City.
Methods: We did a cross sectional study among 743 women attending VCT service at six
health institutions in Addis Ababa City. Women who ever engaged in steady heterosexual
relationship interviewed and socio-demographic characteristics, risk behavior including
multiple male partners, casual partners, transactional sex, condom use and alcohol/Khat use
and experience of psychological, physical and sexual violence from intimate partner,
childhood sexual assault, forced first intercourse and sexual assault by non partners were
assessed using structured questionnaire and linked with women serostatus data.
ix
RESULT: The prevalence of lifetime intimate partner physical and sexual violence was
54.6% and 41% respectively and 21.8% of women reported experiencing forced sex or rape
at their first sex. At the date of interview 35.4% of women tested HIV positive. After
adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics and women risk behavior, intimate partner
violence was associated with HIV seropositivity. Childhood sexual assault, forced first
intercourse and adult sexual assault by non partner were not associated with HIV serostatus.
In our study participants, condom use, refusal of sex and demand for monogamous
relationship was affected by intimate partner violence.
CONCLUSION: in our study participants, women partnered with violent men are at increased
risk of HIV infection. Our data support the hypotheses that abusive partners are more likely to
have HIV and place their female partners at high risk of HIV. HIV/AIDS intervention need to
target male sexual risk taking and need to work at broader and societal level to challenge
cultures of violence and male dominant norms of power relations.
Description
Keywords
Gender Based Violence and Risk of HIV Infection among Women