BUILDING ALLIANCES AND MOVEMENTS TO ADDRESS GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND HIV
Gender-based violence is a cause and consequence of HIV infection. Accumulating evidence suggests that childhood sexual abuse, coerced sexual initiation, substance use and current partner violence are linked to increased risk-taking behavior that may put women and girls in danger of being infected with HIV. Worldwide, at least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her life and most coerced sex is unprotected sex. The threat of a partner’s violent reaction, whether physical or otherwise, may also prevent women from negotiating safer sex practices, such as condom use. HIV infection also increases women’s susceptibility to violence. Many women do not disclose their HIV status to their partners and families due to a very real and valid fear of assault, rejection, loss of child custody and abandonment. Institutional violence faced by sex workers or rape as a weapon of war are other manifestations.
We are at a watershed moment in the recognition of and response to the twin, overlapping epidemics of gender-based violence and HIV. In particular, there has been an upsurge in attention to the devastating and far-reaching effects of violence against women and its intersection with HIV.
Recent resources include:
HIV/AIDS and Gender-based Violence Literature Review by the Program on International Health and Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health
http://hsphsun3.harvard.edu/pihhr/images/Final_Literature_Review.pdf
Strengthening Resistance: Confronting Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership
http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/globalcenter/publications/strengthening.htm
ICW and the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS on HIV and gender violence, at http://www.icw.org/?q=node/201 and http://womenandaids.unaids.org/themes/docs/UNAIDS%20VAW%20Brief.pdf
“Women Won’t Wait” Coalition launched its campaign to end violence against women and HIV/AIDS
http://www.womenwontwait.org/
ICW Latina launches a peace campaign as an opportunity to stop AIDS in honor of Patricia Perez’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination
http://www.icwlatina.org/english/peace.html
The ATHENA Network continues to engage at this intersection and invites you to join our on-going discussions by sending an email to GBV-HIV-AIDS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. We strive to build a community of organizations and individuals working together to address the twin epidemics of gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS, and expand a rights-based response to these overlapping and interrelated challenges. To view a documentary produced by New School students click on the links below.
Please be patient the movie 14 minutes long and take some time to download or stream
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