NewSecurityBeat

Tackle Violence to Address AIDS, Say Experts

January 25, 2007 By Ken Crist

Violence against women was highlighted as a contributing factor to the spread of HIV/AIDS at the World Social Forum, taking place this week in Nairobi. Ludfine Anyango of Action Kenya-International argued that women still have little say in negotiating their sexual relationships, which increases their susceptibility to infection:
“Many women cannot even choose when to have sex or not. Many cannot ask their husbands to use a condom because in addition to being thought as unfaithful, they fear being beaten. The woman then has no choice but to continue having unprotected sex with her spouse.”
AIDS activists are calling for new and strictly enforced laws aimed at protecting women from all forms of violence, particularly sexual violence.

Topics: gender, HIV/AIDS