Gender Based Violence

GENDER BASED VIOLENCE OUR WORK AND IMPACT SEPTEMBER 2015 Gender inequities and related violence have been well- documented by leading public health authorities (e.g. WHO) as primary contributing elements of the HIV epidemic among women. Gender-based violence, as well as gender norms that promote male dominance, have been demonstrated to inhibit women’s condom negotiating power with male sexual partners, and increase women’s risk for HIV. More recent work has also found that males who perpetrate violence are more likely to test positive for HIV/STI than males who do not report perpetration, and thereby heightening risk among their female partners as well. Our research focuses on the intersection between gender inequities, gender violence, and women’s risk for HIV through epidemiologic research aimed to inform future programmatic and policy HIV prevention efforts. We conducted some of the first research documenting the intersection of HIV and IPV (intimate partner violence) with a representative sample of adults in India. This research documented that abusive male partners were more likely to heavily drink, go to female sex workers and be HIV and STI-infected, relative to non-abusive husbands. We developed the RHANI Wives Intervention, an HIV prevention program for women contending with husbands’ spousal violence. A two-armed randomized controlled trial evaluating RHANI Wives demonstrated significant reductions in unprotected marital sex and significant improvements in marital condom use among intervention participants relative to control condition participants. A reduction in marital discord and sexual coercion among intervention participants was also observed. How Big is the Problem? 35% of women worldwide have experienced gender based violence 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner Between 0.3–11.5% of women reported experiencing sexual violence by someone other than a partner since the age of 15 years What Does Gender Based Violence Mean for Women? Can result in physical, mental, sexual, reproductive health problems Reduce women’s access to material goods, resources, social mobility GENDER EQUITY AND HEALTH CENTER ON

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Transcript of Gender Based Violence

GENDER BASED VIOLENCEOUR WORK AND IMPACT

SEPTEMBER 2015

Gender inequities and related violence have been well-documented by leading public health authorities (e.g. WHO) as primary contributing elements of the HIV epidemic among women. Gender-based violence, as well as gender norms that promote male dominance, have been demonstrated to inhibit women’s condom negotiating power with male sexual partners, and increase women’s risk for HIV. More recent work has also found that males who perpetrate violence are more likely to test positive for HIV/STI than males who do not report perpetration, and thereby heightening risk amongtheir female partners as well. Our research focuses on the intersection between gender inequities, gender violence, and women’s risk for HIV through epidemiologic research aimed to inform future programmatic and policy HIV prevention efforts.

We conducted some of the first research documenting the intersection of HIV and IPV (intimate partner violence) with a representative sample of adults in India. This research documented that abusive male partners were more likely to heavily drink, go to female sex workers and be HIV and STI-infected, relative to non-abusive husbands. We developed the RHANI Wives Intervention, an HIV prevention program for women contending with husbands’ spousal violence. A two-armed randomized controlled trial evaluating RHANI Wives demonstrated significant reductions in unprotected marital sex and significant improvements in marital condom use among intervention participants relative to control condition participants. A reduction in marital discord and sexual coercion among intervention participants was also observed.

How Big is the Problem?35% of women worldwide have experienced gender based violence38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partnerBetween 0.3–11.5% of women reported experiencing sexual violence by someone other than a partner since the age of 15 years

What Does Gender Based Violence Mean for Women?

Can result in physical, mental, sexual, reproductive health problemsReduce women’s access to material goods, resources, social mobility

GENDER EQUITY AND HEALTHCENTER ON