AEGiS-07IAC: Domestic violence: its theoretical implications for transmission and prevention of HIV infection in women.

7th International AIDS Conference

Florence, Italy — June 16-21, 1991

Domestic violence: its theoretical implications for transmission and prevention of HIV infection in women.

Int Conf AIDS 1991 Jun 16-21; 7:461 (abstract no. W.D.4295)
Herbert B, Isaac N; The Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, Ma, USA

OBJECTIVE: This presentation explores the theoretical connection between known epidemiology of woman battering and that of seropositive women whose risk factor is heterosexual transmission. It explicates specific links between known aspects of the battering syndrome encompassing controlling, intimidating and terrorizing behavior by the batterer, which include non-consensual sexual activity and unsafe sexual activity with multiple partners, and behaviors associated with seropositivity. Finally it discusses implications for transmission studies and prevention strategies for the subpopulation of women effected by both epidemics simultaneously.

METHODS: The authors explicate the connection between these 2 epidemics in the lived experience of women includes literature review, case reports, and anecdotal information, and analyze the implications.

RESULTS: This presentation predicts a significant overlap between women who are battered and women who are seropositive. It explicates barriers to current common prevention strategies for this subpopulation of women and explores the potential significance of integrating a battered woman's advocacy perspective in transmission studies and prevention strategies targeting women at risk for or living with HIV infection. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Intentional injury associated with male to female interpersonal violence informs intimate relationships for at least 12% of North American women, generates 20% of all emergency department female trauma visits and produces 1/2 of all female homicides. Although any woman may be effected, impoverished women, urban inner city women and women in households with significant substance abuse problems appear to be at higher risk, for this syndrome even as they are for exposure to HIV. Anecdotal reports support this connection. This subpopulation cannot be ignored and may represent a most extreme case of a common obstruction to efficacious prevention strategies dependent on barrier method protection.

Keywords: AEGIS, Domestic Violence, HIV Infections, Battered Women, Sexual Partners, Violence, Heterosexuality, Risk Factors, Substance-Related Disorders, Human, Female, Male, transmission, prevention & control, ICA7
910616
WD4295