An acceptance of violence: Rape, Shebeens and HIV.
Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:65 (abstract no.. LBPeD7122)
Wojcicki J;;; UCSF, Stanford, CA 94305, E-mail: wojcicki@ucla.edu3.
This research focused on person-centered interviews with twenty-five women in Soweto who exchange sex for money with men in shebeens/taverns or atstokvels. These women are particularly likely not to use condoms with men (clients) due to economic circumstances. Moreover, they do not identify as sex-workers or prostitutes and may not see themselves as at risk for HIV/AIDS. Importantly, the shebeen or stokvel environment supports an acceptance where women who are raped or physically attacked do not receive aid from others at the shebeen/stokvel. Rather, it is believed that women who accept drinks from men owe these men sexual favors. A number of phrases are used to describe this widespread belief including: "she drank his money" "she baked the cake" and "if you feed a horse you can ride it." In these twenty-five interviews women recount experiences of rape and the lack of protest from those other shebeen/stokvels frequenters who witnessed the rape. In light of the high incidence of reported rape in South Africa and the larger problem of violence against women and girls in Southern Africa, this research is important in any HIV intervention program which serves to address gender inequalities and ways that women can protect themselves from potential HIV infection.
Keywords: AEGIS, Rape, HIV Infections, Violence, Prostitution, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Condoms, HIV Seropositivity, Incidence, Socioeconomic Factors, Substance-Related Disorders, Interviews, South Africa, Africa, Southern, Human, Female, Male, AIDS 000709
LBPeD7122
