In the session, "Women's Rights Equals Women's Lives," advocates and researchers came together to discuss the twin pandemics of gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV. Researchers Charlotte Watts from the London School of Hygiene and Claudia Garcia-Marcos of the World Health Organization, noted that while the body of evidence on direct biologic linkages between HIV and GBV is limited, the evidence we do have demonstrates an extremely strong correlation between the two. Not only does the evidence tell us that women who experience gender based violence are more likely to be at risk for transmission of HIV, but we also know that many of the risk factors for gender based violence are the same as those for HIV-- including gender inequities, poverty, lack of financial independence and lack of education. While the risk of HIV from gender-based violence is often limited to a discussion of the risk of rape as a transmission factor, Watts stressed that there are many forms of gender based violence beyond rape, including perpetration by an intimate partner (spouse, boyfriend, etc.) rather than a stranger.
Other panelists discussed the
implications for GBV among specific populations, namely sex workers,
people living with HIV/AIDS and men and boys. For sex workers,
violence, not only from partners, but also perpetrated by the state,
is a particular issue in HIV prevention, treatment and care. Policies
that promote brothel raids and detention of sex workers contribute to
violence and can cause sex workers to lose their homes, interrupt their
ARV regimens and shatter any security they might have.
Panelists agreed that interventions to fight these two pandemics must be complex and long-term. Policymakers must remove laws that criminalize sex work or same-sex relationships and must work to change gender perceptions and increase accountability for the perpetration of violence. Part of this change in perceptions can be brought about through comprehensive sexuality education. Importantly, these interventions should not be limited to the HIV arena but should involve domestic violence, women's rights and other advocates.
