Women's sexual abuse stance ...chances of HIV infection greatly increased

By, Camille Bethel, Trinidad News, March 13, 2008

Women are now more susceptible to being infected with HIV due to their weak stance against sexual abuse, chairman of the National Aids Coordinating Committee (NACC), Angela Lee-Loy, has said.

She made the comment during a Ministry of Social Development symposium, titled "An Agenda for Action on Women and HIV", at City Hall, Port of Spain, yesterday.

"A fear of violence or abandonment often prevents women from discussing fidelity or negotiating condemn use with their partner," Lee-Loy said.

The constant threat of violence, she added, makes women feel vulnerable and allows men to maintain control of both decisions of when and how they have sex.

"Many women in Trinidad and Tobago have very little say over when they have sex and with whom. Violence against women and girls is relatively wide spread in Trinidad and Tobago."

She explained that this was often the case because men are usually the ones with financial power, physical strength and the ability to demand sexual relations with women.

"Children and adolescents, particularly girls, are frequently abused by their step-fathers, mothers...and grown men in their environment.

She said a 2006-2007 survey conducted by the UWI Faculty of Medical Science, on the attitudes, practices and behaviour among 16-49 year old females in Trinidad and Tobago, showed that 11 per cent of those surveyed reported having their first sexual encounter even though they did not want to.

Another 87 per cent of women meanwhile said their first sexual encounter was with a partner older than themselves.

In T&T in 2006, 60 per cent of the new HIV reported cases in the 15-34 age group occurred in women, she added.

"Research has found that violence contributes both directly and indirectly to the vulnerability of women to HIV, because violent sexual acts can cause vaginal lacerations, increasing the risk of transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's) including HIV."

Lee-Loy said there was also sexual double standard that prevails in Trinbagonian society, where men are expected to have multiple sexual partners while women are expected to be faithful to their partners and family.

"Marriage does not guarantee women protection against exposure to HIV, their risk of infection is determined by the sexual behaviour of their partner..."

HIV positive women are often subjected to discrimination, she added, as Aids is often viewed as a punishment for immorality.

She said these women also suffer violations of their human rights through loss of employment.

Source: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161292782