Gender Constructions Violence Against Women and Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS by Vanessa Brocato June 2008 HIV Prevention Politics Forum at the NYC LGBT Community Center

Violence Against Women and Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS

by Vanessa Brocato

June 2008

HIV Prevention Politics Forum at

the NYC LGBT Community Center

What Gender? Why Gender? ?! ?! Wikipedia: gender refers to the differences between men and women. ?! ?! World Health Organization: Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviour, activities and attributes that a particular society considers appropriate for men and women. The distinct roles and behaviour may give rise to gender inequalities, i.e. differences between men and women that systematically favour one group. In turn, such inequalities can lead to inequities between men and women in both health status and access to health care.

?! ?! Wikipedia: gender refers to the differences between men and women. ?! ?!

World Health Organization: Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviour, activities and attributes that a particular society considers appropriate for men and women. The distinct roles and behaviour may give rise to gender inequalities, i.e. differences between men and women that systematically favour one group. In turn, such inequalities can lead to inequities between men and women in both health status and access to health care.

Violence tree from Ghanaian workshop Experience of violence in the leaves Causes of violence in the roots: gender roles/stereotypes; women’s lack of economic resources; men’s power over women; women’s lack of education; patriarchy

Experience of violence in the leaves

Causes of violence in the roots: gender roles/stereotypes; women’s lack of economic resources; men’s power over women; women’s lack of education; patriarchy

Violence tree from GMHC workshop Safety is the first priority (get out of the leaves) Institutions: family, media, business, law, religion, education, health care, custom

Safety is the first priority (get out of the leaves)

Institutions: family, media, business, law, religion, education, health care, custom

Intimate Partner Violence Every day four women in the U.S. are murdered by husbands and boyfriends. In 2000, intimate partner homicides accounted for 33.5 percent of the murders of women and less than four percent of the murders of men. The number of women who have been murdered by their intimate partners is greater than the number of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War, and theoretically, this is not a war. Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year to three million women who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year. In 2008, 17 family related homicides were reported in New York City; down from 48 in 2007. In New York City, police respond to an average of 600 domestic violence incidents per day.

Every day four women in the U.S. are murdered by husbands and boyfriends. In 2000, intimate partner homicides accounted for 33.5 percent of the murders of women and less than four percent of the murders of men. The number of women who have been murdered by their intimate partners is greater than the number of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War, and theoretically, this is not a war.

Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year to three million women who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year.

In 2008, 17 family related homicides were reported in New York City; down from 48 in 2007.

In New York City, police respond to an average of 600 domestic violence incidents per day.

Violence Against Women Childhood sexual abuse and incest : Immediate risks Adult trauma around sexuality Stranger violence, rape & street harassment : Violent enforcement of gender norms, links with queer bashing Marginalized women likely to suffer violence Incarceration : State violence against women Violence within women’s prisons

Childhood sexual abuse and incest :

Immediate risks

Adult trauma around sexuality

Stranger violence, rape & street harassment :

Violent enforcement of gender norms, links with queer bashing

Marginalized women likely to suffer violence

Incarceration :

State violence against women

Violence within women’s prisons

Exacerbated Vulnerability to HIV Infection Lowered capacity to negotiate for condom use, monogamy, or testing. Benefit of not using a condom outweighs the perception of risk. Negotiating for condom use or other activities related to HIV-prevention may trigger a violent episode. HIV-positive women face risk of violence at disclosure. Pregnant women face higher rates of violence, and HIV testing during pregnancy and newborn screening for HIV may set women up for further violence.

Lowered capacity to negotiate for condom use, monogamy, or testing.

Benefit of not using a condom outweighs the perception of risk.

Negotiating for condom use or other activities related to HIV-prevention may trigger a violent episode.

HIV-positive women face risk of violence at disclosure.

Pregnant women face higher rates of violence, and HIV testing during pregnancy and newborn screening for HIV may set women up for further violence.

Educating Young People for Empowered Sexuality Comprehensive Sexuality Education to provide accurate information about human sexuality to provide an opportunity for young people to develop and understand their values, attitudes, and insights about sexuality to help young people develop relationships and interpersonal skills, and to help young people exercise responsibility regarding sexual relationships, which includes addressing abstinence, pressures to become prematurely involved in sexual intercourse, and the use of contraception and other sexual health measures. Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs Promote harmful gender stereotypes “ Hidden curriculum” on gender Discouraging condom use harms women and girls Teen pregnancy can harm girls Misinformation about abortion

Comprehensive Sexuality Education

to provide accurate information about human sexuality

to provide an opportunity for young people to develop and understand their values, attitudes, and insights about sexuality

to help young people develop relationships and interpersonal skills, and

to help young people exercise responsibility regarding sexual relationships, which includes addressing abstinence, pressures to become prematurely involved in sexual intercourse, and the use of contraception and other sexual health measures.

Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs

Promote harmful gender stereotypes

“ Hidden curriculum” on gender

Discouraging condom use harms women and girls

Teen pregnancy can harm girls

Misinformation about abortion

Violence and Young Women Approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. Eight percent of high school age girls said “yes” when asked if “a boyfriend or date has ever forced sex against your will.” Forty percent of girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend. During the 1996-1997 school year, there were an estimated 4,000 incidents of rape or other types of sexual assault in public schools across the country. From January through March 2008, 4,842 teen calls were received by the City’s Domestic Violence Hotline; in 2007, 16,861 calls.

Approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.

Eight percent of high school age girls said “yes” when asked if “a boyfriend or date has ever forced sex against your will.”

Forty percent of girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.

During the 1996-1997 school year, there were an estimated 4,000 incidents of rape or other types of sexual assault in public schools across the country.

From January through March 2008, 4,842 teen calls were received by the City’s Domestic Violence Hotline; in 2007, 16,861 calls.

Equality with subordinated, suffering men is not progress. The poverty, substance abuse, and violence that men experience and express are likewise complicated by the gender matrix as well as racism and homophobia. Violence starts with anger, men need to be taught differently about dealing with anger. What About Men?

Equality with subordinated, suffering men is not progress.

The poverty, substance abuse, and violence that men experience and express are likewise complicated by the gender matrix as well as racism and homophobia.

Violence starts with anger, men need to be taught differently about dealing with anger.

Advocacy Goals Sexuality education (Healthy Teens/REAL) Welfare reform Violence Against Women Act http://www.endabuse.org/vawa/ PEPFAR with PATHWAYS www.pepfarwatch.org Microbicides development www.microbicide.org Research http://www.champnetwork.org/ Sexual health integration & linkages, including family planning services and violence prevention and healing services

Sexuality education (Healthy Teens/REAL)

Welfare reform

Violence Against Women Act http://www.endabuse.org/vawa/

PEPFAR with PATHWAYS www.pepfarwatch.org

Microbicides development www.microbicide.org

Research http://www.champnetwork.org/

Sexual health integration & linkages, including family planning services and violence prevention and healing services

Change is Possible, Inevitable, and Necessary “ It has become clear that culture is not a sort of ‘primordial constraint’ from the past that hinders economic and social progress. Culture is constantly being changed by the people who construct it in the first place.” Thoraya A. Obaid, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director, 2005 That’s ALL OF US!

“ It has become clear that culture is not a sort of ‘primordial constraint’ from the past that hinders economic and social progress. Culture is constantly being changed by the people who construct it in the first place.”

Thoraya A. Obaid, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director, 2005

That’s ALL OF US!