The role of gender based violence in HIV transmission among women in Lusaka, Zambia

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Gender based violence has been associated with risky sexual behaviours such as low condom use multiple and concurrent sexual partnering with low levels of HIV self-risk perception.Study Design: The study was a survey conducted at the Young Women Christian Association in Lusaka. Data was collected from 50 study participants aged between 18 and 49 who were self-reporting Gender Based Violence by a regular intimate partner or husband through interviewer administered questionnaires by simple random sampling.Individual knowledge was collected on HIV/AIDS, Gender based violence, sexual practices, attitudes towards condoms use and HIV/AIDS and personal experience with gender based violence as well as Marriages and Cohabiting relations.Findings: The study found high levels of awareness and knowledge on Gender Based violence (98%) and HIV transmission (76- 98%) respectively. The study found that 90% of females interviewed thought Gender based violence in Zambia was a serious problem with 92 % saying men who beat their wives were breaking the law. Frequency of GBV experienced by an intimate partner in the last 12 months found10% indicated having beaten 1 time , 16% beaten 2 times, 6% being beaten 3 times and 68% being beaten more than 4 times in the past. The study further found that only 40% of participants had knowledge of the Anti-Gender Based Violence Act No. 1 of 2011.Conclusions: The study concluded that there were high knowledge levels of HIV and high awareness of gender based violence among the females in the study. Gender Based Violence increases vulnerability of women to risk HIV infection by reducing ability to negotiate safe sex. Condom utilisations among women who experienced intimate partner violence were low while multiple sexual partnerships were prevalent. Self-risk perception to HIV infection of women in intimate partner relationships increased when association to GBV was made.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University