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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi everyone</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here are a few thoughts on marital rape in the
context of the HIV epidemic:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV is increasingly
affecting women. This is because women are biologically more vulnerable to
HIV infection, and because of social factors, such as gender inequality.
It is difficult to speak sweepingly about culture, but generally (and this is
probably true around the world), it is considered more acceptable for men to
have multiple sexual partners than women. Migrant labour contributes to
this problem, with men tending to have a family home, while in engaging in a
variety of relationships with other women in their areas of work.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Women, particularly married women, are often
financially dependent on their male partners, and simply have no say in matters
of sex and reproduction. For a variety of complex social, economic and
cultural reasons, they are unable to insist that their husband's use condoms or
remain faithful. Many women are aware of their husband's extramarital
affairs, but powerless to stop them. When domestic violence (and marital
rape is an extreme form of domestic violence) is present in a relationship, it
is even more difficult for a woman to insist on safer sex.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One of the myths about HIV is that it is confined
to certain "high risk" groups, such as sex workers. The reality is that
HIV is transmitted where-ever people have multiple partners and unsafe
sex. Married women are a particularly vulnerable group, because it is very
difficult for them to ask their husband to use condoms; they can be faithful
themselves, but have no power to prevent their husbands from having affairs; and
they risk being raped by their husbands if they try to abstain from
sex.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Providing PEP (anti-retroviral drugs to prevent HIV
infection) to survivors of marital rape may also not be feasible. PEP has
been used for many years to prevent HIV infection in health care workers who
have sustained needle-stick injuries. Basically, the drugs are taken for
28 days after the incident, and prevent infection after a single, high-risk
exposure. Recently, PEP has been recommended for preventing HIV infection
after rape, as rape is usually also a single, risk exposure, and the same
principles apply. However, PEP is not effective where a person is
repeatedly exposed to HIV. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to be effective
in situations of marital rape, because there is a good chance that if the
husband is HIV positive, his wife will already have been exposed to the virus
during consensual sex (or during previous marital rapes). There
is also the likelihood that she will be exposed again in future, if she
continues to live with him. PEP would probably only be effective in the
rare cases where a woman had not previously been infected by an HIV positive
husband, and has left him immediately after the rape.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As you can see, women's lack of power in sexual
relationships (including marriage) is a major contributing factor to the spread
of HIV. Put another way, if we are to successfully combat HIV, we need to
challenge men's power over women's bodies.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks very much</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chloe Hardy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>AIDS Law Project</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>