25 th November 2009

1. 25th November 2009 Health AND Safety: the Challenges for Women of HIV and Gender Violence APPG on POPULATION, DEVELOPMENT & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

2. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” WHO Constitution, 1946

3. VIOLENCE BEFORE HIV…..

4. Women, Southern Zimbabwe - Redd Barna (Save the Children, Norway)

5. ♀In Tanzania, WHO research finds that one in five women have been physically forced to have sex by a partner

6. In the UK… ♀ 1 in 4 women will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime – many of these on a number of occasions ♀ On average, 2 women a week are killed by a current or former male partner • Source: http://www.womensaid.org.uk

7. YWCA member, Zambia

8. ♀In South Africa, national surveys find that one in four men have raped a woman

9. ♀WHO research finds that in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru, Thailand and Tanzania, more than 40% of women have ever been physically or sexually assaulted by their partner.

10. ♀Among asylum seeking women in Scotland, 70% had experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. 19% had experienced domestic violence in the past year.

11. Uncle-abuse: Niece naked. He threatened to kill her because she refused to do what he wants her to do – have sex with him

12. ♀In London, the Metropolitan Police report that domestic homicides account for 25% of all homicides

13. Stepping Stones Programme - Strategies for Hope

14. ♀Each year in Bangladesh, surveillance shows that more than a half of street-based female sex workers are raped by men in uniform

15. In Cambodia over a half of female street based sex workers and just under a half of male sex workers report having been gang raped, on average by 5 to 6 men at a time, in the past year

16. ♀A survey of street-based sex workers in 3 major cities in Britain found that in one year, more than a quarter had been threatened with a weapon, and a quarter had been raped

17. YWCA Zambia

18. VIOLENCE AND HIV….

19. Studies from Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Africa indicate that the risk for HIV among women who have experienced violence may be up to three times higher than among those who have not. A Horizons report found that “HIV infected” women in Tanzania were significantly more likely to have had a violent partner in their lifetime, and to have experienced physical or sexual violence with their current partner.

20. The Horizons report also found that younger HIV-positive women were ten times more likely to have experienced violence than HIV-negative women their age.

21. Around 30,000 women have HIV in the UK. They come from all ethnic backgrounds and all walks of life Only about 20 women in the UK are fully open about their HIV status, because of the stigma still attached to this condition

22. According to estimates from the UNAIDS 2008 Report on the global AIDS epidemic:  around 30.8 million adults and 2 million children were living with HIV at the end of 2007. Around half the adults are women.  During 2007, some 2.7 million people acquired HIV, which causes AIDS

23.  2/3 of these new transmissions were between men and women

24. “I remember hiding behind the door when my dad hit my mum when I was little. I still have problems with trust in my relationships.” Young woman survivor of violence, with parents with HIV

26. “My dream, what I was – a nurse known by all, with prestige, loved by everyone – had gone. I fell into depression and forgot everyone in the world” (HIV-positive nurse, L America)

27. “If we were childless, our family wouldn’t be perfect. I mean, there was conflict. He wanted to see what his child would look like. I had to take a risk. If the baby is HIV-negative, our lineage goes on. If we were childless, there would be conflict.” Woman in the Northeast of Thailand, aged 27

28.  “We have a vibrant and diverse women's group. Today 38 people were at our peer support women's space. The majority of these women are from BME communities. Domestic violence is a key issue for many of the women and has been a particular focus of information giving and expert sessions at the women's space this year……  ” Lynda Shentall, George House Trust, Manchester

29. Domestic violence affects all "groups" of women living with HIV and by giving information we hope to provide support and advice directly and indirectly Lynda Shentall, George House Trust, Manchester

31. “Some health personnel even threaten the women that if they are not sterilised, they will not receive powdered milk for their babies.” ICW: Thailand Positive Women: Voices and Choices Report

33. We fear going to our local ante-natal clinic because we will be tested for HIV and, if positive, we will be beaten and thrown out of our homes. We dare not risk this, even if this means giving HIV to our babies… Women in South Africa

34. “I found it hard to cope with HIV; I attempted suicide on more than a few occasions.I really thought there was no hope for me… my marriage was an abusive one. I remember after one fight in particular when he had tried to strangle me, the neighbours called the police and they took me to the hospital. After almost 3 years the level of abuse was too much and I became homeless…”Macey, Positively Women Magazine, Spring 2007

35. Accepting HIV in the family – Stepping Stones Plus – Strategies for Hope, UNICEF, PLAN and DiFAEM

36. Professor Peter Piot, Former Executive Director, UNAIDS, Now Director of the Centre for Global Health, Imperial College London University and Sophia Forum’s Patron

37. “Why does everyone keep talking about ‘an end to this’, ‘an end to that’ ? All Iwant is to feel safe and at peace in my home.”

38. Please join Sophia to spread the word see your own form or our website for details….. “I found it hard to cope with HIV; I attempted suicide on more than a few occasions. I really thought there was no hope for me… my marriage was an abusive one. I remember after one fight in particular when he had tried to strangle me, the neighbours called the police and they took me to the hospital. After almost 3 years the level of abuse was too much and I became homeless…” Macey, Positively Women Magazine, Spring 2007