Violence against women (VAW) and its interrelation to HIV/AIDS: evidence from Thailand

Siriwan Dr Grisurapong, Mahidol University

This project had been carried out to identify nature and context of interrelations between VAW and HIV risk. Data had been collected from 86 victims of violence, 205 HIV positive women, 314 general and 300 pregnant women. The semi-structured interviews had been undertaken to obtain data. Women victims of violence and women with HIV had significantly more experience of child sexual abuse, risky sexual behavior, early sexual debut, forced first sexual intercourse and less sexual relationship power compared to general and pregnant women. These groups of women refused significantly less for sexual relationship when had been asked by partners. When they refused, half of partners ignored or forced them to have sex. They also had less power to suggest for condom use. For women with HIV positive who had been beaten tended to remain being beaten or beaten more when partners knew of their HIV status.