Confronting Cultural Silencing of Women: Untold Stories of Abuse and HIV Risk in Young Women in Africa and the United States

Abstract

Past research has shown that sexual abuse increases vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. However, little is known about the context of different cultural traditions and how they affect women's risk. This study used data from two studies conducted in the United States and West Africa, and purposefully selected semi-structured interviews of those reporting sexual abuse. Data were collected from 2006 to 2009 (United States) and 2014 to 2015 (West Africa), and analyzed using an interpretive team approach. Findings revealed that most study participants lived with personal shame and stigma; they were silent about the abuse they suffered to protect themselves and their families. Those providing mental and physical health services to women with HIV/AIDS must be cognizant of these cultural issues and the continuing cycle of poverty and abuse that put these women at risk.

Lived experiences of street girls in Côte d’Ivoire

“…Amos-Mawusi (2013) also accentuates how shared parenting practices are integral to African social norms, as reinforced by sayings such as "a single hand cannot nurse a child" (p. 69). However, in agreement with prior research (Muriuki et al, 2018;Maposa et al, 2016), this study indicates that shared parenting and extended family safety nets are fractured, with an obvious lack of parental oversight and failure to meet even the most basic needs of these girls. Our results support the development of alternative protection Access and retention to basic education in schools and integration of counseling that is trauma-informed systems in communities and countries like Côte d'Ivoire with high rural to urban child and youth migratory populations.…”

“…Gender-based violence can lead to a confluence of vulnerability to HIV, unwanted pregnancies and substance use that can, in turn, impact sexual/reproductive health and social outcomes. African girls live with cultural contradictions that may influence how they can respond to HIV and abuse risk (Maposa et al, 2016). The way girls' lived experiences are framed will help to give context to economic and cultural traditions that shape the lives of many girls and sometimes disempower them and lead to gender power disparity and increased HIV risk ( Jewkes et al, 2010).…”

“…In Abidjan, CDWs include girls younger than eight years old ( Jacquemin, 2004). While living on the street is often stigmatized, many children are initially exploited as CDWs then later move to the street where they face increased exposure to exploitative sex work (Maposa et al, 2016;Lalor, 2004;Jacquemin, 2004;Erulkar et al, 2006).…”

Continuing Streams of Policy Consciousness to Advance Global Health

“…One subsection of this scholarship has focused on issues involving sex workers. In the present issue of WMHP , Kaloga, Karandikar, Gezinski, and McCloskey highlight “Health Concerns and Access to Services: Female Sex Workers’ Experiences in Mumbai, India.” Baird and Walters () touched upon this topic in their 2017 article, “Women, HIV Prevention, and Behavioral Versus Holistic Approaches: The United States and South Africa,” as did Maposa, Muriuki, Moss, and Kpebo (), who are also concerned with HIV transmission, in “Confronting Cultural Silencing of Women: Untold Stories of Abuse and HIV Risk in Young Women in Africa and the United States” in 2016.…”