Violence Against Women in Selected Areas of the United States

Abstract

Objectives We determined the prevalence of recent emotional, physical, and sexual violence against women and their associations with HIV-related risk factors in women living in the United States. Methods We performed an assessment of women ages 18 to 44 years with a history of unprotected sex and 1 or more personal or partner HIV risk factors in the past 6 months from 2009 to 2010. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association of experiencing violence. Results Among 2099 women, the prevalence of emotional abuse, physical violence, and sexual violence in the previous 6 months was 31%, 19%, and 7%, respectively. Nonmarried status, food insecurity, childhood abuse, depression symptomology, and posttraumatic stress disorder were significantly associated with multiple types of violence. All types of violence were associated with at least 3 different partner or personal HIV risk behaviors, including unprotected anal sex, previous sexually transmitted infection diagnosis, sex work, or partner substance abuse. Conclusions Our data suggested that personal and partner HIV risk behaviors, mental illness, and specific forms of violence frequently co-occurred in the lives of impoverished women. We shed light on factors purported to contribute to a syndemic in this population. HIV prevention programs in similar populations should address these co-occurring issues in a comprehensive manner.

Exposure to domestic violence in women living in Istanbul and Aegean regions: a Turkish sample

“…It can be attributed to the tendency to avoid revealing forced intercourse or not to regard it as sexual violence. In a study conducted in the USA, the overall baseline prevalence of emotional abuse, physical violence, forced sex, and experiencing two or more types of violence in the past 6 months were 31%, 19%, 7%, and 17% respectively 40 . In a study on Nepalese women, sexual violence was the third most common type of violence at the rate of 6.8% 33 .…”

Childhood Adversity and Adult Reports of Food Insecurity Among Households With Children

“…Mothers who report depressive symptoms experience more employment difficulties 9 that are related to financial hardship and food insecurity. 13 In studies of current and recent exposure to violence, intimate partner violence is associated with food insecurity among women, 14 and maternal depression mediates the association between intimate partner violence and household food insecurity. 15 However, there are little empirical data about childhood precursors of mothers' mental health in relation to food insecurity.…”

Risk profile and HIV testing outcomes of women undergoing community-based testing in San Diego 2008–2014

“…This finding is similar to reports in the community of men who have sex with men (MSM), where race has been shown to be a strong predictor of risk even though reported behaviours are similar among the groups 13 14 15 . Additionally, syndemic factors such as poverty, trauma, substance abuse, homelessness and incarceration as well as San Diego’s border location likely contribute to the high prevalence of undiagnosed infection among Hispanic women 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 . Similarly, the HPTN 064 study, which aimed to estimate the overall new HIV infection rate in women at risk for HIV in the United States, study subjects perceived their risk as due to structural and contextual factors 27 .…”