Did you know that having an abusive partner is associated with a higher risk for HIV? Today, Greater Than AIDS, a public awareness effort started in 2009 by the Kaiser Family Foundation with the Black AIDS Institute, launched a campaign called Empowered: Women, HIV and Intimate Partner Violence to bring more attention to the connection between abuse and HIV.
It’s anchored by a 20-minute video, which is below, featuring five women living with HIV who have also experienced abuse.
“I often tell people HIV doesn’t care how much money you have in your bank account or what your ZIP code is. HIV is a disease of opportunity,” one woman says. “We know that we may have asked the person to wear a condom, and because of that power dynamic in that relationship they said no, and we let it go.”
Another woman adds, “Or we’re afraid.”
They also discuss how to overcome the feeling of shame associated with experiencing violence and HIV. Often, it starts by having a conversation.
“No. 1, we’ve got to stop saying ‘What goes on in this house, stays in this house.’ We’ve got to stop giving those messages that reinforce the silence,” one woman says. “No. 2, If you are experiencing any kind of trauma, any kind of abuse, reach out to people. People are there. No. 3, learn to love you. We all, because we were molested and we had low self-esteem, and we didn’t really know how to deal, it was hard for us to love ourselves.”
So far this year, 36 people in Maine have been diagnosed with HIV, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Thursday, Oct. 22, you can show your support for survivors of abuse, and remember those who have been killed, at Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance’s walk to end abuse. It starts at noon in West Market Square in Bangor.
