Women: Innocent victims of HIV/AIDS

Pages: 374-377
Dilraj Kaur (Department of Sociology, Panjab University, Chandigarh)

India is a male dominated society where women are often seen as subordinate and inferior to men. Patriarchy and gender discrimination restricts women from getting information about sexuality and related ailments. Research indicates that population of HIV positive women is increasing. It is being argued that a majority of HIV positive women get an infection from their marital partners. These women not only lack knowledge about HIV, but also the power to ask for safe sex thus become a victim of HIV unknowingly. Married women don’t have negotiation powers of the asymmetrical marital union. They cannot say ‘no’ to sex even though they know clandestine status of their spouses. Once these women become victim of HIV onus falls on them. They are often blamed for bringing HIV/AIDS in the family, thus destroying family name. These women are blamed for immorality and they are subjected to life of disgrace, violence, hatred and stigma.