July 18, 2012
Washington, D.C. -- In the U.S., 1 out of every 4 people living with HIV is a woman. Further, it is estimated that 30% of women living with HIV experience post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) linked to violence and trauma compared to 5.2% in the general population, according to a recent UCSF meta-analysis of almost 6,000 women living with HIV. How does this impact the HIV epidemic in the United States? New data shows that intimate partner violence is a disproportionately high cause of death for HIV-positive women in the U.S.
On March 30, 2012, President Obama released a memorandum establishing a federal interagency workgroup to address the intersection of HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Gender-related Health Disparities. Now, advocates say, it's time for action.
"Women are dying unnecessarily," says Gina Brown, a woman openly living with HIV and resident of New Orleans, LA, who will speak at Monday's press conference. "They can live with HIV, but are dying from the effects of violence in their homes and communities. HIV policies and programs must prevent and address the effects of gender-based violence that weave through women's lives."
U.S. Positive Women's Network, a national membership body of women living with HIV, is a proud AIDS 2012 U.S. community partner. We invite you to attend our press conference on Monday, July 23 from 10-10:45 a.m. in the Media Center's Press Conference Room 3.
The press conference will feature breaking new research that will be released at AIDS 2012 on the impact of violence on women's health outcomes, solutions from women openly living with HIV, and a call to action for U.S. federal decision-makers from nationally-recognized advocates on HIV and violence against women. Speakers include: