Links between Intimate Partner Violence and HIV
CDC’s new research brief explores the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV in women. In the United States, over 35% of women have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime; and women and adolescent girls accounted for 20% of new HIV infections in 2010. Studies indicate that exposure to IPV can increase a women’s risk for HIV infection.
- Women in relationships with violence have four times the risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, than women in relationships without violence.
- A history of victimization is a significant risk factor for unprotected sex for both HIV-positive women and men.
- Women who had ever experienced forced sex were more likely to report HIV risk behaviors but less likely to have been tested for HIV.
CDC focuses on preventing intimate partner violence before it happens and preventing new HIV infections. CDC’s work focuses on three areas: 1) understanding these problems, 2) identifying effective interventions, and 3) ensuring that states and communities have the capacity and resources to implement prevention approaches based on the best available evidence.
More Information