Connect with us

Health

South Africa: Rape victims at high risk of HIV transmission

South Africa: Rape victims at high risk of HIV transmission

 


A study by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) shows that HIV-negative female rape victims are at increased risk of becoming infected with HIV for years after rape.

This is due to the long-term adverse effects of rape on the victim’s mental health and well-being caused by structural and social factors that can lead to increased vulnerability of rape victims to HIV infection.

The findings are included in the Rape Impact Cohort Assessment (RICE) study conducted by the SAMRC Gender and Health Research Unit (GHRU).

According to the council, RICE’s research is based on women aged 16-40 who sought rape care in the Durban metropolitan area from 2014 to 2019.

“Women were interviewed, regularly assessed for HIV status, and followed up with a comparative group of women who reported never been raped.

“In total, the study enrolled 1019 HIV-negative women and found that among raped women, they were 60% more likely to be infected with HIV than unraped women. I did, “said SAMRC.

Professor Naeemah Abrahams, director and senior researcher at GHRU, said results are important to understanding what medical care and support should be provided to post-rape women.

“Our services have always focused on providing post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent HIV transmission from rape incidents, but require much more focused support for post-rape survivors. This is the first time a study has shown that it is, “says Abrahams. ..

Abrahams said the RICE study was the world’s first longitudinal cohort study comparing rape survivors with female controls over time to investigate the relationship between rape and HIV.

Previous studies conducted by Abraham, including an evaluation of studies on the health effects of rape for the 2010 Global Disease Burden Study, show that there are few empirical studies on the health effects of rape worldwide. Is shown.

This affects countless women and girls, men and boys, and non-binary people every year around the world, even though rape is a global problem.

Meanwhile, SAMRC has paved the way for more than 30 years to gain a global understanding of the impact of gender-based violence on women’s HIV risk.