Addressing Our Differences: Gender, Sex, and HIV/AIDS in Canada
Erin Fredericks
HIV/AIDS continues to be a serious health problem in Canada. As of 2002, an
estimated 56,000 Canadians were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a twelve percent increase from
1999. In 2002, the number of new infections in Canada was between 2,800 and
5,200; the same rate as 1999. Although the number of new HIV infections each
year is not increasing, the demographics of the newly infected group are
changing. As of 2002, 23% of new HIV cases were among women. The
growing number
of HIV cases among women may be a symptom of more serious social inequalities
in Canadian society.
Sex education classes and much of the information on HIV/AIDS prevention focuses on safe sex practices,condom use or abstinence. This focus on lifestyle choices overlooks how physiological and social norms affect individuals’ chances of being infected. A more effective prevention strategy for women would address lifestyle and social factors that contribute to the growing number of HIV cases.
Physiologically, women are more vulnerable than men to HIV infection during
unprotected heterosexual intercourse. This increased danger is due to a larger
area of mucous membrane and the fact that infected semen stays in contact with
the vaginal lining longer than infected vaginal secretions stay on the penis.
While condom use and abstinence can minimize the risk, the realities of some
women’s lives may not allow them to make these choices.
It is clear that women differ from men not only in their physiology, but often
in their social standing. Gender-based analyses have revealed that many women
not only lack knowledge about their risk of being infected with HIV, but also
often lack the power to protect themselves from being infected. It has been
shown that sexual violence greatly increases a women’s risk of being infected.
Also, the fear of sexual and physical violence and/or abandonment can make
women less likely to request that a male partner use a condom during
intercourse.
The link between poverty, violence, and HIV risk has not been ignored by researchers. Research has demonstrated that women lacking economic power may be at higher risk for HIV because of their dependence on a male partner for financial support. Also, being employed as a prostitute may increase a woman’s risk of being a victim of violence and being exposed to HIV. Women who use intravenous drugs are at high risk directly because of their drug use, and indirectly because they are at a higher risk of being a victim of sexual and physical violence and less likely to have protected intercourse. Despite these obvious links between violence, poverty, and HIV, the statistics regarding HIV/AIDS exposure categories do not include cases of sexual assault, making it nearly impossible to judge the extent to which violence has had an impact on Canadian women’s HIV infection rates.
Although the connection between social factors and a woman’s risk of being
infected with HIV has been acknowledged by Health Canada, the focus of
prevention programs is still primarily educational. Researchers have
criticized
government approaches as focusing on individual’s actions and not on
the social
problems that lead to the spread of the disease.
As long as gender inequality persists in Canada, women will be more likely to be infected with HIV. We must continue to educate young people so that they have the ability to make responsible sexual choices when they have the opportunity to do so. But, in doing so, we must not forget to continue working towards a society in which all women and men have the ability to choose when and how they want to have sex.
Questions or comments? Feel free to contact the author at: erin.fredericks[at]dal[dot]ca
For more information:
“Gender & HIV/AIDS.” Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health.
References:
Boston Women’s Health Collective. (2005). Our Bodies, Ourselves. Touchstone
Books:
New York.
Dodds, C., R. Colman, C. Amaratunga & J. Wilson. (2002). The Economic Cost of
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AIDS in Canada. In C. Amaratunga & J. Gahagan. Striking to the Heart of the
Matter: Selected readings on Gender and HIV. Halcraft Printers: Halifax.
Health Canada. (2005a). Exploring Concepts of Gender and Health.
Health Canada. (1998). HIV and Sexual Violence Against Women: A Guide for Counsellors Working with Women who are Survivors of Sexual Violence. Canadian HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse: Ottawa.
Health Canada. (2005b). Leading Together: Canada Takes Action on HIV/AIDS (2005- 2010).
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2004b). The Federal Initiative to Address
HIV/AIDS
In Canada: Strengthening Federal Action in the Canadian Response to HIV/AIDS.
Tolson, M. & S. Kellington. (2002). Changing the Balance of Power: The Listen Up!
Research Project and Participatory Research with Marginalized Communities.
In C. Amaratunga & J. Gahagan. Striking to the Heart of the Matter:
Selected
readings on Gender and HIV. Halcraft Printers: Halifax.
Women’s Health Interaction. (1998). Uncommon Questions: A Feminist Exploration of AIDS. Women’s Health Interaction: Ottawa.
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