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Understanding Men's Health and Use of Violence: Interface of Rape and HIV In South Africa

Mens Health

Understanding Men's Health and Use of Violence: Interface of Rape and HIV In South Africa

South Africa has one of the highest rates of rape reported to the police in the world and the largest number of people living with HIV. The rate of rape perpetration is not known because only a small proportion of rapes are reported to the police. There is considerable concern about the links between these two problems. Obviously HIV can be transmitted in the course of rape and this compounds the human rights violation of the rape. Research has established that men who rape and are physically violent towards partners are at more likely to engage in sexual risk taking than other men and this has raised a concern that they are more likely to be infected with HIV. The aim of this research was to understand the prevalence of rape perpetration in a random sample community-based adult men, to understand factors associated with rape perpetration, and to describe intersections between rape, physical intimate partner violence and HIV.

View the complete Understanding Men's Health and Use of Violence: Interface of Rape and HIV In South Africa policy brief

8 June 2009