Gender inequality and domestic violence: implications for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention

Domestic violence and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are problems of great public health worldwide, especially sub-Saharan Africa and much of the developing countries. This is due to their far reaching social, economic and public health consequences. The two problems have gender inequality and gender power imbalances as the driving force behind the "epidemics". HIV infection is mainly acquired through heterosexual relations, which themselves are greatly influenced by socio-cultural factors, underlying which are gender power imbalances. Unfortunately gender relations, and gender issues in general, have not been given much emphasis in the medical perspective, especially in efforts for prevention and control of HIV infection. There is thus a need to mainstream gender relations in reproductive health. This article aims at emphasizing the intersection between domestic violence, gender inequality and HIV infection.