Intimate Partner Violence, Human Rights Violations, and HIV among Women in Nairobi, Kenya

This study presents qualitative results from a mixed-method investigation conducted between May and August 2012 into the prevalence and consequences of four forms of intimate partner violence among women living with HIV who attended the Comprehensive Care Clinic at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. As a part of the research, a quantitative survey found that among 600 sexually active women living with HIV aged 18-69, all reported experiencing emotional abuse; 20%, 17%, and 15% experienced controlling behavior, physical violence, and sexual violence, respectively. Qualitative research using focus group discussions with 19 women from the quantitative survey sought to contextualize these experiences and place them within a larger social structure where institutionalized gender inequality sets the tone for intimate partner violence against women in households. Participants reported that intimate partner violence led to their exposure to the virus and made them leery of disclosing their positive status or seeking support from a male partner for fear of a violent reaction. This fear and the socio-structural conditions in Kenya limit their ability to actively pursue comprehensive care, the stress of which can exacerbate symptoms and make managing the disease more difficult.