Abstract Book Vol. 1 [International Conference on AIDS (16th: 2006: Toronto, Canada)]

MOAE0105
Sexual harassment and HIV/AIDS at the workplace
L. Bakaki. Women's Interculcural Network, Uganda Women's Land Poject,
Cleveland Heights, United States
Issues: There are pockets of HIV AIDS in many workplaces. At the same time
there has been a lot of outcry regarding sexual harassment at the workplace.
Workplace HIV programs are also emerging. Most of these programs are
centered on sporadic activities rather than policy interventions.
Description: A cross sectional study was carried out in Kampala to evaluate
the nature of interventions that organizations were using to address the issue
of Sexual Harassment at the workplace. The participants were recruited from
organizations in Kampala, Uganda. Personal interviews carried out with support
staff, middle managers and executive staff using research schedules:
Lessons learned: Several employees suffered sexual harassment including
utterance of suggestive words, indecent touching, and forced sexual
intercourse. The most affected were women, regardless of employment level in
the organization. Forced sexual intercourse was more common among young
single fresh employees. Many women did not report sexual harassment for
fear of stigmatizations and loss of employment. Most workplaces did not have
policies on sexual harassment or HIV control. A few organizations conducted
HIV education seminars.
Recommendations: There was rampant workplace sexual harassment
including forced sex with minimal policies to deal with the problems of sexual
harassment and HIV/AIDS. Employers should develop policies to address the
problems of HIV and sexual harassment at the workplace.
MOAEO106
AIDS education for medical personnel: does it make
a difference?
A. Malek, S. Sallam, A. Hassab, A. Mahfouz. High Institute of Public Health,
epidemiology, Alexandria, Egypt
Background: To assess the impact of AIDS education on HIV related attitudes,
perceived occupational risk and practice of professional medical personnel.
Methods: In a prospective randomized controlled study 500 professional
medical personnel providing different services were enrolled. They were divided
into two groups; a control group (100) and intervention group, the latter was
subdivided into 4 equal subgroups and assigned to 4 different AIDS education;
lectures, group-discussions, hypothetical cases and booklets. Groups were
assessed in pre/post/post-post test using self administered questionnaire.
Results: Nearly 2/3 of study subjects had postgraduate degree, only 18.4%
attended before a training on HIV, their overall mean HIV knowledge score was
less than 1/3 of the high (8.6 of 27), with serious misinformation on issues
related to modes of transmission. Almost all over estimated risk of "low-tono risk" while 2/3 missed the risk of needle recapping after its use. 4/5 had
unfavorable attitude towards person infected through MSM practice (89%) and
IDU (84.4%). 2/3 (41%) had reservation to care for AIDS patients, 4/5 (84%)
were not willing to work in facilities caring for AIDS. 2/3 want to isolate the
patient and 1/4 (27.2%) would inform the police. Only 1/10 (9.4%) always
comply with universal precautions, 85.8% identified lack of training as the main
barrier.
Significant increase in the mean knowledge score was observed in the
intervention group, with significant increase and improvement in the mean
score of AIDS specific attitude, attitude towards AIDS patient and in preventive
practice, besides significant drop in the mean perceived occupational risk.
Group-discussion was the leading approach.
Conclusions: Yes, AIDS education program could make a difference, by allaying
medical personnel anxiety, alleviating attitudinal barriers and improving their
practice. It is strongly recomended to be incuded as an essential component in
medical personnel in-service training program.
MOAEO201
The perpetual battle of the better half
S. Singh, S. Prathibha. Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, Mumbai, India
Issues: The increased vulnerability of women to HIV and social stigma is welldocumented. HIV positive women in India occupy a threatened space. Their HIV
status may open them to abuse by partners and extended family. Given their
often precarious legal claim to property, they also face eviction, destitution and
loss of child custody. A review of cases brought by HIV positive women shows
a predominant concern with inheritance, property, maintenance and custody
rights. These are areas governed by personal law based on religion, and often
lead to difficult disputes. India's newly enacted Domestic Violence Act contains
provisions that may help.
Description: This paper discusses how the Domestic Violence Act might help
protect the rights of HIV positive women. The Act contains a broad definition of
domestic violence, encompassing harm and threats - physical, sexual, verbal

or emotional - by anyone in a household. The Act also encompasses economic
abuse, committed through deprivation of resources, disposal of household
assets or restricted access to facilities. Importantly, the Act recognizes a full
right of all women in domestic relationships to reside in the shared home,
regardless of legal title. It also applies to all women in all areas, regardless of
religion, creating uniformity of rights. These are important steps toward creating
legal entitlements for women reflecting social reality. The paper discusses the
legal gaps that past cases expose, how provisions of the Act address these and
whether the Act can assist HIV positive women.

Lessons learned: Legal lacunae make it difficult to realize the rights of HIV
positive women. Legal title often does match social reality, and real claims are
left unenforceable.
Recommendations: The gap between law and social context is breached only
by re-conceptualising our interpretations of legal definitions. Use of the Act
should be monitored to see if it can address HIV issues.
MOAEO202
Gender violence & HIV
D. Sorley. Nairobi Womens Hospital, Gender Violence Recovery Center,
Nairobi, Kenya
Issues: Kenya's Attorney General and the police continue to report that cases
of rape have steadily increased in the last 5 years. Due to the HIV epidemic this
is abig concern. At the moment HIV prevalence in Nairobi is 11.9% in women
and 7.8% in men. Therefore survivors of rape are at significant risk of becoming
infected with HIV.
Description:
A. Project
Because of a recognized gap in medical and psychological care for survivors, the
Nairobi Womens Hospital opened the Gender Violence Recovery Center (GVRC)
in March 2002. This is a community service arm of the Hospital and offers free
medical management, including 28 days of ARV PEP and psychological support
to survivors who report within 72 hours of the assault.
B. Experience April 2002 -March 2005
Rape cases seen - 2,425 Sodomy cases - 8
Lessons learned and recommendations:
A.Testing
Total number of HIV tests done - 1,633
Number testing negative at time of rape - 1,536
Number who seroconverted after 3 months - 1
B.ARV Intervention:
Survivors put on ARV PEP -1,239
Survivors returning for HIV follow up test - 292
C. Counselling:
Counselling and support groups were helpful in survivors finding healing from
their trauma.
D. Public Awareness:
The GVRC of the Nairobi Womens Hospital, along with the media, have done a
lot to create public awareness of this social problem. Survivors no long need to
suffer in silence as there is a place they can go for help.
E. In areas where is a high prevalence of HIV, in addition to counseling, ARV PEP
should be given to survivors to prevent HIV infection.
F. With the high demand for this service, a better follow up system needs to
be put in place to monitor the 80% of clients who did not return for follow up
HIV testing. We recognize that our program is 5 years old and at first we did
not have an adequate data collection system to follow our clients. That system
is now in place.
MOAEO203
Research on reproductive rights of women living
with HIV in Russia
M. Rukavishnikov1. Regional Public Organisation, Community of People Living
with HIV/AIDS', Moscow, Russian Federation
Issues: Increase in sexually transmitted infections and in the rate of HIV
infection among women in Russia leads to the growth of potential vertical
transmission cases. Women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) are faced with the
choice of giving birth or aborting. In Russia the reproductive rights of WLWHA
are often violated. Contributing to this violation are factors including: lack
of knowledge on reproductive rights and the means of preventing vertical
transmission; stigma towards HPW reproduction; and a widespread negative
attitude among doctors to safe childbearing despite the existing methods to
lessen the risk of transmission to 2%.
Description: The NGO, The Community of PLWHA conducted sociological
research, supported by UNESCO and UNFPA, among the Russian population,
doctors working in HIV-service and WLWHA. The project was aimed at
investigating the situation with women's reproductive rights and improving
knowledge among WLWHA about childbearing.
Lessons learned: The research revealed that the majority of the general
population had a negative attitude toward WLWHA reproduction: more than a
half support prohibition of WLWHA childbirth. Most were not aware that WLWHA
can bear healthy children. Fear and stigma was common among medical
personnel which led them to provide inadequate information to WLWHA.
WLWHA have low knowledge of HIV, reproductive rights, and safe childbearing
possibilities.
Recommendations: To increase awareness among health professionals, legal
professionals and PLWHA, especially WLWHA, of medical and legal aspects of
PLWHA reproductive health issues. To promote public monitoring and control of

the implementation of legal instruments in HIV context. To inform the general
public about legal rights related to HIV. To reduce stigma and discrimination
both within the general public and medical personnel through work with the
mass media.

XVI INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE * 13-18 AUGUST 2006 * TORONTO CANADA * ABSTRACT BOOK VOLUME 1