Male irresponsibility blamed for increase in HIV in women

This was the view expressed by Dr Ray Noel, Tobago Regional HIV/AIDS director.

Dr Noel was addressing a PAHO/THA Social Services and Gender Affairs Division seminar titled "Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS" at the Mt Irvine Bay Hotel on Thursday.

According to recent information released by PAHO, 45 percent of new infections occur in females and in the 15-45 age group, 70 percent of the new infections occur in females.

Dr Noel pointed out that because masculinity was often associated with virility and sex to males was seen as a form of conquest while femininity was associated with silent submission, women were put at greater risks by their partners.

"The gender roles and identity given to and accepted by women and girls and their subjection to the dominant influences of men increases their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS," Dr Noel said.

He said that it was noted that in societies where there were less male domination and women and girls have defined rights and respect there seemed to be less female HIV infection. Women are also biologically more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and STD.

He added that "ego, ego, ego" made men less likely to seek help or collect information related to HIV/STD care and treatment as this made them seem weak.

Dr Noel said that marriage was now more of a high-risk act for women and girls than men, especially those with spouses within the protective services who may be based at stations away from home.

He noted that these men were more likely to cheat in their marriages while the women may take the welfare of the children, among other factors, into consideration.

"The fact of the matter is that women like men in uniforms and men in uniforms like women." Dr Noel said.

Moreover, attempts by females to negotiate safe sex with their "significant others" often led to violence and abandonment.

He however, did not place the blame for the increase in infected women squarely on the shoulders of the males and pointed out that women needed to be more responsible for themselves.