The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in SA recently stated that “in South Africa, new HIV infections in women aged 15-24 are nearly four times greater than men of the same age, with 850 young women becoming infected with HIV every week”.
The response to the publishing of these statistics was largely centred around the shaming of young women. Men were using this to bash young women for dating “blessers” and the conversation was centred around young men having to protect themselves from these “loose” women – relegating the possibility of their own infection to young women, instead of themselves, as if they can't be HIV positive as a result of their own behaviour.
Although the message is important and it is not wrong to say men must protect themselves. It is the slut shaming undertone in which men put this message across that is off-putting. Laden in their messaging was that they are at risk solely because women in this age group are reckless in behaviour and sleep around – neglecting their individual responsibility and contribution to the problem.
It has always been my view that our analysis of any social issue, must never be devoid or detached from the contextual socioeconomic and sociocultural realities that characterise our country. It is not different in the context of the statement published by the CDC chapter in SA.
There are a myriad of reasons that can offer us greater understanding of why new HIV infections in women aged 15-24 are nearly four times greater than men of the same age in our country.
One that stands out hugely to me is the lack of agency experienced by women, when in relationships. This is rooted in gender disparities. A lack of urgency that affects their negotiation for safer sexual practices and decision-making.
The patriarchal belief systems and practices found within our societies, uphold male dominance, direct gendered expectations and norms for the roles of women and men in families and relationships. The upholding of these patriarchal gendered expectations does not all of a sudden disappear when sexual relations are concerned, the status quo remains.
Women are still rendered voiceless and unable to negotiate for safer sexual practices because of patriarchal gendered expectations. Related to patriarchy, culture and gender norms, women’s insistence on condom use is at times used to shame them and said to be a sign of promiscuity. The lack of a condom use affirms trust, fidelity, good behaviour and loyalty.
The harsh socioeconomic conditions in SA, which disproportionately impacts women, sometimes results in young women resorting to transactional sex to meet their basic needs. In this transactional sex, they are rendered powerless and they cannot negotiate safer sex. The power relations by their very nature and the desperation at times, does not create room for negotiation of safe sexual practices; in this context, what would be important for the woman, is economic survival.
It is important for me to mention that, transactional sex can be a choice, unrelated to basic needs, it can be for whatever reason a woman sees fit. Closely related to the transactional nature of some of the sexual relations between older men and young women, is the grooming of girls by older men. The complexity of grooming, the age difference, the already existing skewed power relations between men and women, plus the economic muscle the man is likely to possess, hugely compromises the decision-making and negotiation ability of the women, or girls involved.
SA has extremely high rates of sexual assault. Rape and stealthing are just some of the instances where the agency of women is violently taken away and for obvious reasons, women are not able to negotiate safer sexual choices such as condom use.
I echo the words of Professor Christine A. Varga, a biomedical anthropologist and registered nurse, who warned about sociocultural factors shaping women's sexuality. Varga stated that it is important to also underscore the need to focus on ideological and violence-related factors in understanding the dynamics of sexual negotiation and decision-making, and ultimately of sexual behaviour itself.
It is important that we look at any social issue, in the broader scheme of things. This is not to absolve women, because like all humans, there are instances where caution isn’t taken and pure reckless behaviour has taken place. However, it is important to be aware that like all social issues, the numbers do not give the full picture. Gender disparities, violence and patriarchy contribute to these shocking statistics.
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