Women living with HIV, sex workers and transgender women, body mapping violence and HIV in Bolivia

GraciaVioleta Ross graciavioleta@gmail.com Friday, July 20th, 2012 The Interfaith Pre-Conference on HIV Washington, DC
www.aids2012.org Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

Why did we car r y out this study?

Absence of any programs linking GBV and HV among these 3 groups of women in Bolivia. Action-oriented, participatory research (qualitative and quantitative). Nine field-work researchers, three of each population. We worked together as WOMEN. The principles of the research included: EQUAL PARTICIPATION, RESEARCH, LEADERSHIP IN THE POLITICAL INCIDENCE PROCESS.
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Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

Research included

A survey with populations.

322

women

of

the

9 focus groups: 3 with each population. Body mapping of violence and HIV. We mapped the marks of violence in: the

body, the identity.

feelings

and

the

Individual in-depth interviews with women of the 3 populations.

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Concepts

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Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

In brief

ONLY 2% of all women declared they did not experience any forms of violence. Forms of violence that we prioritized:

Physical Psychological Sexual (including rape) Institutional Economical

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Which one is the form of violence that you experimented the most in your personal experience? PHYSICAL
SEX WORKERS (n=189) WOMEN LIVING TRANSGENDER WITH HIV (n=117) WOMEN (n=102)

VIOLENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ECONOMICAL VIOLENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE INSTITUCIONAL VIOLENCE I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY FORMS OF VIOLENCE I DONT KNOW

45% 32% 35% 48% 37%

28% 20% 21%

24% 17% 19% 26% 20%

30% 23%

3% 1%
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2% 1%

2% 0%
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Which institutions do you consider the most violent against your population?
TRANS GENDE WOMEN R SEX LIVING WIMEN WORKERS WITH HIV (n=102 (n=189) (n=117) ) 16% 10% 9% 43% 27% 23% 31% 19% 17% 25% 15% 13% 19% 10%
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CHURCHES
POLICE JUDGES HOSPITALS COMMUNITY BASED GROUPS OTHER INSTITUTIONS

12% 6%

10% 5%
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Women living with HIV speak!

They take away our right to be mothers The damage in our soul is worst than the beating of our bodies Note the marks of physical violence, the damage in the heart and the forcedsterilization (2 black marks in the womb)
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Women living with HIV speak!

Because of so much violence our feelings are destroyed

* Note the broken heart, the marks of physical violence, the threat with a knife and the beatingwith a stone in the head. The many lines in the womb represent rape by multiple men

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Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

Transgender women speak!

Pain, Loneliness I feel as a useless being. They tell me I am only good to be a slut and nothing more Nobody loves me I receive bad treatment from the police, worst than an animal
Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

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Transgender women speak!

Herpes zoster scars Beating by herpartner and by other transgender women Fights on the streets Injuries when the silicone gets infected

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Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

Sex Wor kers speak!

Because of our work we are exposed to lose our lives Struggling in theworkplace I am forced to work when Ihavwmy menses, by bar owners and by pimps Risk for HIV and STIs Note the cutting in the neck. Note the biting of nipples. Note the several scars of physical violence.
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Sex Wor kers speak!

Note the cutting of neck, the multiple injuries (cutting, beating, self-produced injuries). Note the burning in the legs with cigarretes by SW clients. Note HIV, and the abortion caused by the beating of a pregnant SW by her partner.

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Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012

In conclusion

These 3 groups of women suffer all forms of violence, more than the average of women in Bolivia. This might be related to their authomatic association with inmoral behaviors and with HIV/AIDS epidemic. These women deserve to be punished because they broke the norms In the survey, some of the women identified as part of three groups simultaneously but not openly (stigma asocciated to HIV+ sex workers and transgender women living with HIV). But, the issue of violence has the potential of getting together in the same table different stakeholders, even those who disagree with HIV. Focusing on our similarities (e.g. GBV) rather than
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Our research team

Ximena Salazar (UPCH), Yolanda Cachicatari (IC MVVS La Paz), Laura Lara (IC Trans Santa Cruz), Chantal Cuellar (IC Trans

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Washington D.C., USA, 22-27 July 2012