Almost 3 million people are newly diagnosed with HIV annually, with only 1 in 8 receiving antiretroviral therapy. A new focus on this ongoing epidemic is needed. Healthcare personnel should examine what drives the spread of HIV in various populations to develop multifaceted prevention strategies. Differences in the social value of women, power differences, varying opportunities, and behavioral expectations of men and women contribute to gender-related violence.The evidence supporting the role of gender-based violence and gender inequity in HIV spread in women has increased. Women in South Africa experiencing physical or sexual intimate partner violence or those in relationships with low equality are at a greater risk for HIV infections when compared with women who have not experienced these inequalities.One in 7 new HIV infections could have been prevented if the women in this study have avoided physical or sexual abuse; women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse are at a two-thirds greater risk for HIV infection. Women and girls constrained by poverty and limited opportunities are more likely to tolerate partners who are violent and controlling and to view engagement in transactional sex or prostitution as a viable choice. Women who are depressed, abusing substances, or experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder related to rape are more likely to engage in risky sex, thus increasing their risk of HIV infection.
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