HIV/AIDS And Structural Violence

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HIV/AIDS appeared in the 1980’s and quickly spread throughout the world. There is a strong, visible link between HIV/AIDS risk and infection and low social and economic development (Parker, 2002). The HIV epidemic occurs in places of poverty, racism, gender inequality, and sexual oppression. The growing division between the extremely wealthy and the extremely poor is increasing the isolation of and disease presence among the poor populations (Parker, 2002).
HIV/AIDS almost exclusively affects populations living with various forms of structural violence. Structural violence refers to systematic ways in which social structures harm or otherwise disadvantage individuals (Burtle, 2010). It can also be characterized by discrimination, exploitation, and injustice. The victims of structural violence are a social body rather than individuals. It is observed through survival rates and can be described as a ‘loss of life-years,’ rather than by counting the number of dead (Høivik, 1977).
Dr. Paul Farmer describes structural violence as “violence exerted systematically, that is, indirectly, by everyone who belongs to a certain social order,” and he explains that erasing history is the most common tool used by those inflicting structural violence (Farmer, 2004).
Structural violence has a powerful effect on the risk and spread of HIV/AIDS because policies and laws limit access to proper and effective treatment for groups of individuals infected, especially poor women.
One of the biggest issues the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) addresses is the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and the need to fight it. Many public health experts believe that stigma, along with the high cost of treatment, the lack of infrastructure, and the la...

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...e infected gain access to treatment. There are many stigmas and stereotypes associated with individuals who are infected. Policies put in place by wealthy nations over the highly impacted developing nations directly affect how people access medication and social services. In addition, local policies and laws affect how individuals earn an income and how they can survive. In the case of sex workers in Canada, the police force the sex workers to more remote and isolated areas, increasing their risk of violence and lowering their ability to negotiate condom use. On a larger scale, poor countries are unable to economically compete with wealthy countries. The only means they have to get themselves out of poverty is being out produced by the market leaders. Poor countries and poor communities in wealthy countries have the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world.

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