In Goa 38% of HIV hit are women

38% of HIV hit are women
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: A woman, cheated into a marriage with an HIV positive man, filed for divorce as soon as she learned about his HIV status as she didn’t wish to live the rest of her life with the man who kept her in the dark about the same. Women’s liberation has touched a new high in Goa, with few women daring to put the lid on the unhappy marriages.
The latest trend, noticed over the past one year, has seen more than four women apply for either divorce or separation as their partners had hidden their HIV status at the time of marriage. “We have registered number of cases of women who are married to HIV positive men, who either didn’t know their HIV status or didn’t disclose it before marriage. In 4 cases, the women after they knew of their spouse’s HIV status, wanted either divorce or separation. One of them was tested HIV positive,” said Goa State AIDS Control Society chairperson Dr Pramod Salgaocar.
Dr Salgaocar added, “Most of the women are from Goan middle class families, who are in their early twenties. Once they know of their spouse’s HIV status, they feel cheated and betrayed. While some ask for separation, few opt for divorce. But many continue to live with the spouse and try to adjust with what fate has to offer.”
The surveillance data prepared by Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) shows that of the estimated 12000 HIV positive individuals in the state, 38% are women and more than 85% are in the 15 to 29 age group. Besides, the proportion of HIV positive women has alarmingly increased from 12% in 1998 to 38% in 2008. Infact, 1 of every 3 HIV positive case detected in Goa is a woman.
“We have come across cases in which men have hidden their HIV status from their spouses at the time of marriage. Once the wife comes to know of the husband’s HIV status, hell breaks lose. If they are economically independent, then the women either walks out of the marriage or asks for separation.
Even if a woman tries to adjust, it is not easy as the blame game starts,” said Positive Lives Foundation president Jaffar Inamdar.
Sophia from Rishta said, “In majority of cases we have seen that by the time a woman learns about her husband’s HIV status, its too late as by then the woman is also tested HIV positive. So majority of women are left with no option but to support each other, till death parts them.”
“The only option that can help the couples is to make counselling mandatory and testing voluntary before marriage” added Dr Salgaocar.

December 2, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition