Abstinence, being faithful and using condoms—all three were on the list of topics to help prevent HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases during a talk Wednesday at Per Ankh Center in Frederiksted.
The event was hosted by Chenzirah Kahina of Per Ankh as part of the Nu Woman Rising and LIVE UP HIV/AIDS prevention program, in commemoration of National Women and Girls HIV AIDS Awareness Day.
With the orange rays of sunset streaming into the center from over the Caribbean, a small group of women spoke frankly about the sometimes taboo but critical, life-changing—and life-saving—matters of sexuality.
"Every 35 minutes a woman tests positive for HIV in the U.S.," Kahina said, holding up a poster with that bit of data on it. "The face today of AIDS is a woman of color. As a region, Africa has the highest rate of AIDS … and frighteningly the Caribbean is second."
Within the United States, Washington, D.C., has the highest rate of HIV infection, while the territory has the second-highest per-capita rate, she said.
Safe sex and abstinence will prevent transmission. But having had a previous sexually transmitted disease increases the chances of contracting HIV when exposed, as do diabetes and other health factors, she said. So people in economically dire conditions are at a heightened risk.
Some of the women in the circle were teachers, who lamented how difficult it is to speak frankly about prevention.
"We have a society that promotes all kinds of things, but when it comes time to talk about prevention, suddenly we become prudes," said Sommer Sibilly, a paraprofessional with the V.I. Department of Education.
"When I was speaking with a group of young girls the other day, they were telling me stuff they really should not even be aware of; bragging about the number of partners they had and so on," Kahina said.
Many young girls are sexually active but have no idea about the risks or the symptoms of STDs, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, she said. "I had one young girl ask me if it is normal to bleed 15 days out of the month," she said. "No it’s not normal. But she had no idea. No one had talked to her. These are young girls. I’m working with children who are active, who are pregnant and who already have STDs and yet many parents still want to talk only about abstinence."
One woman suggested societal attitudes in the Caribbean contribute to the spreading of STDs.
"In a lot of minority communities, for a guy to have 50 women, that’s cool," said Shennelle Henry, a teacher on leave from Eulalie R. Rivera Elementary. "And more and more, young women are having the same attitude," she said.
Another recalled how HIV and AIDS struck close to home in her own family.
"My aunt died of AIDS," she said. "I remember being about 12 and hearing ‘Oh auntie has AIDS.’ Even now the family will not acknowledge it or talk about it. It was terrible. I remember going to see her and she was in a coma and still coughing up blood. … We have to live our lives differently or they will have lived in vain."
The group shared thoughts on these attitudes, and Kahina added factual information and data whenever called for. Then, after Kahina gathered some brief suggestions from everyone on how to make a difference, the group formed a circle for a short self-affirmation.
Nu Woman Rising is a new program to fight the territory’s HIV/AIDs from a holistic, wellness-oriented approach. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is working to reduce the stigma associated with HIV education, moving it out of the shadows and into a broader, prevention and personal-empowerment program focused on young African Caribbean women.
For more on National Women and Girls HIV AIDS Awareness Day, go to: http://www.womenshealth.gov/nwghaad/.
For more information or to arrange certification and training sessions for your group, ministry or organization, please contact: Princess Anumaat by email at: [email protected]
or call 1-305-407-2654 or 888-614 5554.