ALARM AS LESBIANS ARE SHUT OUT OF HIV INTERVENTIONS

By Simangele Mzizi (BTM Intern)

SOUTH AFRICA – 21 July 2009: As health institutions are stepping up to fight HIV prevalence among the gay community Women who have Sex with Women (WSW) seem to be shut out.

This is a group which, according to Nomvuyo Dlamini of Durban Lesbian and Gay Community and Health Care Centre, is less researched but also faces sexual health problems.

Dlamini says the WSW are generally not regarded as being at a high risk of HIV “but they are.”

While studies show that prevention programmes focusing on WSW and HIV are still extremely limited, Dlamini says a study conducted on WSW in Durban and surrounding townships aimed to asses the needs of these women with the intention to come up with programmes that will assist them.

 “We convinced our funders to get involved on the study about WSW after our personal counselling project at the Centre revealed that women needed specific programmes to address their needs”, added Dlamini.

Dlamini revealed that the Centre is presently scrutinising a report of one study which will help them establish a programme for WSW at the centre.

HIV prevention among WSW and lesbian women remains off the prevention agenda, according to Beverly Ditsie an LGBTI rights activist.

Speaking at the launch of a book titled From Social Silence to Social Science-same-sex sexuality, HIV and AIDS and gender in South Africa on Friday 3 July 2009, Ditsie said “When it comes to same-sex relationships other than male-to-male, [HIV] transmission is something we think we don’t have to talk about.”

On the other hand Plus News recently reported that a research conducted by OUT LGBT-Wellbeing showed that only about 40 percent of WSW knew their HIV status.

 “This research brings more attention to women who have sex with women, which is an under researched and un-investigated area”, said Juan Nel for the Centre for Applied Psychology at the University of South Africa (UNISA).
 
Meanwhile Preliminary results from a 2008 Soweto Men’s Study on HIV prevalence amongst Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) resulted in the establishment of a Health4men programme, housed at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.

Findings of this study revealed that amongst the MSM, men who identified as gay were at higher risk of HIV infection.

Asked why this programme focuses only in MSM and excluding WSW David Motswagae of the Health4men programme said, for now, they only refer WSW to places where they can get assistance.

He however he said in future they are looking at implementing programmes structured for WSW.

According to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) “lesbians, long ignored in HIV prevention and service programs, need and deserve tailored interventions and better health outcomes.”

According to a June 2009 Study HIV Risk for Lesbian Bisexual and Other Women who have Sex with Women by the Centre for Disease Control, there have been no confirmed cases of female to female HIV transmission.

LGBTI activists remain concerned that this might leave experts working in the field of HIV and AIDS and WSW thinking that HIV transmission among WSW is not an issue needing attention.