sexual assault & hiv : the facts east los angeles women’s center
TRANSCRIPT
Sexual Assault & HIV :The Facts
East Los Angeles Women’s Center
East Los Angeles Women’s CenterMarisela Velazquez
Interim Executive Director
Thelma GarciaAIDS Program Coordinator
Sonia RiveraSexual Assault Program Volunteer
Coordinator
Alejandra Aguilar HIV Promotora / Health Educator
Sexual Assault Advocate
East Los Angeles Women’s Center
MissionThe mission of the East Los Angeles Women’s Center is to provide a variety of services for women, with an emphasis on sexual and domestic violence and HIV/AIDS.
VisionWorking together to create a society free of violence and to provide safety and hope.
We are a place were your silence is heard
East Los Angeles Women’s Center
Sexual Assault Services: Accompaniments, counseling, support and prevention
education
Domestic Violence Counseling Services:• Counseling, case management services and prevention
education
HIV/ AIDS Education/Prevention Services: HIV Promotora certified training, Bilingual HIV/AIDS
Hotline, community education and prevention
HIV/AIDSHIV destroys a certain kind of blood cell (CD4+ T cells) which is crucial to the normal function of the human immune system.
Main ways of HIV transmission
The HIV virus is mainly spread by unprotected sex: Oral, Anal & VaginalBabies born to HIV-infected mother Sharing needles with an HIV-infected person
Body fluids that can infect you with HIV are:
1.) Blood2.) Semen3.) pre-ejaculatory liquid (pre-cum)4.) Vaginal secretions5.) Breast milk (if mother is infected)
Sexual Assault and HIV/AIDS 1 out of every 3 women in Los Angeles County would be raped at least
once in her lifetime (Human Relations Commission)
Around the world at least I women in 3 has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family. (John Hopkins School of Public Health 2000)
Sexual Abuse in childhood is associated with risk-taking behavior later in life, increasing an individual’s lifetime risk of contracting HIV (WHO, 2006)
Women can be infected with the HIV virus trough forced sex; the chances of a woman contracting HIV via a forced sexual encounter are probably increased since forced sex often involves trauma and tissue tearing which can provide an open door to the virus (WHO, 2006)
Sexual Assault and HIV/AIDS Possibility of HIV infection from Sexual Assault/ Rape:
HIV is fairly hard to get from a single contact Numerous Sexually Transmitted Diseases Specific physical trauma to the victim There are only a few cases of HIV from a sexual assault Increased risky behaviors overtime
Source: The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of Californiahttp://wd.usdoj.gov/usao/cac/vw/sexual.html
Sexual Assault and HIV/AIDS
Testing for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Testing and Confidentiality
HIV Testing and the perpetrator of Sexual Assault
Counseling and Information
Source: The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of Californiahttp://wd.usdoj.gov/usao/cac/vw/sexual.html
HIV/AIDS Treatment There is no cure for AIDS, however, the FDA (Food
& Drug Administration) has approved the use of certain prescription drugs in the treatment of AIDS-related illnesses.
Antiretroviral drugs work in different ways to keep HIV from making more copies of itself.
Sexual Assault and HIV/AIDS
HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) FollowingSexual Assault In California
Timing Age of Survivor Consideration of Act(s) of Assault Consideration of Assailant’s HIV Status Consideration of Other Factors
http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/links_SexAssaultHIVPEP.htm
Resources
1 800 656-4673 National Sexual Assault Hotlinewww.rainn.org
1 888 232-6348 Center for Disease Control and Preventionwww.cdc.gov/hiv
1 916 446-2520 California Coalition Against Sexual Assaultwww.calcasa.org
1 800 367-2437 California HIV/AIDS Hotline 1 800 400-7432 Promoters in Action Against AIDS
Bilingual HIV/AIDS Hotline
1 800 585-6231 East Los Angeles Rape and Battering Hotline
East Los Angeles Women’s Center
1255 S. Atlantic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90022
323-526-5819
323-526-5822 fax
Thank you !
www.elawc.org