HIV, Sexual Violence and Exploitation during Post-Conflict Transitions: The Case of Sierra Leone

Johannes John-Langba

The gendered dimensions of exposure to HIV during armed conflicts and in refugee and post-conflict situations in sub-Saharan Africa are still under-documented. In particular, very little is known about the varying patterns of female vulnerability to HIV in conflict zones, where women and girls are likely to be victims of sexual violence and exploitation. Using empirical research evidence from fieldwork conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, this chapter examines the patterns of women and girls’ vulnerability to HIV during armed conflicts, refugee situations and post-conflict transitions. It presents evidence-based analysis of the impact of sexual and gender-based violence and exploitation on this vulnerability and in these contexts. These patterns suggest specific prevention approaches not only in terms of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) prevention and response but also of national HIV and AIDS policies and interventions in the region. Research evidence from the region suggests complex relationships between violence against women, gender norms – such as those associated with masculinity – and social problems such as migration, poverty and crime that require nuanced analyses for effective HIV and AIDS policy and practice interventions, particularly during armed conflicts and in refugee and post-conflict situations. In sub-Saharan Africa, conflict and displacement prepare the way for the spread of HIV by increasing individual and community risks of HIV infection through the increased vulnerability of women and girls to sexual violence and exploitation within an environment of decreased availability and/or use of reproductive health and other health services, as well as low levels of knowledge about HIV prevention and condom use.

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