Violence, abuse and discrimination: key factors militating against control of HIV/AIDS among the LGBTI sector

Abstract

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) South Africans continue to face considerable challenges, including societal stigma, homophobic violence (particularly corrective rape), and high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and infections (particularly Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS) even when discrimination based on sexual orientation was outlawed by South African’s post-apartheid constitution. This study was conducted to ascertain violence, abuse and discrimination against the LGBTI sector as key factors that hinder the smooth implementation of HIV/AIDS programme among sexually minority (LGBTI) group in Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. The self-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The study involved 3048 purposively selected participants (1285 male and 1763 female) aged 17–38 years. About 70.5% of the participants witnessed physical attack as a form of violence against people in same-gender relationship; 47.7% disagreed that violent targeted at this sexually minority group is justified. The LGBTI face challenges which include verbal insults (937, 32.4%), bullying (532, 18.4%) and name-calling (1389, 48%). Discrimination against members of the LGBTI sector was witnessed in various forms: non-acceptance (981, 33.9%), disapproval of act of homosexuals (1308, 45.2) and denial of rights (327, 11.3). Violence, abuse and discrimination which constitute stigmatisation among the LGBTI sector are received with mix feeling. Some respondents justified the use of one or more of these key elements of stigmatisation against the LGBTI (6.6%, supports violence), others condemned these acts of stigmatisation (28.8%), against discrimination). Social stigma which resulted from violence, abuse and discrimination exist in this institution and is responsible for the unwillingness of disclosure of sexual orientation among the LGBTI members. An enabling environment should be created where the LGBTI members could come out freely to access programmes targeted at the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

“You are not a man”: a multi‐method study of trans stigma and risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among trans men in Uganda

“…Sexual violence was perpetrated by cisgender males who used sexual force as punishment for perceived transgression of gender norms [ 37 ]. Participants perceived that the perpetrators of “corrective rape” believed it would change transgender identity to cisgender heterosexual identity [ 38 ]. Trans men are more likely to be victims of sexual and/or physical violence than the general population [ 39 ].…”

Queer spirituality of black lesbians in Bloemfontein, South Africa

“…According to the United Nations report of 2015, many African countries still have many cases of open condemnation of same sex relationships. Much has been documented about the discrimination and violence that are targeted at sexual minorities and particularly Black lesbians (Abaver and Cishe, 2018;De Waal, 2011;Judge, 2017). Ironically, in the early years of democracy, South Africa had one of the highest number of incidents of rape in the world, and (Gqola, 2015;Matebeni, 2011)i "corrective rape" emerged as a specific form of sexual violence regarding Black lesbian women.…”

Experiences of Minority Stress Among Lesbian and Bisexual Women in Rwanda

“…Studies from Africa consistently report that rape survivors (in the general population) suffer from psychological trauma (Mgoqi-Mbalo, Zhang, & Ntuli, 2017), physical injuries (Sebaeng, Davhana-Maselesele, & Manyedi, 2016), increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (Abaver & Cishe, 2018) and HIV (Sandfort, Baumann, Matebeni, Reddy, & Southey-Swartz, 2013), and loss of social support (Albutt, Kelly, Kabanga, & VanRooyen, 2017; Wyatt et al, 2017). These increases in health risks are related to and exacerbate minority stress for SMW who have been victimized.…”