According to the report, AIDS is both spread by and results in violence against women.  For example, women are less able to demand condom use or refuse sexual advances due to threats of violence.  Furthermore, HIV or AIDS status, testing, and treatment also increases the risk of violence towards women.  The failure to address such violence in HIV/AIDS efforts has resulted in a disproportionate number of HIV positive women.  Accordingly, a truly comprehensive campaign against HIV/AIDS must include efforts to eliminate violence towards women.

While there is a strong correlation between violence against women and AIDS, the report found that more needs to be done to unite the issues.  The agencies in the report have made public statements regarding the link between violence against women and AIDS, but none have yet fully integrated efforts to address violence in their campaigns against HIV/AIDS.  Currently, not one of the agencies articulates a strategy for addressing violence against women, and none has tools to track the funding allocated to or evaluate the success of organizations working to address violence against women.

To eliminate these gaps in accountability, the report has several recommendations. Funding organizations are urged to develop policies addressing violence and to support cross-issue cooperation.  Furthermore, they are encouraged to create methods of measuring the success of efforts to abolish violence, such as tracking how resources are allocated and utilized and conducting studies to improve the effectiveness of integration at the field level.

To view the full report, click here.