Collaborative effort of HIV, domestic violence and homeless service organizations to develop integrated services as strategy for HIV risk reduction for women

Issues: Women are disproportionately affected by both HIV/AIDS and domestic violence (DV). HIV/AIDS is the fifth leading cause of death among all women aged 35-44. Every year about 4.8 million women become victims of DV and women account for 75% of deaths caused by DV. A recurrent theme in the literature on women's risk for HIV is that women's attempts to negotiate condom use with male partners often result in threats of or actual violence. Despite this, research and practice on the issue of HIV prevention and DV remains mostly separate, leading to gaps in integrated services. Structural factors such as poverty may also increase women's risk for HIV and DV, with research demonstrating an association between homelessness, HIV infection and DV for women.

Description: This program describes the findings of an initiative that assembled the DV, HIV/AIDS, and homeless service organizations in Philadelphia to increase awareness of the intersections between HIV and DV services and initiate conversations about integration of prevention services for women.

Lessons Learned: A significant challenge of the program was hesitancy from homeless service providers to participate in the delivery of integrated services due to lack of time and capacity building needed for homeless organizations to provide additional services to their clients.

Recommendations: Recommendations are to: a) educate all HIV, DV and homeless service providers about HIV and DV; b) identify resources that homeless service providers can utilize to refer their female clients who need or may benefit from HIV and DV services.