ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the lives of HIV/AIDS-infected or -affected women in the context of inequalities in power relations. Women's lack of power in heterosexual relationships often translates into constraints on their sexual behaviour. 'Gender' is a social construct that differentiates the power, roles, responsibilities, and obligations of women from those of men in a society. Male dominance is usually referred to as patriarchy. Male partners, having multiple concurrent sexual relationships and poor communication within marital relationship, used female vulnerability to abuse and transfer HIV infection. The chapter focuses on the elements of gender and power theory like sexual division of labour, sexual division of power, and gender norms. It explains the Content analysis was used to identify, categorise and analyse the emerging themes. The chapter discusses the Violence can take several forms including verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical violence, and sexual violence.