Gendered Violence, HIV Acquisition, and Clinical/Behavioral Research

HIV incidence and prevalence rates for US women continue to increase, especially among Black and Latina women. In addition, the link between violence and HIV acquisition has been well documented. However, the interaction between violence, HIV risk, and HIV acquisition remains an under-addressed issue in current clinical and behavioral HIV research designs. Because violence against women plays an important role in HIV acquisition and transmission, it is imperative for clinical research to address violence in trial design and implementation. In this article, we discuss the prevalence of violence in women’s lives; the role violence plays in HIV acquisition; and the absence of violence in clinical research designs. We conclude with recommendations for integrating concerns about HIV and violence against women into sponsor- and investigator-driven HIV research priorities and clinical trial design