Addressing sexual violence and HIV risk among married adolescent girls in rural Nyanza, Kenya

Married adolescent girls form a large segment of Kenyan youth, yet they are largely overlooked by researchers and program managers concerned with the lives of adolescents. In settings such as Nyanza Province, Kenya, rates of HIV infection are extremely high, and evidence is increasing in some settings that girls who are married are much more likely to be infected, compared with their unmarried sexually active counterparts. Research indicates that the risk of HIV infection following forced sex is likely higher than following consensual sex. Finding ways to tackle sexual violence and HIV infection simultaneously has therefore become a major public health endeavor. Married adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence; however, there is a lack of data to guide intervention efforts specifically for such girls because they have largely remained invisible in programs. Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Series Brief No. 19 describes a program addressing the problem of sexual violence and the risk of HIV transmission within marriage in Nyanza Province