HIV/AIDS Striking Young Women More [Married women in Far East getting AIDS at higher rate]

AP ^ | June 24, 2004 | DANIEL LOVERING

[summer]

...the disease has apparently spread because of a lack of knowledge and women's subservient roles in relationships.

"More than 90 percent of the HIV cases that we have been providing assistance to ... are infected by their partners or husbands," she said. "Social factors have much to do with the infection (rate) ... unequal gender relations place women at a more vulnerable position."

It doesn't surprise me that married women whose husbands are not faithful are getting AIDS; but, it does surprise me this situation is currently reported as happening only in the Far East.

[King Prout]

just curious: how many of these married Thai women used to be unmarried Thai whores?

[summer]

I don't know, but I still think if a woman is faithful -- and her husband is the one hanging around with whores -- the wife who is faithful (and was never a whore) may well be at a very high risk of getting this disease.

[King Prout]

without a doubt, that is true.
but I was wondering... I mean, this is THAILAND we are talking about.

[summer]

Yeah, and the prostitutes in that city and surrounding areas attract a lot of straight men from around the world. I think some straight men simply think it is impossible for them to get this disease. But, it happens.

[summer]

city = country

[taxed2death]

...Answer: Probably the same ratio as here in the USA.

[King Prout]

yes, it does, though not as easily as for women, and nowhere near as easily as for homosexual men.

let me clarify, delicately: normal heterosexual penetrative intercoures using the correct bits of anatomy poses a greater risk for women then men, and poses far less of a risk to either than do deviant heterosexual or normal homosexual-male practices.

For this reason, I find it hard to square the math... If they are married, and are getting the disease from their husbands, doesn't this as a corollary mean that their husbands are infected? If yes, how can their infection rate be higher than that of their husbands? Even if it is not, how could their rate of infection be "surprising" when compared to the rate of infection of their husbands?

This piece is fluff.

[King Prout]

dude, it's THAILAND.
The percentage of ex-hookers is probably a trifle higher.

[megatherium]

dude, it's THAILAND. The percentage of ex-hookers is probably a trifle higher.

True -- but in some cultures, women are expected to be faithful but men are not. (Not sure if this describes Thailand.) Some people believe that heterosexual AIDS is a myth. It isn't. All the virus needs is a pool of promiscuous people to circulate around in, and an epidemic will happen. Ordinary vaginal intercourse will transmit the virus both ways (but the woman is more vulnerable to transmission through this route). The odds of transmission this route from a single encounter might be small, but there's something about sex that makes people do it a lot. Again, the real issue is promiscuity: if there is enough of it, an epidemic is possible.

[rogue yam]

The percentage of ex-hookers is probably a trifle higher.

I expect that the percentage of women explicitly engaging in prostitution is somewhat higher in Thailand than in the U.S. But I also expect that the average number of sexual partners for women who have never explicitly accepted money for sex is significantly higher in the U.S. than in Thailand. Thai society is, generally speaking, quite modest and chaste. I think Thai people in general and Thai women in particular would be dismayed to be thought of as otherwise.

[Salgak]

I hate to sound all "you have to understand different cultures" and such, but there isn't much of a stigma attached to being a current or former prostitute in many areas of the Far East. That being said, the poor wives who get HIV from their philandering husbands is a pity. And I've read somewhere that the "Asian" strain of HIV is significantly easier to transmit via normal, heterosexual sex, than the strain more common in North America and Europe. . .

[summer]

Again, the real issue is promiscuity: if there is enough of it, an epidemic is possible.

I agree with your post. And, I think you have hit on the real issue - promiscuity. A tough issue for some straight men to deal with.

I would also think that in a place like Amsterdam, there would be high rates of HIV/AIDS among faithful, married women, if one conducted a study, simply because prostitution is so widely available to men in that country.

[summer]

That being said, the poor wives who get HIV from their philandering husbands is a pity.

I agree, but I don't think Thai women are the only ones who will suffer this way. A man need not go al the way to Thailand to hook up with a prostitute infected with HIV.

[summer]

But I also expect that the average number of sexual partners for women who have never explicitly accepted money for sex is significantly higher in the U.S. than in Thailand.

I think you're right about that. I also believe this potential epidemic in the USA is yet another reason for what I see as continuously growing support in the US for conservatism. Being faithful to one's spouse does not seem to rank high on some people's List of Things To Do, a la Bill Clinton and others.

[King Prout]

But I also expect that the average number of sexual partners for women who have never explicitly accepted money for sex is significantly higher in the U.S. than in Thailand.

probably.

my questions, however, stand.

[taxed2death]

....well, based on your observations (probably) everyone in the US is a gun toting fat-assed druggie.

"Perception" is a funny thing. You might find it interesting how Americans (Farang) are percieved in Thailand.

[King Prout]

not all, but a very large number are.
perceptions and "stereotypes" are funny things... despite what the PC crowd would have us believe, they can often be reasonably accurate.

[monday]

"just curious: how many of these married Thai women used to be unmarried Thai whores?"

How would we know, and what does that have to do with anything?

[King Prout]

I don't know how we would know, but a high incidence of former sex-slaves would in part explain the "surprising" incidence of HIV among these married women. I explained in an earlier post on this thread why I find the surprise a bit puzzling.