Just Die Quietly: Domestic Violence and Women's Vulnerability to HIV in Uganda

This report explores what the authors consider to be the shortcomings of Uganda's government to protect women from domestic violence and discrimination thereby increasing womens risk of contracting HIV. This report documents widespread rape and brutal attacks on women by their husbands in Uganda. It is stated that in Uganda domestic violence laws have not been enacted and spousal rape is not criminalized. It further states that many women have revealed that the fear of violent repercussions impede their access to HIV/AIDS information, testing, treatment, and counseling.

The report advises that HIV/AIDS programmes focusing on fidelity, abstinence, and condom use do not account for the ways in which domestic violence inhibits women's control over sexual matters in marriage. Human Rights Watch urges the Ugandan government to enact domestic violence legislation, and to make women's health, physical integrity, and equal rights in marriage a central focus of AIDS programming.