Intimate Relationship and Hiv

Avni (name changed for anonymity) is a forty-year-old empowered HIV+ woman currently employed in the position of community coordinator with an ART (anti-retroviral therapy) facility. She was able to transform from a bias and social stigma victim (on account of her status as an HIV+ individual) to her current self because of her resolve and the social assistance of a medico-social work organization (Kushwaha & Kumkar, 2012). Born on December 10, 1977 in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Avni was the only daughter of an agrarian family.

She never knew her father, who passed away of an unfortunate accident just weeks after her birth. She was condemned by all, even her mom, as having brought misfortune to their family. Her widowed mother was forced to leave her deceased husband's home and make a home for herself elsewhere. Avni grew up ignored, scorned, and constantly reprimanded by her mother for an unending number of faults.

She had to perform all household tasks and work at the family's fields as well, where she was subject to sexual abuse by a farmhand at the age of 10 (Kushwaha & Kumkar, 2012). In spite of her shockingly desolate childhood, Avni wasn't deterred from her dream of completing basic schooling up to senior high at least, against her mom's wishes and unlike most of her village's other girls who often dropped out of school at the primary level.

She wished to earn her own livelihood, become financially stable and prove to her community that she wasn't as ill-omened as she was made out to be. She never strayed from her staunch belief that everyone creates their own destiny. In spite of her reluctance and strong opposition to getting married early (she wished to pursue higher education), Avni was forcibly married off to a farmhand, at age 18.

As she was only an average-looking girl, her husband largely ignored her and often cheated on her with better looking women, a habit of his she had no hopes of changing (Kushwaha & Kumkar, 2012). Psychosocial Information Some months into her wedding, Avni began to fall ill continuously and was recommended to take an HIV test. The result came back positive, for Avni as well as her husband. Avni was shattered to have contracted the disease for no fault of hers.

The couple was afraid of being discriminated and stigmatized and decided not to reveal their problem to kith and kin. However, in spite of their HIV+ status, the couple decided to start a family, owing to familial and social pressures and their ignorance of the fact that their child may also be born HIV+. Avni's first pregnancy ended in a stillbirth. In the course of her next pregnancy, she found out midway that the child could be HIV+ as well.

But she was almost certain God wouldn't inflict such a horrid disease on an innocent child. The child born was, indeed, HIV-negative (Kushwaha & Kumkar, 2012). She gave birth to yet another HIV-negative child a couple of years later. Shortly after she conceived for the fourth time, her husband's health deteriorated and the society ultimately got to know of their condition. He was treated, although unsuccessfully, for some months and succumbed to the disease a few days after the birth of their third child.

At the time of her third delivery, owing to knowledge of her HIV status, hospital authorities tended to her separately. The newly born child was administered nevirapine at the time of birth. Fortunately for Avni, all her children (three daughters) were born HIV-negative. Her parents-in-law were convinced it was Avni who first contracted the disease and transmitted to it to their son, whom they believed, contrary to the actual truth, to be an honorable and faithful husband.

The widowed Avni was ostracized and left to raise three children alone, without the support of society or her family (Kushwaha & Kumkar, 2012). 1. When did you first receive your HIV+ diagnosis? I was married in the year 1995. Some months into my wedding, I began to fall ill continuously and was recommended to take an HIV test. The result came back positive, for me as well as my husband. I was shattered to have contracted the disease for no fault of mine.

We were afraid of being discriminated and stigmatized and decided not to reveal our problem to kith and kin. 2. What knowledge did you possess regarding HIV at the time of your diagnosis? All I knew was that if the society became aware of my condition, they would ostracize me. In spite of our HIV+ status, we decided to start a family, owing to familial and societal pressures and our ignorance of the fact that our child may also be born HIV+. 3.

What impact did your childhood have on your health? My childhood experiences made me the independent woman I am today. My HIV+ status helps me aid other individuals. Despite my traumatic childhood, I have survived, come to terms with what my life heretofore has been, and decided to use my experiences to aid other suffering individuals. 4. After being made aware of your HIV+ status, were you recommended any HIV-infection drugs? My village lacked good doctors.

Also, if we did visit a doctor for our condition, our community would come to know of our problem. At the time of my first delivery, which ended in a stillborn child, I did not inform hospital authorities of my HIV status out of fear that they would not accept my case. 5. Have you been diagnosed with clinical depression? Our entire village ostracized me after coming to know of my condition.

All who passed by my house looked the other way, some even going as far as covering their faces as though they would contract the disease by simply looking at our home. My in-laws never allowed me on their doorstep after their son's death. Nobody spoke to me or invited me to weddings and other social events. My children were shunned as well. I couldn't even work for a living in the village as people believed any small amount of interaction with me would see them become HIV+.

I was so utterly depressed; I even contemplated suicide in those days. The only thing that stopped me from acting on my suicidal thoughts was my three children, who would definitely not have been able to survive without me. 6. Did the infection impact your neurocognitive capabilities? HIV+ individuals are more vulnerable to central nervous system (CNS) disease marked by cognitive, behavioral, language, and motor impairments (Miller, 2006).

I, however, was fortunate not to have developed any such issue and could go in for an interview for a community coordinator post with an ART facility. As I had the necessary educational qualifications, communication skills, positive approach and drive, in addition to having taken part in conferences and seminars on HIV, I bagged the job and, ever, since, I have served as a therapist, HIV worker, volunteer, activist, and representative. 7.

Following your husband's demise, did you contemplate remarriage or a sexual relationship with another man? A bullock-cart driver from a neighboring village befriended me after my husband's demise. We became involved in an intimate relationship and I even became pregnant. In spite of my HIV status, he was willing to marry me and provide me the emotional support and companionship I was long deprived of. However, a medico-social work agency at my state's capital city recommended that I abort the baby and put.