How do women at risk of HIV/AIDS in Iran perceive gender norms and gendered power relations in the context of safe sex negotiations?

Abstract

Sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS among women is growing in the Middle East region. Despite the fact that there are numerous gender-related sociocultural factors influencing HIV/AIDS protective behaviors, little gender-specificity is carried out in HIV prevention in Iran. In order to close this gap, we aimed to provide preliminary work that explored the perceptions that women at risk of HIV had about gender norms and gendered power and their ability to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS. Twenty-five semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with women at risk of HIV/AIDS, aged 21-49 years, at Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers or Drop in Centers in Tehran, Iran. Results showed that perceived gender norms were essential barriers of protective behavior through sexual socialization, male control over condom use and sexual decision-making, male pleasure predominating in sexual encounters and sexual double standards, and economic dependencies. In the conclusions, we consider how HIV/AIDS preventive programs can be structured to be gender-sensitive and empowering in Iran.