Breaking the Silence

On Saturday November 6, 2010 Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science presents Breaking the Silence II: Black and Latina Women Finding Ways to Take Care of Ourselves in Our Relationships with Men at King/Drew Magnet High School in Los Angeles. This is the second in a series of conferences with the goal of bringing awareness and solutions to the problem of how issues of power and self-esteem negatively affect many women’s choices regarding their own health. This includes who they have sex with, whether or not they use protection, who they take care of first, and if infected with HIV, how they take care of themselves.

Women of color in Los Angeles and throughout the nation are being adversely affected by HIV/AIDS, mainly through high risk heterosexual contact. These women may be at increased risk due to social and cultural factors influencing safer sex behaviors such as condom use negotiation, gender norms, and marital expectations. Prevention efforts which solely promote consistent condom use with every partner fail to take into account these factors or many individuals’ desire to have children. Providing women with a better understanding of the truths and myths regarding men’s sexual activities, facilitating honest dialogues regarding sexual histories and outside sexual activities, and encouraging routine testing may help to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk and morbidity in women.

The event is free and open to the public. Register at www.breakingthesilenceevent.com or call (323) 357-3440.

Download more information here.