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Invisible “Others”: Sexual Health Vulnerabilities of Wives of Men who Have Sex with Men

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Abstract

The recent trend in the feminization of the HIV epidemic poses great risk to women, especially to the wives of men who have sex with men (MSM). The objective of the present study was to explore wives’ responses to their husbands’ sexual orientation as well as the factors that influence their sexual health in India. For this research, 15 wives who were aware of their husbands’ sexual orientation and their husbands were interviewed separately using semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups. The study explored the social and cultural structures that create gender inequality, which put women married to MSM at sexual health risk. These factors need to be addressed carefully through existing MSM targeted interventions, without breaching the confidentiality of either partner.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mrs. Veena Panjwani, former counselor, Lakshya Trust, for interviewing female respondents; Prince Manvendrasingh Gohil, Chair, Lakshya Trust, for his support to this study. Hanif and Jayesh Jadav, staff members, Lakshya Trust, deserve hearty thanks for their support in reaching out to the respondents. Special thanks to Professor Richard Parker, Columbia University, for his review and valuable feedback on this research paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Faculty of Family and Community Sciences, M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, 390002, India

    Apurva Pandya

  2. Ambe Vidyalaya, Vadodara, India

    Siddhi Pandya

  3. Lakshya Trust, Vadodara, India

    Bharat Patil & Sylvester Merchant

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  1. Apurva Pandya
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  2. Siddhi Pandya
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  3. Bharat Patil
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  4. Sylvester Merchant
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Correspondence to Apurva Pandya.

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Pandya, A., Pandya, S., Patil, B. et al. Invisible “Others”: Sexual Health Vulnerabilities of Wives of Men who Have Sex with Men. Sexuality & Culture 16, 76–89 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-011-9100-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-011-9100-7

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