Esther J. Jenkins. LaVida Davis, Megan Rosado, Leticia Maldonado, Lisa Gilmore and Laura Mintz (left to right). Photos by Charlsie Dewey
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When members of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago were discussing the possibility of bringing special benefit performances of The Color Purple to Chicago, some people were concerned over the musical's negative images of African-American males. The AIDS Foundation of Chicago decided to move forward with two fundraising performances. The first was held on April 22 and the second will be on May 4. The group also decided the best way to address the negative and controversial images would be to create a dialogue around the topic.
On April 18, The AIDS Foundation of Chicago's Service Providers Council presented, 'Twin Epidemics: Domestic Violence and HIV/AIDS' to a crowded and concerned group gathered at The University Center's Lake Center Room, 525 S. State.
Renee Ogletree, director of student development for Chicago Public Schools, was the moderator of the event. Ogletree began the day with a brief discussion of domestic violence ( DV ) within Chicago's youth demographic and the increased use of violence by girls.
Ogletree also stated the three main objectives of the conference: to help service providers learn when issues collide and understand the relationships of these issues; to share new guidelines and simple ways HIV and domestic violence-related service providers can add to their work; and to network for future research and resource exchange.
Esther J. Jenkins, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Chicago State University, presented the keynote address, 'HIV Risk and Intimate Partner Violence in the African American Community.'
Jenkins' presentation included a discussion on HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence ( IPV ) as well as the prevalence, risk factors and dynamics of IPV in the African-American community.
Jenkins pointed out that studies have shown that African Americans have higher rates of IPV, stating that 2004 statistics show Blacks made up 13 percent of the U.S. population but accounted for 30 percent of domestic violence-related homicides, with African American women accounting for 20 percent of DV fatalities while only making up 6.5-7 percent of the U.S. population.
IPV has declined overall, but Jenkins said that African Americans are still overrepresented in categories associated with increased risk, including poverty and unemployment.
Jenkins reminded the crowd that Blacks have an interesting relationship with the police, a comment that elicited much laughter around the room, but was a strong reminder of why some women are reluctant to go to the police. Reasons include a fear of being re-victimized and ( sometimes ) a shared history of oppression and political kinship with Black men that leads to a situation in which Jenkins said race may override gender issues for Black women.
Jenkins also pointed to the image of African-American women as strong, which often leads to a stereotype that Black women are not 'true' victims.
IPV often involves forced sex and violent men are more likely to engage in behaviors that put female partners at risk, Jenkins said. Three key factors in the issue of IPV and HIV/AIDS are that women are at risk of abuse when negotiating condom use, that women risk abuse when revealing they are HIV-positive and that IPV is a risk factor for contracting HIV.
Jenkins's presentation was followed by a five-member expert panel including Laura Mintz, Chicago Department of Public Health and consultant for the Young Women's Empowerment Project; Lisa Gilmore, anti-violence project therapist and trainer at the Center on Halsted; Leticia Maldonado, senior perinatal case manager at PACPI-Mt. Sinai Hospital; Megan Rosado, volunteer education coordinator for the Chicago Abused Women Coalition; and LaVida Davis, principal and founder of The Asha Group.
Together, the five panelists hit on a variety of IPV and HIV/AIDS issues, both in general and specific to certain communities.
LGBT community members face additional issues related to domestic violence, according to the panelists. Gilmore pointed to the recent murder of Villa Park resident Rebecca Klein, where newspapers continued to refer to the woman's 'roommate' as the prime suspect rather than her girlfriend, which was actually the case.
Gilmore also said that ' [ d ] ue to social stigma, those who are HIV positive and or identify as LGBTQ face additional strategies with which others can exert power over them. In additio,n it causes problems with trying to access services.'
A particularly disturbing statistic Gilmore presented was that 'within 48 hours of being homeless, youth are offered survival needs in exchange for sex,' and that '30-40 percent of homeless youth in Chicago identify as LGBT.'
The conference concluded with a special presentation by Vanessa Johnson, deputy executive director of the National Association of People with AIDS, called 'Story of a Survivor.'