Johns Hopkins Researcher, Carrie Lyons, presented a recent analysis of rates of HIV around the world by last month at the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020: Virtual).
The study, Aidsmap reports, conducted between 2011 – 2018 collected data from about 8113 men who have sex with men in 10 Sub Saharan African countries. The study further classified countries into three categories:
- No criminalization (four countries: Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau and Rwanda);
- Some criminalization (less than eight years in prison, four countries: Cameroon, Senegal, Togo and eSwatini);
- Severe criminalization (more than ten years in prison, two countries: Gambia and Nigeria).
The study showed that men who have sex with men in countries where gay sex is severely criminalised are at a nearly five times higher risk of having HIV when compared to countries with no criminalisation. Those who live in countries where there is some criminalization are only twice as likely to be at risk of the virus.
“Decriminalisation of consensual same-sex sexual practices is necessary to optimise HIV prevention efforts and ultimately address the HIV epidemic,” Lyons concluded.
“Homophobia creates barriers to appropriate sexual health information and advice, it prevents people from testing and from accessing HIV treatment, which not only saves lives but also halts onwards transmission. We will not end HIV without ensuring the rights and dignity of LGBT people are respected,” Matthew Hodson, executive director of British charity NAM aidsmap told PinkNews.
