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The promises and limitations of female-initiated methods of HIV/STI protection [An article from: Social Science & Medicine]
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The promises and limitations of female-initiated methods of HIV/STI protection [An article from: Social Science & Medicine] | Digital

by J.E. Mantell (Author), S.L. Dworkin (Author), T.M. Exner (Author), S Hoffman (Author)

List Price: $7.95  

Binding:  Digital
Publisher:  Elsevier
Publication Date:  October 01, 2006


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Product Description
This digital document is a journal article from Social Science & Medicine, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Description: New methods are now available, and others are being developed, that could enable women to take the initiative in preventing sexually transmitted infections. However, attempts to capitalize on ''female-controlled'' preventive methods thus far have met with limited success. Female-initiated methods were introduced to intervene in the state of gender relations and assist women who are disempowered vis-a-vis their male partners. Paradoxically, however, we underscore that it is the very structure of regional and local gender relations that shapes the acceptability (or lack of acceptability) of these methods. This paper specifically addresses how the structure of gender relations-for better and for worse-shapes the promises and limitations of widespread use and acceptance of female-initiated methods. We draw on examples from around the world to underscore how the regional specificities of gender (in)equality shape the acceptance, negotiation, and use of these methods. Simultaneously, we demonstrate how the introduction and sustained use of methods are shaped by gender relations and offer possibilities for reinforcing or challenging their current state. Based on our analyses, we offer key policy and programmatic recommendations to increase promotion and effective use of women-initiated HIV/STI protection methods for both women and men.
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