Women and Substance Use in India and Bangladesh

Abstract

Given the feminization of the HIV epidemic in India and Bangladesh, understanding substance-use-related concerns among women is important for effective HIV prevention. This review is based on published research, reports (2000–2005), and primary data from treatment centers for drug-using women. We identify four main themes: (a) opioid use and injecting drug use in women, (b) alcohol use in sex work settings, (c) sexual transmission of HIV from male-injecting drug users (IDUs) to their regular female sex partners, and (d) sexual violence among female partners of substance-using men. We urge for focused HIV prevention interventions targeting substance-using women and female sex partners of male substance users to reduce vulnerability.

Keywords:

• women
• substance use
• intravenous drug use
• sex work
• HIV
• India
• Bangladesh

Notes

¹The category “drugs of abuse” is a politicized, pseudo-scientific, misleading, misnomer. Psychoactive substances of whatever types, naturally grown or manufactured and “designed” are used or misused. Living organisms can be and are abused daily—particularly women—among other powerless groups, in many parts of the world and in many societies and cultures. Chief Editor's Note.

²Ethnic clashes leading to nearly 1,000 deaths and wide-scale displacement of women and children occurred in Manipur in 1997, the same year the study was conducted. Chief Editor's Note.