With Women Powerless, AIDS Reigns (Swaziland)

[papau]

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-swazi23jan23.story
THE WORLD
With Women Powerless, AIDS Reigns
In Swaziland, the traditional dominance of men has contributed to the world's highest rate of HIV infection, a UNICEF official says.
By Robyn Dixon
Times Staff Writer

January 23, 2005

MANZINI, Swaziland — That warm September morning, the whole world seemed to be singing her name. She wore her favorite thing, the new denim miniskirt, and when she stood in front of the mirror, she had the delightful feeling of knowing that she looked beautiful.

As Portia walked along the street, she saw the beaming smiles of the local boys and heard their calls that they loved her. She took a minibus to Manzini, the biggest Swazi town, on her way to a wedding.

A threadbare Mozambiquan vendor named Bud Madolo watched the 19-year-old in the miniskirt as she passed among vendors, women with huge bundles on their heads and screaming conductors touting their fares at the Manzini bus station. Four young conductors followed close behind, pulling at her and making lewd propositions.

Frightened, she rapped on the closed bus doors, but the driver just shook his head. Instead of singing her name, the air was now rent by shrill whistles, calling the pack to its prey. Dozens of conductors ran excitedly to see.

"They were shouting and complaining at how I was dressed," said Portia, who asked that her full name not be used. "They started to pull off my clothes. People were watching. Some were standing on the top of . My skirt tore. My fishnets were shredded. And the front of my panties was torn."

The crowd of conductors raped her with the brooms they used to sweep out buses, a twisted message that they were cleaning up the area. <snip>


AIDS infection rates

Swaziland has the world's highest percentage of adults, 15 to 49, living with HIV/AIDS. All 10 of the highest percentages are in countries of sub-Saharan Africa:

Swaziland: 38.80%

Botswana: 37.3%

Lesotho: 28.9%

Zimbabwe: 24.6%

South Africa: 21.5%

Zambia: 21.3%

Namibia: 16.5%

Malawi: 14.2%

Central African Republic: 13.5%

Mozambique: 12.2%

Source: UNAIDS