Black Women's Burden: An Epidemic of HIV

In New York City, residents are contracting HIV at three times the national rate, according to a recently released estimate from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The new figures suggest that 72 of every 100,000 Big Apple residents was newly infected with HIV during 2006, compared with a national rate of 23 per 100,000 residents. Blacks comprised nearly half of the city's new HIV infections that year.

A woman's background can also affect her HIV risk, experts say. "Many of the women that we work with have a history of childhood sexual abuse and trauma," Duke says. This type of history can impact a woman's decisions—including whether or not she chooses to have safe sex. In some cases, women may be forced to have unprotected sex by an abusive partner, Fields says.

Michelle and Janice are both in committed relationships now: Each has a man her life who is HIV negative, and both say they practice safe sex to help keep their partners from becoming infected. Gooden says that her HIV-negative boyfriend of 12 years gets routine HIV tests. "I chose not to have sex [after being diagnosed with HIV] until I met someone who understood that putting on a condom was important to me," she says.

Both Janice and her 16-year-old son, who was born with HIV, are in good health. She takes three medications daily, exercises three times a week, eats healthily, and sees a therapist to discuss any issues that bother her.

Brown, who takes seven pills per day, is also doing well. The diagnosis has even helped her in dating, she says. "You can tell a lot about a man's character when you tell him that you have HIV," Brown says. "I used to date a guy for years before I found out that he was no good. Now I find out in the first 10 minutes."