Alcohol, Sexual Violence and HIV/AIDS in India: Exploring the Possible Relationship

Abdul G. Khan, Gulbarga University
Sateesh Gouda, Karnataka Health Promotion Trust

Though India is traditionally perceived to be a 'dry' culture, but alcohol use in some form has always existed in the country. An attempt was made in this article to study the role of alcohol in contribution sexual risk in different settings and populations across the country. However, in order to meet the above objective the NFHS -3 India data was used for the analysis purpose. The study shows that women those husband drink alcohol are 2.09 times more likely to get HIV/AIDS compare to those women whose husband don’t drink alcohol. The women who reported her husband drink alcohols are 1.02 more likely to experience the genital discharge compare to women whose husband doesn’t drink alcohol. It was found that those women reported her husband drink alcohol are 3.5 times more likely to experience sexual violence compare to non drinkers wife and it is significant at 1 percent level.