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Aged 36-40

Interview 40

Interview 40

Age at Interview: 37
Sex: Female
Age at Diagnosis: 26
Background: She was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1994 when she got tested after a secretary at her work back in Africa became ill with HIV.

Brief outline:She kept her HIV status secret for many years as she believed this was necessary for her survival. Currently in the UK, she is on a new anti-viral combination and the virus is now undetectable in her blood.

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A partner removed a condom during sex and she believes it is difficult for women to insist on condoms because of possible violence.
Print The condoms, you have to be open, honestly. A condom you can't hide. It is… I walk with it in my handbag. That's something I don't mind, I walk with it everywhere I go, because you never know when temptation can take… But there is one thing that happened actually. There's a man where we put a condom on, but in the middle of it, he removed it, and threw it away. I didn't know it, I didn't know it. But I did not dare say the condom was out. He said he doesn't like it with condoms. Now I don't know should… can I tell this man or should I keep quiet? I decided no, I leave it, because it will turn into something else. I tried. I did try. It was his choice. And I brought the condom. I gave it to him, I put it on myself, but in the middle he decided to remove it, so I can't do anything else… The problem is we women in this system, you don't want to add more violence on what you have. You might bring a different one, a stronger one, who will destroy you more, you see? We know what we are… so I don't want to add more violence… More different ones on what I have.

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