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Global Challenges | Bangladesh AIDS Epidemic Exacerbated by Abuse of High-Risk Populations: Human Rights Watch Report Says Police brutality against sex workers, injection drug users and men who have sex with men could "lead to an AIDS explosion" in Bangladesh, according to a report released today by Human Rights Watch, BBC News reports (BBC News, 8/20). Although, according to U.N. figures, less than 1% of the Bangladeshi population is HIV-positive, a lack of HIV/AIDS awareness and an increase in high-risk behavior in the nation could lead to an epidemic within the next 10 years. In addition, Bangladesh's age structure, with 30 million people below the age of 20; commercial sex trade; high rates of injection drug use; unsafe blood transfusion practices; close proximity to Thailand, Myanmar and India; and low levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge -- only 19% of married women and 33% of married men have heard of AIDS -- make the country susceptible to the spread of the virus (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/17). The 51-page HRW report, titled "Ravaging the Vulnerable: Abuses Against Persons at High Risk of HIV Infection in Bangladesh," documents "rapes, gang-rapes, beatings and abductions" performed by both police and powerful criminals in the country, known as "mastans." The report also indicates that some abuses are perpetrated against HIV/AIDS outreach workers, according to an HRW release (HRW release, 8/20).
Conclusions
Source:
kaisernetwork.com, [Aug 20, 2003]
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