Sexual Abuse During Childhood is a Culprit for Some Adults with HIV

March 25, 2012 at 8:16 am (Abuse, health reform, Illnesses, Violence)
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By Lissette Talledo

Duke University Researchers have found that about one in four adults with HIV were sexually abused as children.  This psychological trauma can be indicative of increased likelihood for HIV/AIDS and faster health decline.

The researchers studied more than 600 patients with HIV, ages 20 to 71, and found that about a quarter of them were indeed abused sexually at a young age.

They also found that about half of the patients experienced three or more traumatic events throughout their lives such as enduring physical abuse, or suffering the loss of a child.

Such traumatic experiences were indicative of worse health-related behaviors including instances of unprotected sex.

One can thus conclude the reasons behind reckless sexual behavior, which can lead to a person contracting HIV.

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El viaje sin regreso

May 20, 2011 at 7:29 am (muerte, Uncategorized, Violence)
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El Viaje Sin Retorno a Los Estados Unidos

Diariamente millones de personas arriesgan sus vidas emprendiendo su ruta hacia los Estados Unidos en busca de una mejor vida. Desafortunadamente la mayoría de estas personas que salen buscando una luz de esperanza, encuentran un destino incierto y un viaje sin retorno. Hoy en día, Centroamérica se ha convertido en la ruta de emigración más popular para llegar a los Estados Unidos, a tal grado que se están viendo afectadas por una intensa campaña de criminalidad.

La presión política a la que ha sido sometido México por parte de EE UU es la causa numero uno de todos los riesgos y muertes que han sufrido los indocumentados. Los “polleros” o “coyotes” cobran entre 4.000 y 9.000 dólares por llevar a los indocumentados a su destino, pero la mayoría son sometidos a secuestros por parte de carteles. Lo cual si no se paga el rescate a tiempo la mayoría de los secuestrados mueren en manos de los raptores.

Según diversas fuentes, en los últimos cinco años han muerto al menos 5.000 salvadoreños y más de medio millar de hondureños, no incluyendo la cifra de las personas desparecidas que vienen de otros países.

La batalla por alcanzar el sueño americano es el costo de un destino incierto y la peor pesadilla a la que se puede someter un ser humano. Pero aun así siguen arriesgando la vida.

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Violence as a Health Issue

October 13, 2009 at 7:31 pm (Abuse, Violence)
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Last week, my cousin was brutally beaten and was hospitalized for serious head injuries. My cousin wanted to help a young female he felt was threaten by another male. When he approached that male and asked him to leave the young woman alone, he was immediately offended and began to beat my cousin up. The other man also carried a gun and fired three times onto the air and left my bleeding cousin on the floor.
I have often wondered within these last few days about what if my cousin would have been shot;if those three bullets would have ever touched his skin.
The problem with violence today is that it is not recognized as a health issue that is largely effecting our communities. Many communities, especially those with a large amount of minorities face an act of violence on a daily basis. Many people affected by violence end up in ER rooms and in prison but the circle of violence continues to twirl and grow.
Once we as a society begin to recognize violence as a health issue– the more we can focus on provide the appropriate care for our communities.

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