Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision (Kampala) - November 24, 2006
Fred Ouma
The study further shows that about 47% of PWDs had their first sexual encounter below the consent age of 18 years, with females significantly ahead of their male peers.
Presenting the findings at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala on Thursday, Juliet kanyesigye, a lead researcher, said the sexual encounter gap was because females were often coerced into the act while males depended on chance.
A baseline survey on promotion of a disability perspective into Uganda's national HIV/AIDS response shows the average age for first sex as 15.5 years.
Some of the circumstances for the first sexual encounter included curiosity, marriage, peer pressure, force/rape and finance, in their order of importance.
A total of 594 PWDs from the ages of 14 to 49 years participated in the survey conducted in Masaka, Soroti and Gulu districts.
It was to provide information on the progress of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) HIV/AIDS project.
Icon Afrika, a local consultancy firm, conducted the two-month study funded by the Danish International development Agency. It notes high risk sex behaviour among PWDs.
At least 23% of respondents indicated that they had engaged in sex with a non-regular partner in the last 12 months preceding the study.
However, only 14% confided to have used a condom with a non-regular partner.
The reasons for not using condoms included lack of information, non-availability, refusal by a partner and general misconceptions that they could burst or remain inside the woman.
Male PWDs, who particularly have limited access to sex, are constrained to negotiate safe sex when a chance lands.
"Our chance strikes once. You have no powers to say no since you are never sure of another golden chance," a male respondent is quoted as saying in the report.
Poverty, coupled with stigma and marginalisation, are other reasons for not using condoms.
"Besides being expensive, most disabled people would not buy a packet of condom, even if they have money, due to stigma.
"Many said shopkeepers expressed shock and traced them to find out their sexual partner," said Joseph Anguria, a co-researcher.
On how HIV is transmitted, many PWDs mentioned mosquito bites, sharing a meal, witchcraft and staying close to an infected person.
The majority of PWDs preferred radio as a main source of information, followed by the health workers. Other sources were workshops, schools, friends and parents.
The survey said PWDs who sought sexual reproductive health or HIV/AIDS services encountered extreme negative attitudes from health workers.
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