Zimbabwean stories of "Best Practice" - SAfAIDS

• Brother-in-law has right to sex with sister-in-law. In this cultural practice, a woman's husband hasthe right to have sex with her sister. Transmission risk is similar to that in polygamy because of thenumber of sexual partners involved. This is a gender issue because neither the wife nor the sister canreject the practice.• Older women should not have sex. There is a myth in some areas that if a post-menopausal womanhas sex, it causes her stomach to bloat. For a middle-aged or older woman to still be having sex isconsidered shameful. However, not only does this infringe upon older women's right to sexualexpression, but it encourages older men to seek younger partners, putting themselves at risk.• Taboo to talk of sex or HIV and AIDS. Women are not allowed to talk about sex with their husbands,or in any public (usually male dominated) forum. However, in general, even for men, sex talk is notapproved of. There is also a taboo against talking of HIV and AIDS as there is stigma attached tobeing HIV positive. Such communication constraints make it difficult for women to negotiate for safersexual practices. Furthermore, it encourages a culture of secrecy around HIV, with many spouses whotest positive feeling they cannot tell their partners, increasing their risk of transmitting the virus toan HIV negative spouse, and of re-infection or secondary infection of a spouse who is also HIV positive.• Property and child stealing. After the death of a husband, the wife is sometimes chased away fromher home, leaving her destitute and without her children or any other possessions she shared withher husband. This practice denies women their right to property and to have access to their children• Bride price (roora/lobola). In this cultural practice, once the man pays for his wife, he considers herhis property. The payment of roora/lobola is often used to justify a man's infidelity. He might claimthat since he paid for his wife, he can expect her to be faithful, without the same applying to him.This practice effectively undermines women's autonomy.• 'HIV can be cured if one sleeps with a virgin'. Some traditional healers promulgate this belief. Mostcommonly, young girls are taken forcibly.16