2022 IB Diploma Extended Essays

homophobia impact homosexual’s access to necessary HIV treatment. There is a stigma to HIV being caused by homosexuality, therefore some countries do not allow access to homosexual HIV patients. This can be showcased by Botswana’s large HIV prevalence (beintheknow, 2022). On average, impoverished regions have high HIV prevalence rates, which is supported by figure 3 by the high AIDS death rates in Sub-Saharan Africa. This can be due to where a citizen is situated. For example, rural residents have limited access to necessary HIV healthcare as opposed to urban residents. This limitation increases the risk of further HIV infections (apa, 2021). In addition, regions of high poverty, and unemployment may lead to higher crime rates, specifically higher sexual assault rates. All in 2022, Botswana has had a sexual assault rate of 92.93 per 100,000. In South Africa, there has been a rate of 72.10 per 100,000 and Australia has had a rate of 28.60 per 100,000 (worldpopulationreview, 2022). Sexual assault may entail forced unprotected sex which increases the risk of HIV being spread to the victim or the perpetrator.

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