HIV/AIDS and Intimate Partner Violence

African-American women bear the brunt of HIV's assault on the United States. They are the fastest growing group of HIV-infected individuals in the US. While African-American women make up 13% of the female population of the United States they comprise 67% of the newly reported AIDS cases. African-American women are more likely to be infected through heterosexual intercourse than any other method While some factors influencing the spread of HIV/AIDS have been well researched other areas need to be more closely examined. Such is the case with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). IPV has been shown to be a risk factor for numerous unfavorable health outcomes including HIV. However the concern seems largely directed to countries where women's rights are extremely limited. In the United States however further exploration is necessary to determine the relationship between Intimate Partner Violence and HIV.