Getting married to a suspected bisexual man: a silent mode of HIV transmission among married women in Indonesia

A married woman is susceptible to contract HIV from her husband if he practices unsafe sex, especially with other men. Unsafe sexual practice (heterosexual and homosexual sex) are the major factors of significant increase of HIV in Indonesia for the last decade. The aim of this study is to reveal one woman’s story about living with HIV. She contracted from her husband after he was unsafe sex with men. Feminist Participatory Action Research was conducted in 2017 with HIV positive women, health workers from public and private organisations. Qualitative research methods were used in line with purposive sampling method and thematic analysis. Men who have sex with men (MSM) may contract HIV through unsafe homosexual practices. Women need to be informed about the risk factors of contracting HIV and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission- PMTCT of HIV services. In addition, compulsory antenatal HIV testing is urgently needed to early diagnosis of HIV among pregnant women and a non-discriminatory practice of comprehensive Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services is urgently required to prevent HIV transmission for infants.