Researching Sexual Violence

In the past 15 years there has been a large increase in research about sexuality, masculinity, domestic violence, gender inequities and related topics in South Asian countries. The dimensions of men s and women s concepts of masculinity and sexuality, changing patterns of gender roles and the nature of violence are still only partly understood. The growing concern about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, beginning in the 1990s, brought about a large increase in biomedical and social science research as they relate to the risks of sexually transmitted infections. With heightened concerns about the mechanisms of spread of HIV infections (mainly through sexual contacts), many funding sources have supported research in those hitherto neglected topics. The wealth of new data about patterns of sexuality, linked to gender inequities, has shown that these issues have very serious consequences in relation to the spread of HIV infections. The papers assembled in this volume contribute to our knowledge, and show that issues related to masculinity, gender inequities, and domestic violence are highly complex and changing. They suggest important priorities for interventions and highlight key issues for further research.