Women's Health

HIV/AIDS: DC Women in Crisis

The HIV rate here in the nation's capital is the highest in the country.  Approximately 3% of the city's residents are living with HIV/AIDS.  This rate is higher than the HIV/AIDS rate in West Africa.  AIDS is the leading cause of death among black women aged 25-34 in DC.  Black women represent more than 25% of those living with the disease here in the District.⁽¹⁾

Resources:

The Women's Collective, Inc

Community Education Group

Domestic Violence

85 - 95% of all domestic violence victims are women.  Approximately 5.3 million women are abused each year. Between 2002 and 2005, the number of domestic violence calls made to the DC Metropolitan Police Department increased by 22%.⁽²⁾

Resources:

DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence  -visit the partners section for a complete list of local organizations

DC Metropolitan Police Department Domestic Violence Unit

Legal Aid Clinics

Eating Disorders

In the Us, as many as 10 million women are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder.⁽³⁾ 

Resources:

National Eating Disorder Association

Sexual Assault

In 2007, there were over 248,000 victims of sexual assault in the US.  Approximately 73% of rape victims know their assailants.⁽⁴⁾

Resources:

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)

DC Rape Crisis Center

_{^{(1) www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-3-17, (2) www.dccadv.org, (3) www.nationaleatingdisorders.org, (4) www.rainn.org}}