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the body open to disease infection. (Clark 46) It has been shown that many Africans who live more comfortably have changed their behavior in response to the AIDS epidemic, while many who live in poverty have not. This may be because those who live in poverty may not expect to live very long anyway, and therefore are not worried about a disease that could kill them a few years from now. (Oster 2)

Another cause of the AIDS epidemic in Africa is governmental and societal denial. Many governments in Africa denied the existence of AIDS for many years, leading their people to believe that it was not a problem. If people do not realize the severity of the problem, they are not going to take steps to prevent it. Some governments did not even allow doctors to record AIDS as the cause of death on death certificates or record HIV status on a patient's medical file. Although this is changing, and more governments are admitting that AIDS is a problem, it takes a while for this awareness to filter through society. (McGeary 5) In addition to government denial, society also often denies the epidemic's existence. Although most Africans now have some knowledge of what AIDS is, few people talk about it openly. (McGeary 3) In addition, members of the middle or upper classes, both inside and outside of Africa, seem to lack a sense of urgency in dealing with the problem. It is easier for them to ignore the epidemic than find ways to help. (Leone 27)

Yet another cause of the epidemic in Africa is a lack of women's rights. Women here lack the right to accurate information. Many efforts to inform women in Africa about AIDS prevention have been limited to the mass media. Unfortunately, many women are illiterate and too poor to afford electronics, thus limiting their exposure to these messages. (Kurth 173) In addition, many cultures associate female ignorance of sex with a cultural ideal of female virginity and purity. These cultural norms keep women from becoming educated about STD and HIV prevention. As an example, some women in developing countries are afraid to use condoms, mostly because they don't understand how their bodies, especially their reproductive systems, operate. (Mann 218-219) Women frequently experience sexual violence. Many women in Africa face the threat of rape, which raises their likelihood of contracting HIV. Few women report rape or sexual violence because it is a social stigma, and in many countries no legal action is taken against the perpetrators. (Kurth

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