On March 5th, Jean-Michel Brevelle, Sexual Minorities Program Manager in the Center for HIV/STI Integration and Capacity of the Maryland Department of Health, presented very helpful information on the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV), HIV and STIs for an appreciative audience of IPV  advocates, health care providers, social workers and others at MedChi in Baltimore.

The seminar examined IPV dynamics for both same sex and opposite sex relationships, focusing on how abusers can use infection as an abuse tactic and a victim’s subsequent status as a means to manipulate and control survivors.He helped the group understand the health and emotional impact of HIV and STIs on survivors, and discussed how to assess and intervene in an empowering manner.