Besides being a major human rights and public health problem worldwide, violence against women increases female vulnerability to HIV. This is according to a UNAIDS factsheet that analyses the issue of violence against women and its relationship with AIDS. The factsheet finds that fear of violence prevents women from accessing HIV/AIDS information, being tested, disclosing their HIV status, accessing services for the prevention of HIV transmission to infants, and receiving treatment and counselling, even when they know they have been infected.