Interesting statistics

Here are some interesting statistics gleaned from my Gender and Society in the Hispanic Caribbean class:

-  In 2009, in the DR, 36% of pregnant females were adolescents.  (This is why I can't say 'pregnant women').
-  Abortion is illegal in the DR and, as of 2003, it is estimated that about 550 illegal abortions are preformed every day.  My Professor did say that there are a few medical reasons under which an abortion may be performed legally, but it is not very common.
-  For women and men between 15-25 years old, HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death on the island of Hispañola.
-  After Africa, the island of Hispañola has the highest per capita HIV positive rate in the world.  (Sorry I can't be more specific, it's hard to compare a continent to two countries, but that's what my teacher knew.)

These are of course bare bones numbers and don't tell a whole lot without some context.  Like what is the connection between sex ed, birth control use, machismo culture and the horrendously high rate of teen pregnancy.  Yesterday I was talking with a student who is volunteering in a clinic, and she told me an 18 year old woman came in to get her tubes tied because she had already had 3 kids.  This seems a little like locking the barn after the horses have fled.  Not that I am dealing out any blame whatsoever, at least not upon the mother.  All I am asking is what the cultural and social situation of this young woman is that she has already had so many children?  What else needs to be changed in her life, what other opportunities can she be given to change her circumstances?  Why might she feel this is the best option?  How many other young women are in her same situation and how can we (the general, systemic 'we') change our behavior to offer her different opportunities and resources?

As for the high, high HIV/AIDS rates, this eerily echos the leading cause of death for black women between 15 and 25 in the US.  Something is seriously wrong with  both  sex education and access to birth control and condoms for this to be the number one reason for young people to die.

I'll try and keep you posted about anything else interesting on this front.  However, gender issues are not really openly talked about here.  We've had to do a couple interviews for class about the Dominican education and health care systems and the information has not been forth coming.