Levels of Homonegative Abuse Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Peru and Their Association with STI and/or HIV Testing

An Analysis from the Latin American Men Internet Survey

Bibliographic Data

ID19543322
AuthorsJoselito Malca-Hernandez (Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, corresponding author), Michael Reyes-Díaz (0000-0003-0202-2572, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia), Alvin J Schmidt (0000-0002-6910-4399, Sigma Research (United States)), Carlos F Cáceres (0000-0002-8101-0790, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia)
Year2026
Volume38
Issue1
Pages262-276
Publication date2026-01-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Sexual Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1931-7611 • E-ISSN: 1931-762X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/19317611.2025.2573694
OpenAlexW4415259194
LanguageEN
References cited19

Objectives To examine the prevalence and geographic distribution of homonegative abuse (HA) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Peru and its association with HIV/STI testing.Method We analyzed data from 1,934 MSM from Peru who participated in the 2018 Latin American Men Internet Survey (LAMIS). We assessed the prevalence and geographic distribution of HA (intimidation, verbal abuse, and physical violence due to sexual orientation) across four macro-regions: Lima/Callao, Coast, Highlands, and Amazonia. Associations with sociodemographic characteristics and HIV/STI testing behavior were explored through comparative analyses, using prevalence ratios adjusted for key sociodemographic variables.Results Approximately 61% of participants reported HA in the previous year. Intimidation (56%) was the most common, followed by verbal abuse (34%) and physical violence (4%). HA was more prevalent in the Coast (67%) and Highlands (66%) than in Lima/Callao (59%). Factors positively associated with recent HA included younger age, financial hardship, lower education, gay identity, and high levels of outness. No significant association was found between HA and HIV/STI testing.Conclusions HA is prevalent among Peruvian MSM, especially outside the capital macro-region (Lima/Callao). These findings highlight the need for further research to investigate whether specific sources of HA may be linked to reduced use of sexual healthcare services among MSM in Peru and support targeted interventions addressing the sociocultural contexts that perpetuate abuse against MSM in Peru

Domestic violence · Intimidation · Latin Americans · Men who have sex with men · Physical abuse · Psychological intervention · Reproductive health · Sexual abuse · Verbal abuse · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Sex work and related issues · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology

Tools

Open DOI