According to UNAIDS, (2013b), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and can be transmitted in many ways, including contact with infected blood and body fluids; such as sharing needles or drug injection equipment, through unprotected sexual intercourse, mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and through transfusions of infected blood. There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS. Once an individual contracts HIV, they will have it for life. HIV/AIDS is a major health concern in South Africa. HIV/AIDS has become a widely spread virus that affects the human immune system. Black South African women continue to be one of the populations most at risk for HIV infection, and various health behaviors contribute to these women being at risk. HIV is thought to be more prevalent in South Africa than anywhere else in the world with 5.6 million people living with HIV and 270,000 HIV-related deaths recorded in 2011. Approximately 12.2% of South African population lives with HIV/AIDS; excluding children, the percentage of people living with HIV/AIDS rises to 18% (UNAIDS, 2013b). According to Shisana, Rehle, Simbayi et al., (2012), HIV prevalence among black African women aged 20 to 34 appears to be higher than among all women of other age and race groups – the prevalence is 36%. The high prevalence of HIV in women of this age group in South Africa is the result of a range of health behaviors including: not using condoms, not knowing one's HIV/AIDS status, alcohol and recreational drug use and having multiple sexual partners. HIV/AIDS weakens the immune system, this causes black women living with HIV to be more vulnerable...... middle of paper ...... the risk of the community knowing their HIV status, stigma and the community rejecting them (Shisana, Rehle, Simbayi et al. 2012). Stigma leads to reduced motivation to get tested and know one's status and increases the likelihood that Black women will act out in response to their HIV status by denying it. HIV/AIDS awareness emphasizes the link between HIV and death, which increases denial and decreases the likelihood that black women living with HIV will feel "empowered" to implement active, positive coping strategies, as well as the use of condom as this is the primary prevention of HIV when you are sexually active. Voluntary counseling and testing programs must therefore go hand in hand with interventions that encourage “living positively with HIV” in the community as a whole and discuss an existing community culture of denial, stigma and silence surrounding HIV..