A disproportionate number of black women contract HIV compared to other racial or gender groups in the United States, a disparity academics are still seeking to fix.

“Why the disproportion?” Women of Color AIDS Council founding member Rosanna Demarco told Boston College students and staff Tuesday. “Is the disproportion because of poverty? Why are black people more affected when there are poor people of all kinds?”

DeMarco, also a BC professor, attempted to combat the stigma surrounding HIV in her speech called “HIV Prevention in African American Women” presented by the African and African Diaspora Studies program.

DeMarco spoke about her ongoing research in the field of HIV prevention in Boston’s African American female community. She said much of her work with the Women of Color AIDS Council is focused around community engagement and sexual health issues.

It can be uncomfortable to broach the subject of sexual health with a significant other, but it is crucial, Demarco said.

“You can’t be stupid,” she said. “You have to be street smart about sexual intimacy. When you begin it, how you begin it, the level of trust.”

One of the greatest risks of contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted infections is the one-sided belief that a relationship is monogamous, DeMarco said.

“When you assume a sense of responsibility is at hand, it’s an assumption that’s often on shaky ground,” she said.

DeMarco also stressed fostering independence so women can stand up for their own comfort and needs.

BC associate professor Rhonda Frederick said she found DeMarco’s comments on independent relationships intriguing.

“We keep perpetuating this sense that we earn value by the men we have and keep, not that we have value in ourselves,” Frederick said.

BC freshman Arthie Kumaravel said she found the presentation relevant to her career path.

“I’m planning on going into the health profession, so this is an issue I wanted to learn more about,” Kumaravel said.

African and African Diaspora Studies Program Administrative Secretary Cat McAteer said the event encouraged students and professors to interact.

“We have a vested interest in working with the community on issues of HIV prevention, care and widespread education.”