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Harsh realities: Reasons for women's involvement in sex work in India

This study, in the Journal of AIDS and HIV Research Vol. 3(9), pp. 172-179, documents the reasons and processes for involvement of women into sex work in India. The study is based on in-depth interviews with a cross-section of commercial sex workers in four Indian states – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It shows that most women enter sex work due to a complex set of reasons as opposed to any one single over-riding reason. While abject poverty was cited as the main cause by almost three-fourths of the women interviewed, lack of education, financial freedom, domestic violence, family responsibility,

Using mathematical modelling to estimate the impact of periodic presumptive treatment on the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and HIV among female sex workers.

In settings with poor sexually transmitted infection (STI) control in high-risk groups, periodic presumptive treatment (PPT) can quickly reduce the prevalence of genital ulcers, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT). However, few studies have assessed the impact on HIV. Mathematical modelling is used to quantify the likely HIV impact of different PPT interventions. METHODS: A mathematical model was developed to project the impact of PPT on STI/HIV transmission amongst a homogeneous population of female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients. Using data from Johannesburg, the impact of PPT interventions with different coverages and PPT frequencies was estimated. A sensitivity

Annual Report of the UN NSWP Advisory Group on Sex Work 2011

The Advisory Group offers a greater understanding of the situation of sex workers – an understanding that is necessary to address the abuses they face and to ensure they have universal access to HIV services. Every effort has been made to highlight good practices that enhance human rights protections for sex workers, as well as practices that create barriers to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The hope of the Advisory Group is that the information presented here will help shape programmes and policies on HIV and sex work that are truly human rights-based….Good Practices Some countries

Advancing sexual health and human rights in the Western Pacific

Nigeria. Professor advocates registration of #sexworkers http://t.co/AOCLjpxY Gridlock: Labor, migration, and human trafficking in Dubai. Interesting discussion on #sexwork and trafficking http://t.co/5nxxsltv Kenya. Study finds lack of a male guardian associated with female entry into #sexwork in an urban settlement http://t.co/j2dEfptk Identifying the HIV Transmission Bridge: Which Men Are Having Unsafe Sex with Female #Sexworkers & Their Own Wives ? http://t.co/AdXwO2mR Australia Major conference on #sexworker rights, HIV to hear from Della Bosca – Gay News Network http://t.co/9GS3BZHv

Kenyan sex workers celebrate their rights

Kenyan sex workers, drawn from different cities, converged at Tononoka Social Hall in the Coastal town of Mombasa to celebrate the March 3rd International Sex Workers Rights Day. This day is celebrated since 2001 when over 25,000 sex workers gathered in India for a sex worker festival. It has been designated to highlight the human rights challenges, success and failures facing sex workers. The organizers of the event, the Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (KESWA), in collaboration with the Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme (BHESP), hailed the event as a milestone for sex workers in Kenya who face challenges in

Fiji: Law Enforcement Approach to Sex Work Falls Short

2011 Report of UNAIDS Advisory Group on Sex Work – GREAT NEWS

Editorial The Report of the UNAIDS Advisory Group on Sex Work has been revised. PLRI reported that, ‘The report contains some very good material as well as evidence of the compromises sex workers rights advocates must accept if they to reach consensus with UN and government agencies.’ Among other things, the report endorsed human rights abuses in several countries including forced medical procedures (which is forbidden under the Convention on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment) and confinement under curfew in brothels (Nevada). After my letter to the sex workers on the NSWP list these unacceptable aspects of the report were removed

Prevalence of & knowledge, attitude & practices towards HIV & sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh

As part of the baseline survey carried out during 2005-06, biological and behavioural data were generated on about 3200 female sex workers (FSWs), from eight districts of Andhra Pradesh (AP), India. This study describes the relationship between socio-demographic and behavioural factors with consistent condom use (CCU) and HIV among FSWs in AP. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted among female sex workers (FSW) in eight districts of Andhra Pradesh, India, using conventional cluster sampling and time-location cluster sampling. Key risk behaviours and STIs related to the spread of HIV were assessed. Blood samples were collected to detect syphilis, Herpes

Preventing HIV in sex work in Sex Work Settings in Sub Saharan Africa

Sex work news is out! http://t.co/trhWQTU2 @ellie_dyer Hello, will you be tweeting thoughout the trial ? If not, who is good to follow ? Kristof calls #sexwork a marketing channel for traffickers. At least he says it, many act on it without saying it. http://t.co/6Ko2QPM1 Phillipines; Not being ‘documented’ has a role in the oppression of transgender #sexworkers http://t.co/w8kO97fG Violence Against Chinese Female #Sexworkers in Hong Kong: From Understanding to Prevention http://t.co/8nwmi3ji