AEGiS-15IAC: The real answer to HIV safe and fair working conditions in the sex industry.

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

The real answer to HIV safe and fair working conditions in the sex industry.

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. D10056)

Laovilawanyakul T
Empower Foundation, Chiang Mai, Thailand

ISSUES: thailand like most countries continues to count the numbers of HIV positive sex workers according to whether they sell only sex direct or whether they have other duties like dancing selling sex the difference in infection rates is marked even within the same city currently indirect sex workers 5% infected direct sex workers 44% infected.

DESCRIPTION: sex workers of empower chiangmai have assessed the health risks,especially risk of HIV in various sectors of the sex industry and compiled recommendations on improvements needed in working conditions to improve their protection from HIV and other illnesses.

LESSONS LEARNED: the connection between the number of customers women must sell sex to in order to have an adequate income and their rate of HIV is clear and supported by Thai Public Health figures going back nearly ten years.

RECOMMENDATIONS: empower will present the most urgent changes needed within the sex industry to reduce the number of HIV infections these will cover minimum wage maximum working hours maximum number of customers

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, Coitus, Prostitution, Sex, Thailand, Health Planning Guidelines, Infection, Health, Health Education, Humans, Female

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D10056