Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press; Thursday, THU December 19, 1991
Each night, police estimate 400 to 600 prostitutes line the pathways and roads of the Bois de Boulogne. Most are men, about half of them Colombian transvestites. The relief agency Doctors of the World recently reported that testing of 350 prostitutes in the area showed that 95 percent are positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The report estimated the prostitutes could have infected up to 14,000 clients.
Police Chief Pierre Verbrugghe proposed Wednesday that iron gates be installed at park entrances and locked each night to keep out motorists. He suggested that medical professionals regularly test the prostitutes for AIDS.
Deputy Mayor Jean Tiberi said the real problem is government failure to enforce laws on immigration.
"Eighty-five percent of the prostitutes and transvestites in this place are foreigners, often here illegally," Tiberi said. French media reports say about half the prostitutes in the Bois de Boulogne are from Colombia and others are from Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, North Africa, Portugal, Thailand and France.
Copyright 1997/The Associated Press. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, The Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.
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Copyright © 1991 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
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