Condoms and sexual health education as evidence: impact of criminalization of in-call venues and managers on migrant sex workers access to HIV/STI prevention in a Canadian setting
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Authors
Anderson, S.
Shannon, K.
Li, J.
Lee, Y.
Chettiar, J.
Goldenberg, S.
Krüsi, A.
Issue Date
2016-11-17
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Migrant Sex Workers , Criminalization , Third Party Actors , HIV/AIDS , Sexual Health
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background:
Despite a large body of evidence globally demonstrating that the criminalization of sex workers increases HIV/STI risks, we know far less about the impact of criminalization and policing of managers and in-call establishments on HIV/STI prevention among sex workers, and even less so among migrant sex workers.
Methods:
Analysis draws on ethnographic fieldwork and 46 qualitative interviews with migrant sex workers, managers and business owners of in-call sex work venues in Metro Vancouver, Canada.
Results:
The criminalization of in-call venues and third parties explicitly limits sex workers’ access to HIV/STI prevention, including manager restrictions on condoms and limited onsite access to sexual health information and HIV/STI testing. With limited labour protections and socio-cultural barriers, criminalization and policing undermine the health and human rights of migrant sex workers working in –call venues.
Conclusions:
This research supports growing evidence-based calls for decriminalization of sex work, including the removal of criminal sanctions targeting third parties and in-call venues, alongside programs and policies that better protect the working conditions of migrant sex workers as critical to HIV/STI prevention and human rights.
Description
Citation
Anderson, S., Shannon, K., Li, J., Lee, Y., Chettiar, J., Goldenberg, S., & Krüsi, A. (2016). Condoms and sexual health education as evidence: impact of criminalization of in-call venues and managers on migrant sex workers access to HIV/STI prevention in a Canadian setting. BMC international health and human rights, 16(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12914-016-0104-0
Publisher
BMC International Health and Human Rights