BMC International Health and Human Rights
Volume 16, Issue 1, 2016, Pages 1-10

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 (Article) (Open Access)

Anderson S. , Shannon K.* , Li J. , Lee Y. , Chettiar J. , Goldenberg S. , Krüsi A.
  • a Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
  • b Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Univeristy of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
  • c Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
  • d Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
  • e Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
  • f Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada
  • g Gender and Sexual Health Initiative, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Univeristy of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada

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. © 2016 The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Migrant sex workers Criminalization sexual health HIV/AIDS Third party actors

Index Keywords

ethnographic research HIV Infections Human immunodeficiency virus infection sexual education human HIV test access to information middle aged condom Condoms health service sex worker qualitative research sexually transmitted disease manager Commerce human rights Young Adult migrant worker Sex Education Reproductive Health Services condom use Humans field work male Canada female police occupational safety Criminal Law prostitution commercial phenomena Article legislation and jurisprudence adult migration legal aspect criminalization Reproductive Health Sex Work Sex Workers Health Services Accessibility Transients and Migrants British Columbia crime law enforcement health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84995467453&doi=10.1186%2fs12914-016-0104-0&partnerID=40&md5=3841d16d0da86523a87010dbd1db8470
DOI: 10.1186/s12914-016-0104-0
ISSN: 1472698X
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English