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Mohammad Khairul Alam
AIDS has become a global
crisis. As of the
end of 2005, an estimated 42 million people worldwide - 38 million adults and
about 3 million children younger than 15 years - were living with HIV/AIDS.
Approximately two-thirds of these people live in Sub-Saharan Africa; another 18
percent live in Asia and the Pacific. The pandemic kills
millions, destroys families and communities and renders millions of children
parentless. It threatens the social and economic fabric of many nations.
It is generally accepted
that truck drivers have been and continue to be a main force in the spread of
HIV to epidemic proportions. Truck driver’s work long hours on the road and
often spend several days in one place clearing customs or resolving mechanical
problems. Seeking entertainment, they turn to sex with women or girls in the
prostitution or floating sex workers who are at high risk of being HIV/AID
positive and transmitting HIV to the drivers. As a result, the drivers have high
rates of HIV. Their highly mobile lifestyle requires a lot of travel. In other
stopover town locations they visit other commercial male/female sex workers
thereby potentially transmitting the virus. In addition, many of the truck
drivers are married and also have girlfriends (commercial sex partner) who are
likely to become infected with HIV and become a pool in their local communities.
Truck drivers and
commercial sex workers constitute core transmitter populations of HIV/AIDS
throughout India.
The sexual interactions between these particular groups are conducive to rapid
population-wide HIV/AIDS transmission. Other evidence supports the view HIV was
introduced to Indian populations with pre-existing patterns of sexual behavior
that have long been susceptible to high STI/STDs rates.
Sexual encounters between
truck drivers and commercial sex workers are the basis of transmission of HIV in India. While, almost
all truck drivers (98%) have heard of HIV/AIDS. The extent of knowledge about
specific aspects of HIV/AIDS was less consistent. Correct knowledge of
transmission by sexual contact was found in two-third (Bombay). Several studies
have attempted to elucidate the percentage of truck drivers who actually do have
sex with Commercial sex workers (CSWs) and if so, how often they do. 80% of the
truck drivers are frequenting CSW.
Commercial sex workers (CSWs)
have sex with different populations of men depending on their class. Some of the
CSWs contacts were with regular partners. CSWs tend to be a highly mobile
population and one of the main factors placing CSWs in high-risk categories is
that they have multiple partners. Usage of condoms is still low among the truck
driver population; however, it seems to be increasing. Ever usage of condoms
seems to range between 25 and 60 percent. Knowledge surrounding condom use seems
to be uneven. 90% of the truck drivers know condoms prevent transmission of HIV,
many drivers were not aware of the proper storage techniques nor proper usage.
The classification of the
partners of truck drivers is complex and not standardized across studies nor, at
times, within studies. Distinguishing between a casual and regular partner is
often ambiguous. Many truck drivers report that they have had large numbers of
sexual partners. About one-third of the drivers reported more than 50 lifetime
partners. The number of partners in the recent past indicates a driver’s current
sexual behavior trend.
A recent survey in
Bangladeshi track drivers conduct by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation,
found that 80% track driver in Bangladesh have no clear concept of HIV or AIDS.
But 90% respond it is a deadly disease. India is the second largest HIV/AIDS
infected country in the world, more then 5.2 million people are living with AIDS
or HIV. India is a neighboring country of Bangladesh, every day many people
cross border movement take place both officially and also illegally. Due to
reason of that great chance to spread out HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh.
Reference: UNAIDS, UNICEF,
World Bank
tag: female, male,
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sexually transmitted diseases, stds, stis, sexual abuse, forced sex, risky
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men who have sex with men, msm, harassment, sugar daddies, relationships,
condom, polygamy, homosexuality, extra marital, relations, truckers, migrant
workers, gay, hijras, hermaphrodites, professional blood donors, heroin smokers,
hotel, brothel, street based commercial sex workers, casual sex workers, so
called sex workers, violence, exploitation, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan
Foundation, Mohammad Khairul Alam
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