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Mohammad Khairul Alam
Bangladesh is still a low
prevalence country (HIV-infection rate is less than 1%), but there is a
potential for expanding HIV/AIDS epidemic in the future, because the country is
very receptive to HIV infection. The receptivity is due to increasing trend of
prostitution, domestic and international migration, urbanization, poverty, and
proximity to areas with advances epidemics and sexual permissiveness or
high-risk sexual behavior of members of certain groups of people. HIV infection
and AIDS cases in IDUs tend to increase within last two years.
In Dhaka
city, Mobile Female sex workers (M-SWs) are unusually vulnerable to physical and
sexual abuse by both close partners and clients/customers. Public health
interventions for M-SWs have to integrate basic services such as shelter, social
support, education, feasible employment opportunities, and prevention of drug
abuse and clients violence. There is a relationship between client violence,
drug use, and risks of HIV/STDs among M-SWs. It is crucial to pay close
attention to these relationships so that more effective policies and programmes
to serve M-SWs can be developed.
Mobile Sex Workers (M-SWs)
in Bangladesh would
play a critical role of HIV/AIDS infections. Due to the types of their work, the
lack of sexually transmitted infections (STI/STDs) awareness and low acceptance
of condom use, M-SWs represent a highly vulnerable group in Bangladesh. The
sharp rise in others sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Bangladesh
contributes to the spread of HIV and may lead to a extensive epidemic, as the
heterosexual mode of others STI transmission accounts for an increasing
percentage of HIV transmission.
Studies of street beggars
conducted by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation & L.R.B Foundation in
mid-2006s at Kamrangir Char, Lalbagh and Polashi in Dhaka city in Bangladesh
surveyors confirm the 40-45 per cent of homeless beggars (adult male) indulge in
multi-partner sex with less than 10 per cent of them reporting condom use.
Mobile sex workers are the main sex partners of them.
Mobile Sex Workers (M-SWs)
are closely associated with the tourism and transport industries where they find
a large supply of potential clients. Tourism, which provides additional clients
for sex workers, and transport workers, who exploit commercial sex workers,
facilitates transmission of the virus to the general population.
It is visible fact that a
large number of migrant and traveling or transport sector worker in Bangladesh several times
meet mobile/ floating sex workers. As Prof. Abdul Quader Palash aptly points
out, “Mobility and migration are not in themselves risk factors for HIV, but can
create environment in which people are more vulnerable. Separation from spouse,
family and socio-cultural norms, together with isolation and loneliness, and a
sense of anonymity, can lead to situations which make migrants and mobile
workers more susceptible to exposure to HIV. It is then carried back to their
families, the intended beneficiaries of the income from the migration.”
Mobile Sex workers
frequently suffer from physical and sexual violence. One study in Dhaka
city by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, indicated that in the past six
months, 12% were forced into sex (raped) and 15% were beaten by their clients to
avoid payment.
However, Mobile Sex Workers
(M-SWs) and HIV/AIDS were not regarded as complex social phenomenon in Bangladesh. But it is
suspicious, though there is no information about HIV/AIDS prevalence among M-SWs
and their clients, which can become a critical issue of general public health,
especially if we keep in mind that HIV/AIDS prevalence among M-SWs and their
client groups vary in deferent region in Bangladesh.
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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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