By Hellen Nachilongo
3rd September 2009
Women engaging in commercial sex have little room to negotiate on safe sex owing to lack of confidence because they value money more than their lives, according to research findings.
The research, which was conducted recently by Telecommunication Marketing Company, involved respondents from Haya, Nyamwezi, Ngoni and Hehe ethnic communities with an average age of 27 and educated up to primary school level.
The research discovered that most women are engaged in the high risk business due to lack of alternative sources of income.
It also found out that venues where commercial sex workers looked for customers were in bars, night clubs and on the road side.
The respondents disclosed that they had an average of 40 sex partners in the past months, adding that the average amount they were paid was between 12,000/- and 15,000/- per session while the lowest amount was between 2,000/- and 5,000 /-
However, according to the findings, the mode of sex mainly determined the amount they were paid.
Clients who preferred not to use condoms were willing to pay more, and so were those who preferred anal sex. However, according to the findings, the level of awareness of HIV and Aids was generally high among sex workers.
The research also revealed that a considerable percentage of the sex workers use illicit drugs with their partners. The main drugs used include bhang, cocaine and heroin.
According to the research, 72 per cent of cases of violence were not reported for fear or further victimization or loss of customers.
Commenting on the research findings, T.Mark monitoring and evaluation director Jovian Tibenda said the research aimed at finding out challenges sex workers faced, especially in rural areas.
She said in rural areas most sex workers were not aware of condom use and so ended up getting infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
“Most such women normally go for an HIV test when they are pregnant only and not voluntarily” she said.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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I picked the news article from Ippmedia.com and at first I was a little bit suprised (to put it mildly) by the writer's phrasing ...
ReplyDelete'...Women engaging in commercial sex have little room to negotiate on safe sex owing to lack of confidence because they value money more than their lives, according to research findings....'
But then I realised, it is very easy to judge the commercial workers when one has a comfortable job, education and income security.
For many centuries, commercial workers a.k.a prostitution have been considered to be the lowest form of employment.
Yet,many children have survived because their mothers are ready to die for them. Hence, prostitution.
I doubt very much that any woman would go into prostitution willingly, this is just unrealistic thinking to make us feel superiour ...which actually we are not, we are simply ignorant on other realities outside our comfort zones.
Meanwhile, although I disagree with the phrasing, I also see that the percentage of women with possibility of being lost to the infamous HIV virus, is too high and the violence on women is unacceptable. This is where we need focus our fight on by promoting capacity building programs - Practical education that empowers the women with tools to earn a sustainable income.
Capacity building for women, will certainly enable the women to have a choise. A choise to walk away from violece, a choise to save their lives,a choise to raise their children in a safe family environment, a choise to be upstanding member of society, a choise to vote for what we call democracy.
Everybody, can make a difference.