Socio-economic and cultural study among the Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) of Ghutiary Sharif, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India.
Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. LbPeE9047)
Sarkar S, Choudhury SK West Bengal State AIDS, Kolkata, India
A cross sectional Survey was carried out in Ghutiary Sharif, South 24 Parganas among Commercial Sex Workers during the period from 1st to 31st August, 2001. Most of the sex workers are below 30 yrs. (55,9%) of age. It is observed that the income of the respondents (N=1000, respondents were chosen by try and trial method with negociation and motivation) is more in younger age group (15-22 years). Illiteracy is another prevalent social factors (90%) whose main source of income (36.1%) is selling sex. They are engaged and exposed to sexual activity more that four hours per day (63,6%). Their average income is Rs.3,000/-per month. Single females (76,3%) are mostly involved in comparaison to married women. Among the single females 57.9% are out of seperated/divorced/disturbed families. Another significant observation is that more or less same percentage of females are involved in this work out of torture (24.9%) and willingly (25.5%) and by influences (20.4%). Poverty is not a predominant criteria. Penovaginal sex is the main practice of all the sex workers. Most of them are not aware about HIV/AIDS/STDs, but heard about it. About 20% of them are using condoms. But consistent use is doubtful.
Keywords: AEGIS, Prostitution, Condoms, HIV Infections, Sex Behavior, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Cross-Sectional Studies, India, Single Person, Coitus, Human, Female, economics, ethnology
