abstract

Abstract from the Int Conf AIDS. 2004 Jul 11-16; 15: abstract no. WePeC6224.

Issues: Female sex workers (FSWs) are considered to be one of the high-risk groups driving the epidemic of HIV/AIDS because of exposure to multiple partners and inconsistent use of condoms. Poverty has also been fingered as a twin problem militating against the effective prevention and impact mitigation of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria among this group. This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice of sex workers in relation to HIV/AIDS and poverty.

This research illustrates a direct link between violence and vulnerability to HIV.

Author Abstract: Commercial sex work is a primary context for heterosexual HIV/AIDS transmission. Violence victimisation is considered to compromise women's ability to protect against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI); little research has investigated violence as it relates to sexual risk and STI among female sex workers (FSW). This study sought to compare sexual risk and STI symptoms among FSW based on recent violence exposure.

A workshop abstract by Wood, E. and Goodyear, M. from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Eastern & Midcontinent Region Joint Conference St Petersburg June 2009.