Bochow M; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. MoOrD258.

M. Bochow, Intersofia, Intersofia, Kottbusser Damm 79, 10967 Berlin, Germany, Tel.: +49 30 693 70 62 / 63, Fax: +49 30 694 099 16, E-mail: intersofia@t-online.de

Background: Previous quantitative studies by the author have indicated a greater vulnerability of gay working class men in Germany in regard to HIV infection and risk behaviour. This study was designed to obtain more detailed information about HIV risk and working class gay men by way of interviews with German working-class men, male sex workers, and gay Turkish immigrants. Methods: Sixty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted from 1997-1998 (median length: 90 minutes). Within the sample were eight hustlers (non-professional sex workers) and two call boys (professional sex workers), all of whom were gay-identified and living in Berlin or Cologne. Results: The eight hustlers were found to lack the social support needed to come to terms with their homosexuality. Such a lack of support has been previously documented in samples of lower-class gay men. Several factors threaten their ability to pursue health-promoting lifestyles: homelessness, high alcohol and drug consumption, recurrent psychological crises, and violence in the prostitution scene as well as in their families of origin, the latter including sexual abuse. A safer sex norm was found for all subjects; however, the ability to practice this norm is dependent on the subject's ability to negotiate the sexual interaction with clients using verbal and non-verbal communication. The early stage of prostitution work is particularly difficult and thus also poses a greater risk for HIV infection. The subjects began sex work between the ages of 13 and 17. Conclusions: AIDS prevention for male sex workers needs to be addressed by several areas of health and social policy. The two social service agencies specifically for male sex workers in Berlin and Cologne provide critical counselling and clearinghouse services, serving as a bridge between the prostitution scene and the social service system. Without these agencies the health-related problems and material need of males sex workers would be even more severe. These agencies serve the role of providing a certain minimum level of support (most importantly a place for clients to go when not working) through which the sex workers are able to gain an awareness of the threat of HIV and AIDS. There is an urgent need to increase the personnel and material resources of these agencies so as to provide clients with more alternatives to sex work. Without such assistance, the downward social trend typically accompanying the career of sex workers cannot be prevented.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Accidents
• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Behavior
• Berlin
• Germany
• HIV Infections
• Homosexuality
• Homosexuality, Male
• Humans
• Male
• Prostitution
• Risk-Taking
• Safe Sex
• Turkey
• education
• injuries

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0000702

UI: 102238193

From Meeting Abstracts