HIV Vulnerability and the Work Environment of the Off-Street Sex Industry

Men and women who work in Canada's off-street sex industry experience a variety of circumstances that increase their susceptibility to HIV infection. Most research has emphasized individual behaviours of people who work as sex workers and to a lesser extent the economic and social inequities that may increase their risk for HIV. The work environment of the sex industry includes the rules and policies that govern the sex worker and sex buyer relationship, the physical spaces where sex is bought and sold, and the managerial and operational practices that govern the sex worker's activities. Yet, little research in Canada has studied how the work environment may influence sex workers' vulnerability to HIV infections. And no research has compared the differences in these work environments between men and women who work there, despite the fact that men and women experience vulnerability to HIV infection differently. Our study proposes to examine how the work environment and managerial practices may affect sex workers' experiences and vulnerability for infection. An analysis of the policies that influence the work environment and the activities of sex workers, sex buyers, managers, and others involved in operating off-street sex venues will provide essential information about how the work environment influences sex worker health. This new knowledge will be used to design targeted interventions to reduce factors in the work environment that affect sex workers' risks for HIV. These interventions will be gender appropriate, thereby increasing their potential for success.