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Call for decriminalisation of prostitution in Asia
SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
NEWS Call for decriminalisation of prostitution in Asia unable to insist on condom use. To work” on the sex trade in Asia, also WHO adviser on HIV has called address this issue, the WHO’s Hanoi revealed that despite restrictive and for changes to laws on sex work in conference recommended condom punitive measures in place in many Asia because the region’s “rapidly promotion as one of the key strategies Asian countries, sex work is rapidly growing” sex industry is threatening for the prevention of HIV and other expanding in the region. HIV/AIDS control efforts. “We are sexually transmitted infections. With According to Poumerol, “there is certainly advocating decriminalisation an emphasis on prostitutes and their strong evidence that HIV infection is of prostitution in Asia, the world’s clients, and injection drug largest continent”, Gilles users, all condom-promotion Poumerol told The Lancet. Rights were not granted to include this strategies should be consisPoumerol, WHO western tent across Asia because of pacific regional adviser on image in electronic media. Please the greater mobility of popuHIV/AIDS and sexually refer to the printed journal. lations and prostitutes, WHO transmitted infections, added: urged. “When sex workers are heavThe sex trade in Asia is ily penalised, implementing expanding because of greater effective prevention promobility, and changing sexgrammes is extremely diffiual attitudes and economies. cult. If Asia wants to avoid an Sex work is now moving out explosive HIV epidemic, the of traditional brothels in “red most effective measure is to light” areas. And in all Asian take appropriate action to countries, there is a “clear stop HIV transmission within move” towards part-time the context of the sex indusprostitution. The typical ventry.” The issue of decriminali- Is decriminalisation the answer? ues for part-time sex work sation of sex work in Asia was include bars, fitness centres, clubs, spreading rapidly among sex workers, also highlighted last year at a WHO massage parlours, and restaurants. and from sex workers to the general meeting in Manila, Poumerol said. In addition: “The spread of conpopulation”. An estimated 6 million Chantawipa Noi Apisuk of sumer cultures has had a dramatic people in Asia are HIV positive and Thailand’s Empower Foundation, impact, with sex becoming increasUNAIDS warns that the rate of transwhich supports prostitutes, welcomed ingly commercialised. As economies mission in Asia could overtake that in the call as a: “realisation of a very develop, more men have greater the hardest-hit countries of Africa in important public health and human spending power. They can spend this the next 10 years if urgent control rights issue”. She added that decrimion commercial [sex]”, the report measures are not taken. nalisation of sex work would help notes. For example, the introduction The report praised Cambodia and recognition of the social, economic, of market-oriented policies in China Thailand for lowering HIV-infection and health needs of prostitutes. And and Vietnam has been associated with rates among young prostitutes but said Cris Tunon (WHO, Hanoi, Vietnam) a huge resurgence of sex trade in the that in some urban areas in these added: “We need to acknowledge that two countries. countries, prostitutes remain “highly the attempts to eradicate prostitution According to the WHO report, the have failed.” sex industry in Asia is extremely profPoumerol’s call for decriminalisa“When sex workers are itable, with the sex sector’s annual tion came after the presentation of a heavily penalised, earnings accounting for an estimated draft WHO report, Sex Work in Asia, implementing effective 1–14% of gross domestic product in at a conference on condom promotion prevention programmes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, in high-risk situations in Asia (Hanoi, Thailand, and Japan. Although the Vietnam; Aug 13–17). According to is extremely difficult” sex-tourism industry in Asia is highly the report, prostitution in Asia is often visible and lucrative, it remains much clandestine because it is “illegal in virsmaller than the countries’ domestic vulnerable” to HIV infection. tually all of the region, making it diffimarkets. And the report points out According to the report, nearly half cult to disseminate condoms and that because of cultural reasons, there of the prostitutes in India and Burma advise about HIV/AIDS”. The report is high demand for young sex workers are HIV positive. Yet, much of the added that, in most Asian countries, in Asia, with the most sought-after commercial sex work in Asia is done prostitutes continue to be imprisoned, prostitutes being aged between 12 and without condoms. fined, stigmatised, shamed, or eco16 years. The report points out that most nomically exploited. But the report, a prostitutes, especially the young, review of published and unpublished migrants, and victims of trafficking are work and the result of “extensive field Khabir Ahmad Panos Pictures
A
THE LANCET • Vol 358 • August 25, 2001
643
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet Publishing Group.
NEWS Call for decriminalisation of prostitution in Asia unable to insist on condom use. To work” on the sex trade in Asia, also WHO adviser on HIV has called address this issue, the WHO’s Hanoi revealed that despite restrictive and for changes to laws on sex work in conference recommended condom punitive measures in place in many Asia because the region’s “rapidly promotion as one of the key strategies Asian countries, sex work is rapidly growing” sex industry is threatening for the prevention of HIV and other expanding in the region. HIV/AIDS control efforts. “We are sexually transmitted infections. With According to Poumerol, “there is certainly advocating decriminalisation an emphasis on prostitutes and their strong evidence that HIV infection is of prostitution in Asia, the world’s clients, and injection drug largest continent”, Gilles users, all condom-promotion Poumerol told The Lancet. Rights were not granted to include this strategies should be consisPoumerol, WHO western tent across Asia because of pacific regional adviser on image in electronic media. Please the greater mobility of popuHIV/AIDS and sexually refer to the printed journal. lations and prostitutes, WHO transmitted infections, added: urged. “When sex workers are heavThe sex trade in Asia is ily penalised, implementing expanding because of greater effective prevention promobility, and changing sexgrammes is extremely diffiual attitudes and economies. cult. If Asia wants to avoid an Sex work is now moving out explosive HIV epidemic, the of traditional brothels in “red most effective measure is to light” areas. And in all Asian take appropriate action to countries, there is a “clear stop HIV transmission within move” towards part-time the context of the sex indusprostitution. The typical ventry.” The issue of decriminali- Is decriminalisation the answer? ues for part-time sex work sation of sex work in Asia was include bars, fitness centres, clubs, spreading rapidly among sex workers, also highlighted last year at a WHO massage parlours, and restaurants. and from sex workers to the general meeting in Manila, Poumerol said. In addition: “The spread of conpopulation”. An estimated 6 million Chantawipa Noi Apisuk of sumer cultures has had a dramatic people in Asia are HIV positive and Thailand’s Empower Foundation, impact, with sex becoming increasUNAIDS warns that the rate of transwhich supports prostitutes, welcomed ingly commercialised. As economies mission in Asia could overtake that in the call as a: “realisation of a very develop, more men have greater the hardest-hit countries of Africa in important public health and human spending power. They can spend this the next 10 years if urgent control rights issue”. She added that decrimion commercial [sex]”, the report measures are not taken. nalisation of sex work would help notes. For example, the introduction The report praised Cambodia and recognition of the social, economic, of market-oriented policies in China Thailand for lowering HIV-infection and health needs of prostitutes. And and Vietnam has been associated with rates among young prostitutes but said Cris Tunon (WHO, Hanoi, Vietnam) a huge resurgence of sex trade in the that in some urban areas in these added: “We need to acknowledge that two countries. countries, prostitutes remain “highly the attempts to eradicate prostitution According to the WHO report, the have failed.” sex industry in Asia is extremely profPoumerol’s call for decriminalisa“When sex workers are itable, with the sex sector’s annual tion came after the presentation of a heavily penalised, earnings accounting for an estimated draft WHO report, Sex Work in Asia, implementing effective 1–14% of gross domestic product in at a conference on condom promotion prevention programmes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, in high-risk situations in Asia (Hanoi, Thailand, and Japan. Although the Vietnam; Aug 13–17). According to is extremely difficult” sex-tourism industry in Asia is highly the report, prostitution in Asia is often visible and lucrative, it remains much clandestine because it is “illegal in virsmaller than the countries’ domestic vulnerable” to HIV infection. tually all of the region, making it diffimarkets. And the report points out According to the report, nearly half cult to disseminate condoms and that because of cultural reasons, there of the prostitutes in India and Burma advise about HIV/AIDS”. The report is high demand for young sex workers are HIV positive. Yet, much of the added that, in most Asian countries, in Asia, with the most sought-after commercial sex work in Asia is done prostitutes continue to be imprisoned, prostitutes being aged between 12 and without condoms. fined, stigmatised, shamed, or eco16 years. The report points out that most nomically exploited. But the report, a prostitutes, especially the young, review of published and unpublished migrants, and victims of trafficking are work and the result of “extensive field Khabir Ahmad Panos Pictures
A
THE LANCET • Vol 358 • August 25, 2001
643
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet Publishing Group.