Posted by TJResearcher on December 13, 2000 at 12:22:33:
In Reply to: May I ask you a question? posted by Strangelove on December 13, 2000 at 10:54:08:
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By current prevention method, do you mean consistent condom use? Condoms work - no doubt about it. Quality condoms are key - from reading just the posts on this board, problems with breakage are an issue and I would want to get those hotels who pass out freebies to give only quality condoms... Also, there is the well-documented fact that sex workers, like any other worker, are reluctant to use condoms with their primary romantic partner (novio). Many distinguish clients from novios/esposos precisely through a list of things they WILL do with their novio/esposo that they WONT do with a client (no condom, kissing, etc.) The same things that put other women in TJ at risk for HIV and other STDs (namely, poverty (limits decision making), lack of education/skills (limits mobility and agency), lack of appropriate legal redress to sexual violence and assault (lack of enforcment of current laws, lack of attention to violence against women in general) lack of knowledge about womens reproductive health and risk prevention (more common to newbie chicas and women outside of the zona) are issues of concern to me. These are all quality of life issues, that I plan to address whether or not HIV rates are staggering enough to get funding for a specifically HIV prevention sort of project. The simple fact is, we dont know what HIV rates are in the zona or in other pockets of industry in TJ. We do have some info on STD rates (very high - similar to other inner city rates in the US) - where STD rates are high, we can assume that there is also a real or potential problem with HIV. From my understanding, most chicas are pretty savvy when it comes to risk prevention for HIV. They educate one another. Those that work less formally, less regularly, less openly, and those that aren't in the sex industry at all, are another matter entirely. Condom negotiation among non sex workers, or those who don't openly identify as sex workers, is a politized issue. Women in general, and esp. latinas, aren't devalued when demonstrating sexual experience. Unfortunately, because of the historical focus on so-called "high risk groups" instead of risk behavior and harm reduction, condom use has become stigmafied among the so-called "low" or "not at risk" groups. Put more plainly, women who use condoms can be seen as sluts. A lot of women don't think of themselves as sluts, nor do they want their romantic partner to think of them as such. They are therefore reluctant to express desire to use a condom (even when they think their partner might be at risk through this own behavior - i.e. multiple chicas, substance abuse, etc.). It sounds to me like las chicas in the zona have their act together on this respect. However, I'd like to hear it from them. I'd also like to know under what circumstances they change their minds about condom use (because they are human this must happen sometime - I don't know anyone who always uses condoms with everybody). If the answer is someone offered to pay them more on a day when they were worried about putting food on the table - then we have an occupational safety concern... If the answer is they like it and they felt ok about it - well then it's no one's business... Thats my approach anyway.
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