Gender, vulnerability and HIV risk : a case study of female sex workers in Bangladesh | |
| Author | Moon, Sk. Muslima |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-08-13 |
| Subject(s) | HIV infections--Bangladesh AIDS (Disease) in women--Bangladesh |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the re quirement for the degree of Master of Science in Gender and Development Studies, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. GD-08-13 |
| Abstract | In Bangladesh, sex work is neither legal nor it is socially and culturally recognized. Women sex workers have an increased risk of HIV infection due to various disparities in their life. Lack of information on health, HIV/AIDS and STDs an d cultural phenomena are the main reason of their vulnerability. They often lack of a ccess to necessary social and public services as well as information, knowledge and education, wh ich renders them vulnerable to HIV/AIDs. This study attempted to understand the intersection of gender, vulnerability and HIV/AIDS risk factors of female sex workers in Bangladesh. R esearch analysis involved data collected from in-depth interviews with 40 women sex workers (20 each from Daulatdia brothel and street/floating area in Dhaka city), informal discu ssions including some of key informants from NGOs and other people in the study areas in Ba ngladesh and from secondary sources. The study argues that only for survival, the female sex workers in Bangladesh are vulnerable to HIV infection. Their vulnerability further influ ence due to their economic need, living and working environments, socio-cultural attitudes with regard to individual sexual behaviors, violence’s and abusive, use of legal interpretation s, ambiguities of law regarding sex work and also lack of access to health care services. The study concludes that exploitation as well as po verty influences the poor helpless women to enter the sex profession as a livelihood strateg y for survival. Violence is the part of their everyday life and it was found that due to lack of awareness and some misconceptions, beliefs and practices favored by sex workers and their clie nts might lead to STDs and HIV/AIDS. |
| Year | 2008 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. GD-08-13 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Doneys, Philippe; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Amin, A.T. M Nurul;Resurreccion, Bernadette; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Strengthening of Ba ngladesh Public Administration Traini ng Center (BPATC) Project; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2008 |