Focus on violence, not HIV/AIDS: Sex workers urge organisations involved in development programmes
Bangladeshi sex workers urged relevant organizations to shift focus from HIV/AIDS to violence concerning their current reality while planning development programmes for their community. The opinion came forward in a two-day training jointly organised by the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW) and local advocacy organisation HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre (HARC) on June 20 and 21.
Sex workers from all around the country who participated in the training said that the module was different from other trainings they had previously attended, especially because it focused on community empowerment, human rights, violence against sex workers, and community-led services, rather than only HIV prevention, said a HARC press release.
Many participants mentioned that traditional prevention, care, and support services are not working in Bangladesh, and they recognized that there is a need to change the focus on issues regarding sex work.
Participants also mentioned that sex workers in Bangladesh face stigma and discrimination, even when availing of health services.
All the participants highlighted that violence against sex workers is common and needs to be addressed. During the training, many sex workers mentioned that they face violence regularly, but NGOs and government do not talk about these issues in Bangladesh.
Many participants also mentioned that sex worker-led organizations in Bangladesh have no funding, and as a result, most of the sex worker-led organizations are inactive. All the money for these issues is directed towards NGOs that do not respect sex workers. The involvement of sex workers within these organizations is limited, and are typically hired as outreach workers for the NGOs.
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