Understanding the social and cultural contexts of female sex workers in Karnataka, India: implications for prevention of HIV infection.
BACKGROUND
The objective of the present study was to compare the sociodemographic characteristics and sex work patterns of women involved in the traditional Devadasi form of sex work with those of women involved in other types of sex work, in the Indian state of Karnataka.


METHODS
Data were gathered through in-person interviews. Sampling was stratified by district and by type of sex work.


RESULTS
Of 1588 female sex workers (FSWs) interviewed, 414 (26%) reported that they entered sex work through the Devadasi tradition. Devadasi FSWs were more likely than other FSWs to work in rural areas (47.3% vs. 8.9%, respectively) and to be illiterate (92.8% vs. 76.9%, respectively). Devadasi FSWs had initiated sex work at a much younger age (mean, 15.7 vs. 21.8 years), were more likely to be home based (68.6% vs. 14.9%), had more clients in the past week (average, 9.0 vs. 6.4), and were less likely to migrate for work within the state (4.6% vs. 18.6%) but more likely to have worked outside the state (19.6% vs. 13.1%). Devadasi FSWs were less likely to report client-initiated violence during the past year (13.3% vs. 35.8%) or police harassment (11.6% vs. 44.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in sociobehavioral characteristics and practice patterns between Devadasi and other FSWs necessitate different individual and structural interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Blanchard
James F
JF
Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. james_blanchard@umanitoba.ca
O'neil
John
J
Ramesh
B M
BM
Bhattacharjee
Parinita
P
Orchard
Treena
T
Moses
Stephen
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D012925:Social Conformity; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors