| The decriminalization of prostitution is associated with better coverage of health promotion programs for sex workers. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 21040176 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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OBJECTIVE: In order to assess whether the law has an impact on the delivery of health promotion services to sex workers, we compared health promotion programs in three Australian cities with different prostitution laws. The cities were Melbourne (brothels legalized if licensed, unlicensed brothels criminalized), Perth (criminalization of all forms of sex work) and Sydney (sex work largely decriminalized, without licensing). METHODS: We interviewed key informants and gave questionnaires to representative samples of female sex workers in urban brothels. RESULTS: Despite the different laws, each city had a thriving and diverse sex industry and a government-funded sex worker health promotion program with shopfront, phone, online and outreach facilities. The Sydney program was the only one run by a community-based organisation and the only program employing multi-lingual staff with evening outreach to all brothels. The Melbourne program did not service the unlicensed sector, while the Perth program accessed the minority of brothels by invitation only. More Sydney workers reported a sexual health centre as a source of safer sex training and information (Sydney 52% v Melbourne 33% and Perth 35%; p<0.001). Sex workers in Melbourne's licensed brothels were the most likely to have access to free condoms (Melbourne 88%, Sydney 39%, Perth 12%; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The legal context appeared to affect the conduct of health promotion programs targeting the sex industry. Brothel licensing and police-controlled illegal brothels can result in the unlicensed sector being isolated from peer-education and support. |
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Authors:
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Christine Harcourt; Jody O'Connor; Sandra Egger; Christopher K Fairley; Handan Wand; Marcus Y Chen; Lewis Marshall; John M Kaldor; Basil Donovan |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Australian and New Zealand journal of public health Volume: 34 ISSN: 1753-6405 ISO Abbreviation: Aust N Z J Public Health Publication Date: 2010 Oct |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-11-02 Completed Date: 2011-01-07 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 9611095 Medline TA: Aust N Z J Public Health Country: Australia |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 482-6 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
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© 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 Public Health Association of Australia. |
Affiliation:
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Sydney Sexual Health Centre, New South Wales and National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052. |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Australia Condoms / statistics & numerical data Crime* Female Health Education Health Promotion / methods* Humans Licensure / legislation & jurisprudence Occupational Health Prostitution / legislation & jurisprudence*, psychology, statistics & numerical data* Telephone Urban Population |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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