Actions of female sex workers faced with condom failure during penetration sexual encounters with clients in Cape Town

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Male latex condoms have empirically been established as one of the effective barrier prevention methods against HIV transmission and are thus widely recommended. Meanwhile, there are a copious number of studies supporting its effectiveness; there have also been reports of condom breakages and slippages during heterogeneous vaginal intercourse, which undermines its primary goal as a barrier prevention method. The rate of condom failure is even higher among sex workers as the nature of their work is characterised by frequent coitus. This, consequently, increases the susceptibility of sex workers and their clients to contracting HIV and other sexually transmissible diseases. The situation is made dire due to the criminalisation, stigmatisation and discrimination of sex workers. While so much has been done to investigate the use, effectiveness, and failure rates of condoms among various populations, there is a troubling research gap regarding the actions of female sex workers when they are faced with situations of condom failure.This study revealed that, with respect to the immediate actions of sex workers after a condom failure incident, about 36% of the respondents revealed that they continued with their sexual rapport to the end even after noticing that the condom is broken. Another 36% said that they stopped immediately they noticed that the condom broke or slipped. Some 13% of the participants pointed that they stopped the sexual encounter completely. Another 3% revealed that they applied vaginal spermicidal foam. About 5% of the respondents said that they stopped immediately and took a douche when they had the chance. For the actions within the next 24 hours of experiencing condom failure with a client, 53% of the participants reported doing, meanwhile 4% attested of seeking counsel from a professional. About 3% of the respondents revealed that they simply took alcohol or drugs to forget the incident and 25% said that they went to the clinic for assistance when they experienced condom failure. Meanwhile, some of the actions such as continuing the sexual encounter without a new condom, taking alcohol and drugs or doing nothing at all could increase the risk of contracting HIV, other actions such as stopping the sexual completely, paying a visit to a clinic or visiting a professional could make a difference between staying HIV negative or becoming HIV positive.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University