Male sex workers in Pretoria: an occupational health perspective

Abstract

Evidence of male sex work has a history as long as female sex work. There is century old evidence of male Sumarians and Greeks selling sex to other men. Men are today still selling sex to other men. This study showed that the elimination of sex work is practically impossible, and could only be accomplished by the gross denial of basic human rights. Male sex workers have not received the same attention from researchers as have their female counterparts. This is so despite the large numbers of male sex workers in cities all over the world who potentially contribute to the worldwide sexually transmitted infection rates. It is known that wherever indiscriminate sexual activities take place, the risk of transmission of infections are greater. The activities between the male sex worker and his client(s) determine the health problems they are exposed to. The purpose of this research was to determine what transpires between male sex workers and their client(s) in order to provide the sex workers with knowledge to better take care of their own health as well as the health of their clients. A qualitative research design was used to collect data by means of in-depth interviews and participant observation sessions. Research strategies that were also used included: description, ethnography, phenomenology, and the biographic methods of qualitative research. The research revealed that men who have sex with men (MSM) were exposed to forty-nine different preventable sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, trauma, violence, and alcohol and drug abuse. All these conditions relate to the lifestyle and activities of male sex workers. Recommendations were made regarding the removal of factors that hinder the delivery of programmes on safer sex to MSM. A booklet on safer sex for MSM was compiled by the researcher and distributed to all informants upon completion of the research. The neglected topic of male sex work was highlighted and health practitioners and other decision makers can now use the information in this thesis to make a contribution towards the better management of male sex work in South Africa in the interest of public health.