ABSTRACT
This chapter examines a range of issues related to sex work and HIV/AIDS as well as other factors of significance in sex workers’ lives. Self reports of HIV status indicated that no workers in the sample were HIV positive. This is consistent with other reports of HIV status among sex workers in Australia. A high level of knowledge about HIV transmission and risk practices was evident. A significant number of workers thought that HIV infection could be detected than is in fact possible following unsafe sexual contact with an infected person. Education needs to clarify the stages of HIV infection and the link with developing AIDS-related symptoms. Sex worker education also presents an opportunity to address risk practices with sex partners in workers’ private lives. Skills training in safe sex negotiation with private partners should draw on models adopted for use in the general community.
