25 Aug 2007 Press Conference -- A Survey on Occupational Safety of Female Sex Workers in Hong KongDetails:
Date: 25 Aug 2007 (Sat)
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Venue: Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association (Room 1-3A, Tsing Ying House, Tsui Ping South Estate, Kwun Tong.
During the period between March 2006 and March 2007, a survey was conducted by AFRO on occupational safety of female sex workers in Hong Kong. We successfully interviewed 113 sex workers. The report was released on 25 August 2007. （Reference:
http://www.afro.org.hk/pdf/survey/QandA.pdf (Chinese)
It was found that 78.8% of the interviewees had more than once been requested by customer(s) not to use a condom. Among them, almost 90% expressed that they would reject customers with such request. However, they might then have to take the risk of being violently treated. 40.7% of all the interviewees had been forced by customer(s) not to use condom(s), while 41.6% of them had met customer(s) who secretly took off the condom(s).
The occupational safety issues that sex workers had to tackle also included customer rejecting to pay after receiving service (18.6%), customer forcing to have sex act without consent (25.7%), customer using violence (13.3%), being robbed by customer (or claimed-to-be customer), and being threatening or blackmailing by police officer (or claimed-to-be police officer) (13.3%).
We recognise the need to continuously provide sex workers with necessary information and encourage them to protect their own health, safety and rights. However, what we consider even more crucial is the elimination of discrimination against sex workers. We believe that only in a friendlier environment can sex workers feel more comfortable and safe to let the problems known. A better attitude of the law executors towards sex workers, a reasonable and properly followed legal procedure, and the widely disseminated information on the law execution procedure and basic human rights that all people are entitled to, are all critical preconditions for sex workers to report the cases.
21 Aug 2007 AFRO’s ClinicThe long-expected clinic of AFRO will commence its service with effect from August 2007. It opens every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. A registered medical doctor and a nurse will provide sexually transmitted infection testing and gynecological inspections, including inspections for HIV, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis and Hepatitis B, and pap smear test etc., for women who engage in the sex industry in Hong Kong. Sex workers, whether Hong Kong Identity Card holders or not, are all eligible for enjoying these services free of charge.
Opening hours: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Every Tuesday and Thursday) Attending Doctor: Dr. Fong
