Knowledge, Attitude and Practices About Hiv/Aids Among Fsws (Female Sex Workers): A Case Study of Karachi

Abstract

The present research was conducted on female sex workers (FSWs) to study the knowledge Attitude and Practices towards HIV/AIDS. Females are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS as compared to males in Pakistan. The FSWs are on high risk due to the high-risk practices in their profession. Female sex workers are the major drivers of HIV/AIDS into general population. This is the group, which is ignored due to the social taboo, and stigma attached to their profession that in turn gave boom to these females and now they have become dangerous segment of the society. Present study was conducted on Napier Road, Karachi which is the oldest brothel area of Pakistan established during the rule of British. The data was collected from 180 FSWs through questionnaires. The findings showed that these females didn't use preventive measures against HIV/AIDS. Stigma, fear, threat and cultural constraint were some of the factors which have made them more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. It was concluded that females in brothels were vulnerable to HIV/AIDS mainly due to their lifestyle, ignorance, use of drugs and little power to negotiate about the use of condoms, the safest form of prevention of STD's and HIV/AIDS. HIV prevalence is low in Pakistan even in this high risk group. It is suggested that the government should immediately launch security, educational and health services programs specifically for commercial sex workers in order to minimise the risks before it expounds and becomes epidemic.