Should sex workers take part?

A lot of uninformed people think that sex workers should take part in the effort to limit the spread of HIV and other STIs. My own view is that sex workers are not even a factor in the equation. In the SADC region, most sex workers are women who have nothing when they start sex work. They do whatever their clients ask of them. They are not assertive enough to allow themselves other that the assumption of victimhood. By the time they have gathered enough confidence to influence the process, they themselves are HIV positive, and a large number of their clients are also positive.

The only way such a new entrant to the biz would be in a position to control how fast the virus spreads is if there is a school for sex workers, which there will never be such a thing in the SADC region.

What are the incentives to sex workers?
As far as I have found out in 8 years, there is no personal incentive to a sex worker to participate in limiting the spread.
1. She is already positive
2. She has no time to implement any of the requirements without losing income.
3. She will never get recognition from anyone for her efforts.
4. She is not a paid primary health worker
5. Men frown upon her if she seems overly difficult, and would just go to someone else.
6. She would not actually reduce or even limit the actual statistics.

Society understand sex workers and know that they are a high risk group. What society does not understand fully is that the HUSBAND is the link between the high risk group and the at risk group (the wife and children) It is there that all attention should be focussed if any results are to be realised.

Sex workers are not a factor and should be left well alone unless they are going to be given financial incentives. Ironically, the people who waste their time by approaching them for discussion, are usually highly paid academics or primary health carers. It seems unfair that these receive money and the people whgose time they waste receive none.