AIDS prevention course for prostitutes stirs controversy

More than 50 female commercial sex workers(CSW) who work in local entertainment centers attended an AIDS prevention training course in Harbin recently, causing a social outcry.

The course, organized by the Harbin Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, promoted the use of condoms among CSWs and knowledge on how to prevent AIDS.

Center staff gave the prostitutes a number to call after the lecture, in case they had any further queries.

Wen Yingchun, director of the AIDS prevention and control Institute under the city's disease control and prevention center, said that CSW are the highest risk group for HIV and AIDS infection and transmission and society should not ignore them.

"Prostitution is banned in the country but prostitutes nevertheless exist and we should shoulder the responsibility of promoting necessary AIDS prevention knowledge," Wen said.

Wen said 180 CSWs have so far attended the AIDS prevention training.

However, the training course has stirred up controversy.

Many citizens regarded the training course as open recognition of the illegal sex industry, and an encouragement to prostitution, according to the local media.

But others were more understanding. "Since prostitutes do exist and cannot be banned effectively, it is better to face up to reality," the Harbin Daily quoted one local resident as saying.

Local police authorities noted that the AIDS prevention public training course are in no way a sign that the sex industry will be legalized.

Police and health workers are in a quandary. If police arrest prostitutes who attend AIDS prevention training given by health workers, then the prostitutes will not dare attend the courses, according to a member of the judiciary quoted by Beijing Youth Daily.

The judiciary worker said to deal with the legal embarrassment, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Health should work together on a joint CSW AIDS prevention plan.

Source: Xinhua