City street children vulnerable to HIV/AIDS

City street children vulnerable to HIV/AIDS

JAKARTA (JP): The sexual habits of the capital's street
children make them vulnerable to HIV infection, according to new
research.

Dr. Irwanto of Jakarta's Atmajaya University said in
a presentation of research findings yesterday that street
children are sexually active. He said that, apart from sex
itself, the youths like pornography and peeping on sexual
intercourse.

"They also often change sexual partners," he said, adding that
the children engage in oral and anal sex.

The research was conducted this year by the university in
cooperation with PACT Indonesia, a non-profit, non-governmental
organization.

The study indicates that street children have a very limited
understanding of HIV/AIDS. Moreover, the research revealed that
the homeless children do not care about deadly illnesses. Irwanto
reported that the children had said that dying from an illness
was a matter of indifference to them.

"Death is always the same -- whether it is caused by AIDS,
syphilis or a traffic accident. Everybody dies sooner or later,"
Irwanto quoted the children as saying.

Eighty-five people, including activists, doctors and 45 street
children, were interviewed for the study.

The street children interviewed were mostly boys aged between
11 and 17 who spend most of their days on the streets or in
shopping malls, bus terminals or railway stations.

They included street vendors (of cigarettes, candy, newspapers
and magazines), shoeshine and car-washing boys, and pick-pockets.

Twenty children (44%) said that they had had sexual
intercourse (forced or voluntary), 31 (69%) said they had used
drugs and consumed alcohol and 21 (47%) complained of suffering
from sexually-transmitted diseases.

Twenty-one children (47%) said they were frequently involved
in fights with other street children, security guards and street
hoodlums.

Some of the children interviewed said they had heard about HIV
and AIDS, but only one of them was willing to answer questions
about the disease.

The study is part of the Rescue Indonesia Project, an HIV/AIDS
prevention program sponsored by a number of NGOs, including PACT
Indonesia.

The objective of the research was to develop an understanding
of the both the lifestyle of Jakarta's street children, in as far
as it relates to the spread of AIDS in the city, as well as the
children's attitudes towards the disease.

Most of the activists interviewed were between 21 and 25 years
of age. While a majority of them answered questions about AIDS,
only 57% of the answers given were correct.

Irwanto suggested that the Rescue project be more focused on
high-risk children, such as those interviewed for the study.

Education for street children is badly needed to convince them
that their lives are worth preserving, he added.

He said AIDS activists also need to be given proper education
to help street children modify their habits.

Irwanto said activists should receive education in:
reproductive health, HIV/AIDS epidemiology and prevention, basic
counseling skills and drug-abuse reduction skills.

Legislator Nafsiah Mboi, who attended the presentation, called
on more NGOs to become involved in the prevention of HIV/AIDS
among children.

"We should treat all children equally," Nafsiah said. (29)