Sex workers get crash course in health basics

JAKARTA (JP): Tears and laughter occupied a small but tidy room at a North Jakarta clinic, where more than 20 young women took part in a special health program recently.

The program, organized by the Kusuma Buana Foundation in cooperation with several AIDS-related institutions, is specially designed for one of the most marginal groups in society-- prostitutes. The program hopes to make these sex workers aware of the danger of AIDS and to encourage them to practice safe sex.

Last July, ten women volunteers, led by anthropologist Kindy Marina, and 25 sex workers aged between 15 and 25 years old from the Kramat Tunggak red-light district in North Jakarta, were involved in serious discussions and games, including one which involved creative ways to persuade clients to use condoms.

Because most of the sex workers have not completed elementary school -- with some unable to read and write, the training program has been made as simple as possible, the program's director Kindy explained.

Models, illustrations and simple tools were utilized to explain AIDS and how it is spread, venereal diseases, women's reproduction health and how to maintain their own health.

The instructors also act as agents or peer educators to teach the participants ways of disseminating information to their other colleagues.

Kindy admitted that due to a lack of funds and volunteers, the program is not able to involve all the prostitutes in the district. Since the program started in early l994, it has only reached 100 sex workers out of 1,860 working in the 11-hectare brothel district.

Rina, not her real name, shared her experience on how to persuade customers: "Mas, I would be very happy if you wore a condom when we have sex. I'm also willing to halve the price as long as you wear one. It's for our own good," the 18-year-old insisted.

Hearing this naive but important approach, Rina's friends burst into laughter, most of whom routinely face the same problem.

An attractive 16-year-old named "Diana", from Indramayu, Central Java, shared her distress, saying the program has made her feel frightened. "I have never been informed that having sex with men could cause so many troubles. I wish I could leave my present job", shivered Diana.

Kindy added that the program has opened the minds of these women to be more aware of various health risks.

"But we have to create a warm and friendly atmosphere during the program otherwise they remain passive and tight-lipped. Previously many of them were embarrassed mentioning the word condom, let alone being shown one," said Dr. Nataliza, one of the volunteers.

She went on to say that many of sex workers are reluctant to converse with people outside of their circle.

"We need to act as their best friends, as ones whom they can rely on and share their bad and happy moments. That's why the trainers are all women," said Kindy.

This way, she said, the participants will be more open to discuss their problems with the trainers.

Kindy added, however, that the program is finally working after a long and tough process. "We know that prostitutes are vulnerable to AIDS. But we didn't know how to inform them." Kindy said.

So in early l993, the foundation chaired by Dr. Adi Sasongko began to approach a number of brothels about the program and its benefits. "Many of them realized the importance of the program and even invited us to conduct a survey in the area under their protection," Sasongko maintained.

Some of the volunteers even spent nights at the brothel to get to know their future participants.

"Now many of them trust us and that is very encouraging," Kindy said proudly.

-- Rita A. Widiadana