“Girls have commercial sex, boys don’t:” Mixed-methods evidence for a gendered risk environment for street-connected young people in the Republic of Georgia

Abstract

Street-connected young people (SCYP) in the Republic of Georgia are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. We conducted a mixed-methods study utilizing a triangulation design with N = 20 SCYP aged 11–18 (50% female; M = 13.95 years; SD = 2.11) recruited from two cities in Georgia. SCYP completed a close-ended survey and an in-depth interview on their perceptions of romantic and exchange sex relationships. Quantitative analyses examined gender differences in perceptions of romantic and exchange sex partners, and qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Quantitative findings indicated that a higher proportion of female than male SCYP endorsed engaging in HIV-related transmission behaviors with exchange sex partners. Thematic analysis contextualized survey findings by elucidating the ways in which females negotiated a highly gendered risk environment that elevated their vulnerability to HIV. Study results highlight the need for gender-responsive programming to address the HIV prevention needs of both male and female SCYP in the Republic of Georgia.

Keywords:

• Exchange sex
• HIV/AIDS
• romantic relationships
• sexual health
• street-connected young people

Acknowledgments

Everyone who has contributed significantly to this work has been recognized as an author. Study results were presented as a poster at the 2020 Society for Social Work and Research Conference.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation [FR 17_31].