Prostitution and the Politics of HIV Prevention in Cambodia: A Historical Case Study

Abstract

Cambodia received international attention in the early 1990s when it emerged from civil war with the highest HIV rate in Asia, in which up to 60% of sex workers were infected. A massive influx of financial, human, and material resources ensued, and debates over “best practices” for HIV prevention were played out. Over time, the politics of AIDS shifted, mirroring changes in the politics of the largest player in global health, the United States. This sparked acrimonious polarization within international health policy, with direct implications for the lives of sex workers. This article traces those debates over sex work and HIV, highlighting the example of one brothel district in Cambodia where Medecins Sans Frontieres provided services to over 300 migrant Vietnamese sex workers. Using literature and program documentation from the time, this article highlights how countries such as Cambodia can become vulnerable to manipulation and used to serve wider political agendas.

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Notes on contributors

Joanna R. Busza

Joanna R. Busza, M.Sc., is Senior Lecturer in Sexual and Reproductive Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. She is currently based at the World Health Organization in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.