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Culture, Health & Sexuality
An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care
Volume 13, 2011 - Issue 10
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Original Articles

Diversity of commercial sex among men and male-born trans people in three Peruvian cities

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Pages 1207-1221 | Received 10 Jan 2011, Accepted 29 Jul 2011, Published online: 21 Sep 2011
 

Abstract

In Peru, commercial sex involving men and male-born travestis, transgenders and transsexuals (CSMT) is usually represented as a dangerous practice carried out on the streets by people experiencing economic hardship and social exclusion. However, in reality little is known about the complexities of this practice in Peru. This paper presents findings from an ethnographic study of the characteristics, patterns and sociocultural aspects of CSMT in three Peruvian cities. The study included participant observation in sex work venues and interviews with 42 sex workers and 25 key informants. We found that CSMT in Peru takes many forms (some not previously described in the country) and is practised in different places by people from various socioeconomic levels. In many cases, the practice appears linked to ideals of social mobility, migratory experiences and other economic activities. In addition, the increasing use of the Internet and mobile phones has changed patterns of sex work in Peru. We review the implications of these findings for future research and public health interventions.

Au Pérou, le commerce du sexe chez les hommes et les travestis, les transgenres et les transsexuels nés hommes est couramment perçu comme une activité dangereuse pratiquée dans la rue par des personnes qui souffrent de difficultés économiques et d'exclusion sociale. En réalité, on sait peu de choses sur la complexité de cette pratique dans le pays. Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude ethnographique qui s'est intéressée aux caractéristiques, aux modèles et aux aspects socio-culturels de cette population dans trois villes du Pérou. L'étude comprenait une observation participative dans des lieux où s'exerce le commerce du sexe et des entretiens avec 42 professionnels du sexe et 25 informateurs clé. Nous avons découvert que le commerce du sexe parmi cette population au Pérou se pratique sous diverses formes (certaines, jamais décrites dans le pays auparavant) et dans des lieux différents, et que le niveau socio-économique des individus concernés est variable. Dans de nombreux cas, le commerce du sexe semble être lié à des idéaux de mobilité sociale, des expériences de la migration et d'autres activités économiques. De plus, l'usage croissant d'Internet et des téléphones mobiles a changé les modèles du commerce du sexe au Pérou. Nous passons en revue les implications de ces résultats pour la recherche et les interventions de Santé Publique dans le futur.

En Perú, el comercio sexual de hombres y travestis, transgéneros y transexuales nacidos con sexo masculino se suele representar como una práctica peligrosa que realizan en la calle personas con dificultades económicas y excluidas socialmente. Sin embargo, en realidad poco se sabe sobre las complejidades de esta práctica en Perú. En este artículo presentamos los resultados de un estudio etnográfico sobre las características, los patrones y los aspectos socioculturales del comercio sexual de travestis, transgéneros y transexuales en tres ciudades del Perú. En este estudio se incluyó la observación de participantes en clubes de trabajo sexual y se llevaron a cabo entrevistas a 42 trabajadores sexuales y 25 informantes claves. Observamos que el comercio sexual de travestis, transgéneros y transexuales en Perú adopta formas diferentes (algunas no descritas previamente en el país) y se practica en diferentes lugares por personas de niveles socioeconómicos variados. En muchos casos, esta práctica parece estar vinculada a ideales de movilidad social, experiencias migratorias y otras actividades económicas. Además, el uso cada vez mayor de Internet y teléfonos móviles ha cambiado los modelos del trabajo sexual en Perú. Aquí revisamos las implicaciones de estos resultados para futuros estudios y la intervención de la sanidad pública.

Acknowledgements

We thank all study participants for their collaboration. This work was supported by the US National Institutes of Health through the International Clinical Research Fellows Program at Vanderbilt University (R24 TW007988) and the International AIDS Research & Training Program of the University of Washington. We also thank to Jerome T. Galea for his review of this paper, Ladislao Landa and Pablo Sandoval (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos) for their valuable comments on the study protocol, and the site leaders and personnel at Impacta, Inmensa (Lima), the Asociación Civil Cayetano Heredia (Pucallpa) and the Asociación Civil Selva Amazónica (Iquitos) for their support during the fieldwork. Silvia Montano is an employee of the US Government. Her contribution to this work was part of her official duties. Title 17 USC §105 provides that copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of the US Government.

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