Barebacking Among Internet Based Male Sex Workers

SUMMARY

Some have raised concern that male sex workers (MSWs) serve as “vectors of transmission” of HIV into the heterosexual community. Research on MSWs, however, has found that these men report unsafe sex more often with casual partners than with clients. In the mid-1990s, two new phenomena emerged: the Internet, providing a new way for MSWs to meet clients, and barebacking or intentional anal sex without condoms. Using qualitative and quantitative methods in an effort to understand the impact of these phenomena, this study sought to explore intentions for unsafe sex among MSWs who reach clients through the Internet. Findings suggest that most MSWs do not intentionally seek out sex without condoms or engage in barebacking. This does not denote the complete absence of sexual risk behaviors, particularly with casual partners as found in previous research. Interview data suggest that these men may be employing harm reduction strategies such as partner characteristics and sex role positioning in their decision making processes. These findings can be helpful to service providers who currently or plan to provide intervention services to members of this population.

KEYWORDS:

• AIDS
• anal sex
• barebacking
• condoms
• gay men
• harm reduction
• HIV
• homosexuality
• male sex workers
• MSW
• prostitution
• safer sex
• sex workers
• STI