By RUPERT MISSICK Jr

MORE than 60 per cent of sex workers in Nassau earn up to $500 a week, while 30 per cent claim they make even more than that, a new study investigating the habits of sex workers in New Providence reveals.

The study, which was conducted by the Bahamas Urban Youth Development Centre, surveyed 237 sex workers in Nassau and discovered that economics was the main reason for entering the trade. According to the survey, 70 per cent of female sex workers entered the trade to buy food for their children and 90 per cent of all those surveyed gave paying household bills as a reason for participating in prostitution.

The majority – 85 per cent – said they would change their trade if they could find another job that paid the same amount as they now make on a weekly basis.

“69 per cent of sex workers make up to $500 per week, while 30 per cent made over $500 per week,” the report said.

The BUYDC said that it felt the need to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of sex workers in the Bahamas to assist it with its mission of teaching the prevention of HIV and AIDS to the those most at risk in society.

“These women have limited access to up-to-date health information, resources, psycho-social support, and free healthcare services and condoms. Additionally, they have limited skills to effectively negotiate condom use with their clients and/or regular partners,” the BUYDC said.

Due to social and cultural norms, the BUYDC said very often sex workers are stigmatised and discriminated against when seeking healthcare services which pushes them further underground and discourages them from going in to be tested to learn of their HIV status.

Surveys conducted from this population indicate further that many of them were/are teen moms, and/or themselves were raised in single parent homes.

“Their low self esteem and lack of self efficacy allows for them to continue making poor, unhealthy decisions that not only impacts their health, but society as a whole. The need for capacity building, life skills development and empowerment training through safe, non-judgmental, structured and targeted sexual and female reproductive health information, and the provision of employability skills and job shadowing opportunities are a top priority,” the report said.

The organization found that the majority of the women were school dropouts, unskilled, unemployed and in many cases unemployable; consequently, they lack the ability to retain a job, due to the lack of employability skills, self efficacy and good decision making skills, which has resulted in them having to make a living on the streets.

The information in the study was gathered by sex workers from other sex workers in various “hot spots” throughout New Providence with members of the BUYDC directly monitoring and supervising the data collection.

• IN tomorrow’s Tribune, the study’s surprising find about sex workers’ drug habits.