Prior research on female sex
workers (FSW) in China, and their risk for HIV and STI, neglects the nuanced
experiences of ethnic minority FSW. We conducted participant observations and
in-depth interviews with 33 FSW and six venue bosses to describe the experiences
of FSW and management structures in low and high-priced sex work venues in
Liuzhou, China. In low-priced venues, FSW had more autonomy and stronger
relationships with their ethnic minority peers. Mid- and high-priced venues had
more formal management structures. Ethnic minority FSW working in higher priced
venues experienced less support and kinship with their peers. HIV/STI
prevention outreach activities occurred in all of the venues, but they were not
tailored for different venue types or for ethnic minority FSW. Our findings
provide guidance for tailoring public health programs that meet the needs of
ethnic minority women working in different types of sex work venues.
Table I
Description of the sex-work venues and the data collected
| Venue | Price-tier | Type | Observation Conducted | Manager Ethnicity | Total # in venue interviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Low | Massage parlor | Yes | Zhuang | 5 Zhuang |
| B | Low | Roadside brothel | Yes | Miao | 6 Mia 2 Zhuang 3 Han |
| C | Middle | Spa/bathhouse | Yes | Zhuang | 3 Zhuang 1 Dong 2 Han |
| D | Middle | Massage Parlor in a hotel | No | Miao | 1 Miao 2 Han |
| E | Low | Roadside brothel | No | Zhuang | 2 Zhuang |
| F | High | KTV (Karaoke) | No | Zhuang | 3 Zhuang 3 Han |
She (NANA, a 17 year old girl in her brothel) will not go
to a higher priced place. There are strict regulations in that kind of place.
You have to be present on time and be polite to the clients. The clients will
give scores to your service … She cannot bear that. She always comes and goes
as she likes without informing me. (Boss Xiaoyuan, Venue E – low-priced
roadside brothel)
Compared to the low-priced venues, the regulations and
management procedures at mid-priced venues such as the SPA bathhouse (venue C)
were more rigid. A receptionist took the client’s specifications first and then
took him to a special room where he waited. The rooms had beds and other
facilities for having sex. The manager would arrange for a few FSW to go to the
client’s room for his selection. After the client chose the FSW, the other FSW would
leave the room. The manager stood by for any urgent issues or complaints from
the client. Afterward, the client paid the receptionist, not the FSW. The
typical price for sexual service was 300 RMB ($47). The receptionist would make
a record on the account book and the manager would pay the FSW. The FSW
received 150 RMB ($24) for each sex service, but only at the end of each day,
not case by case. The receptionist was paid a fixed salary and the manager
earned a commission for each sex service provided above a base salary. The
telephone, reception desk, and accounting book served as management and
enforcement materials, or artifacts, in the venue. The following procedure
illustrates the order of business.
We are required to stay here from 7:00pm until midnight.
The boss bought a punch machine to punch our timecard. But it does not work. We
will not be monitored by her. We like freedom, otherwise I would rather move to
the luxury place where the price is much higher than this one. But we always
stay here after 7:00, otherwise, the manager is not willing to recommend you to
the clients, especially kind clients. The logistic staff, for example,
managers, receptionists and cleaners have to use their timecard. (FSW L, Zhuang
group, Venue C – mid-priced Spa)
High-priced venue F was a luxury karaoke club. The FSW there
were dressed in sexy pink gauze skirts, standard working attire in the club,
implying standard management through “artifact expression” (21). Clients booked a private
room as a group, not as individuals. Upon arrival, the receptionist guided
clients to their private room, which contained karaoke equipment, tables and
chairs. The manager arranged FSW to be chosen by the clients. The FSW worked
primarily as waitresses and companions, tending to drinks and offering
attentive conversation to the clients. The fee for each FSW was 500RMB ($79)
per night. The FSW received commission on the drinks, so they encouraged
clients to drink a lot and to order expensive drinks. If a client wanted to
have sex with a FSW, he would take her to another private room and pay her
directly 400–600 RMB ($63–$95) for sex. The manager was responsible for
recruiting and training women in job skills and manners in order to attract
more clients to the club....
Full article at: http://goo.gl/cA3PRk
By:
1Institute of Anthropology, School of Sociology and Population Study, Renmin University of China, No. 57, Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, 100872, Beijing, China, liuqian19940717@vip.163.com.
AIDS Behav. 2014 Feb;18 Suppl 2:S172-80. doi: 10.1007/s10461-013-0570-5.
More at: https://twitter.com/hiv
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