ARAVANIS (‘HIJRAS/ALIS’) IN SEX WORK IN CHENNAI Venkatesan Chakrapani, MD Venkatesan Chakrapani rch 2003 Ma 1. OBJECTIVE To provide an overall view of Aravanis in sex work in Chennai. Venkatesan Chakrapani PRESENTATION IS BASED ON • Qualitative studies done among Aravanis in Chennai and which were presented in the AIDS India 2000 conference. 2002.2. • Discussion with Key informants. • Informal discussions with Aravanis who attended the STD clinic of Institute of STD. Dec 1999 and XIV International AIDS conference. Madras Medical College (1998-2001). Venkatesan Chakrapani . These persons are usually in female attire and may or may not have undergone emasculation/castration. • Sex work can be full-time or part-time. WHOM DOES ‘ARAVANIS IN SEX WORK’ IN THIS PRESENTATION REFER TO? • In Tamil Nadu.3. • The term ‘Aravani’ denotes biological males who identify themselves with women and who join the Aravani community. (Note: Those males who wear female attire to attract masculine partners are not discussed in this presentation) Venkatesan Chakrapani . the term ‘Aravani’ is recently coined to denote ‘Hijras/Alis’ since the latter terms are considered derogatory. • The term ‘Aravanis in sex work’ (ASW) refer to those Aravanis who exchange sex with men for money or kind. PROFILE OF ARAVANIS IN SEX WORK IN CHENNAI Studies have been done among Aravani community in Chennai with regard to assessing their knowledge. (Note: Not all Aravanis are involved in sex work and this presentation’s focus is on those Aravanis who do sex work). attitude.4. but there are almost no studies which specifically looked at STD and HIV prevalence among this community. and practices in relation to HIV/AIDS. Venkatesan Chakrapani . AGE AND LENGTH OF THE CAREER • Many Aravanis enter into sex work at a very young age because they ran away from their biological family and have no financial support. • Those Aravanis who are more feminine and younger might earn relatively more money. Venkatesan Chakrapani .4a. • Young Aravanis might be engaged in sex work more actively though Aravanis of any age can involve in sex work. • Middle-aged/older Aravanis might find it difficult to get clients. cohabitate with their male partner (“Panthi”) or live along with their Aravani friends or with their ‘Guru/Amma’. COHABITATION STATUS AND HOME ENVIRONMENT • Aravanis might stay single. Venkatesan Chakrapani .4b. some sell vegetables/flowers. some go for ‘Bhasthi’ (clapping/getting money from shops). • In addition to sex work. • Some also do house-hold jobs. ‘OCCUPATIONAL’ STATUS • For some Aravanis.4c. Venkatesan Chakrapani . etc. sex work is only parttime while for some it is a fulltime job because of variety of reasons. 10 to Rs. EARNINGS OF ARAVANIS IN SEX WORK (hereafter ASW) • Most clients of Aravanis in sex work (ASW) belong to low socioeconomic status. Venkatesan Chakrapani .5.500 per sexual encounter). • Earnings of ASW are relatively low (usually from Rs. • Unlike Calcutta and Mumbai. • Often the clients are recruited by standing near bushy areas (near beach/other places) and sex happen in the same place. PLACE OF SEX WORK • The ‘soliciting sites’ (‘pickup sites’) and ‘sex sites’ (where sex happens) are most often the same. ‘brothels’ [of Aravanis] are very rare in Chennai. Venkatesan Chakrapani .6. Clients of ASW: • Most of the clients of ASW belong to low socioeconomic status. Most often these male clients don’t have any identity (though Aravanis call these masculine persons as ‘Panthis’).7. Venkatesan Chakrapani . PARTNERS OF ASW a. Those regular partners might also be married to a female or will get married to a female in the near future. • These regular male partners of ASW may or may not know that their partners are sex workers. Regular male partners or cohabiting partners of ASW (‘Panthis’): • Some ASW have regular male partners and some even cohabitate with their regular male partners (‘Panthis’).7. PARTNERS OF ASW (Contd.) b. Venkatesan Chakrapani . 8. Venkatesan Chakrapani . ALCOHOL USE • Many ASW use alcohol and they might give many reasons for alcohol abuse – feeling of worthlessness. etc. depression. Types of sexual practices • All types of sexual practices are practiced by ASW. • However. significant proportion also have receptive anal sex (irrespective of castration status). SEXUAL PRACTICES AND CONDOM USAGE AMONG ASW a. amount of money.9. • Common: Intercrural sex (‘Thigh sex’). and masturbation. Venkatesan Chakrapani . • The type of sexual practices might vary with the type of ‘sex site’ (where sex happens). type of sexual partner (client or regular). oral sex. etc. • Physical/Emotional Attraction: Some sex workers acknowledged that they did not use condoms if the person looked clean or if they liked that person. SEXUAL PRACTICES AND CONDOM USAGE AMONG ASW (Contd.) b. Venkatesan Chakrapani . Condom use by ASW might depend on many factors • Money: Some reported having had unprotected anal sex with their clients if they offered to pay more.9. ) • Type of sexual partners: Condoms also seem to be less used with their regular male partners/ ‘Panthis’ (cohabiting male partners) compared to their clients. Condom use by ASW might depend on many factors (Contd. (This could be because that they feel oral sex is risk-free or they might accept the minimal risk associated with unprotected oral sex. Venkatesan Chakrapani .) • Type of sexual practices: Condoms are mainly used for anal sex and rarely for oral sex.9.) b. SEXUAL PRACTICES AND CONDOM USAGE AMONG ASW (Contd. 10. • Irrespective of condom use. Venkatesan Chakrapani . saliva or coconut oil were used in anal sex. LUBRICANT USE • Water-based lubricants are almost never used (either unknown or not affordable). STD/HIV AMONG ASW • In Tamil Nadu. Venkatesan Chakrapani .11. till date there are no studies that exclusively looked at STD/HIV prevalence among Aravanis in Chennai. • Some male clients may force ASW to have unprotected sex and might also beat them up once sex is over. VIOLENCE • Most often Aravanis face violence from the police men and from local rowdies. • A few incidents of ‘gang rape’ have been reported. • Domestic violence (with cohabiting male partner – ‘Panthi’) has been reported. Venkatesan Chakrapani .12. • A few ASW have mentioned that they do sex work to get money for their emasculation operation. • It is possible that having multipartner sex through sex work could be a risky way of affirming their gender identity. and lack of other job opportunities. REASONS FOR SEX WORK • The commonly cited reason is for money – either money for survival or money for additional expenses. Venkatesan Chakrapani . • There could be other reasons that need to be explored.13. and STD referral services Venkatesan Chakrapani . condom distribution/ promotion. AVAILABLE SERVICES FOR ARAVANIS IN CHENNAI • Some organizations in Chennai (NGOs and community-based organizations) that provide services like outreach education.14. EXPRESSED NEEDS OF ARAVANIS IN SEX WORK • Assistance towards emasculation operation and complications following emasculation • Nonjudgmental sexual health services • Information about hormonal therapy and emasculation operation • Assistance from govt. Venkatesan Chakrapani .15. and NGOs in getting jobs.