Commercial Sex Workers, Infectious Diseases Protection And Confidentiality.

[Guest guest]

Hello to all list members-

Commercial Sex Workers, Infectious Diseases Protection And Confidentiality.

I hope this document will reach the lists because I believe it provides a

glimpse of some possible solutions.

By the time you see it I will be heading back to Australia having used up my

statutory 180 days.

Before I came to India and all through my visits to 16 States and over 100

programs I have been asked for details and of course I am trying to get the

details without any typos.

The first document is the Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations of 2001. It

is 47 pages long but it explains how on a quarterly basis we have been able to

be quite precise about infectious diseases including HIV without compromising

confidentiality.

http://www.dms.dpc.vic.gov.au/12d/H/STAT00907/0_1.html

This is the document which contains the confidentiality provisions.

Of course it is comprehensive but it will only work in India if all States adopt

it. I am always hearing of course that I am from Australia and this is India. My

reply is that the virus isn’t very interested in that fact but Indians need to

be.

The second piece of legislation is one which actually makes Commercial Sex

Workers in Melbourne the safest option for casual sexual activity.

Prostitution Control Act 1994

Reprinted incorporating amendments as at 20th September 2001

ACT No 102/1994

http://www.dms.dpc.vic.gov.au

Probably about 108 pages on Laser.

The third is the series of regulations regarding Prostitution Service Providers

(CSW’s). It is regulated by the Business Licensing Authority. Indian CSW’s

should love this bit as they ensure protection and rights of customers and

workers.

http://www.bla.vic.gov.au/bla/blasite.nsf/pages/bla_prostitution

Only 3 pages

Then a glossary of terms 4 pages

http://www.bla.vic.gov.au/bla/blasite.nsf/pages/bla_home_gloss

Then comes the main Prostitution Control Act 1994 in a summary of four pages.

This is an important page because it summarised the ACT of 92 Sections, each

section on a different page. Any modifications can be made by the Governor in

Council via regulations amending one page.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/pca1994295/

Each section can be accessed separately by the following link

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/pca1994295/s4.html

This regulates children.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/pca1994295/s9.html

This bit eliminates Pimps.

You can see that the s number is the relevant section.

92 Sections in all which of course can be read on line without printing.

In this legislation the penalties are expressed not in fine amounts but in

“Penalty Units”

Penalties are updated universally by voting and gazetting the value of the

Penalty Unit which when I left Australia was AUS$100.

I have provided a printed copy of this material to Maitreya in Trivandum in

Kerala if anyone is having problems accessing here.

Geoff Heaviside

Flat 10 Kash Towers

93 South West Boag Road

T.Nagar 600017

Chennai India

Cell 9840 097 178

AUSTRALIA -

Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc

5 Brisbane Street, P.O. Box 606

SUNSHINE 3020 Australia

Ph: +61 3 9311 5052

Cell +61418328278