International Perspectives on Research with Male Sex Workers

Male sex workers operate at the intersection of two cultural taboos: homosexuality and prostitution, and presents various challenges to the concept of masculinity. Although a number of recent research endeavors have begun to explore psychological, social, and cultural issues that may have an effect on the lives of male sex workers beyond HIV and safer sex practices, substantially more information is needed. Researchers from five countries (United States, Australia, Argentina, Ireland, and Canada) will describe their social-behavioral research findings and previous methodological approaches to collecting data on male sex workers. Qualitative and quantitative approaches will be described, as will use of the Internet to recruit and enroll research participants involved in sex work. Differences across types of male sex workers (e.g., street-based, independent escorts, Internet sex workers, brother-based workers, etc) will be discussed. In addition to the presentation of data from varied methodological approaches, much of this workshop will be devoted to the development of an International Male Sex Work Research Network. Thus far, data collected on male sex workers has been city or country specific, and the common and unique features of sex work at an international level have not been identified. During the workshop, efforts will be made to develop plans to collect collaborative data with common methodologies around the world. The goal is to obtain the information necessary to more fully inform policy, education, the sex industry, sexual and medical health services, and prevention with regard to the behaviors and needs of male sex workers.