1. PAPUA NEW GUINEA FRIENDS FRANGIPANI What are the indicators which reflect that sex workers in Papua New Guinea are considered a key population? My name is Ms. Cathy Ketepa. I am a sex worker and the Manager of Friends Frangipani the association made by, with and for PNG Sex Workers. I am going to talk about how prevention, treatment and care is connected to human rights and how the criminalization of sex work and stigma and discrimination affect our lives as sex workers, including our ability to protect ourselves from HIV. Presenter: Ms. Cathy Ketepa, Friends Frangipani Inc. Papua New Guinea

2. Why are sex workers key affected population? Exchanging sex for money or goods does not put someone at a higher risk of HIV. Sex workers have become a key affected population because of: high levels of stigma and discrimination laws that criminalise us and our work. Exchanging sex for money or goods does not put someone at a higher risk of HIV. Sex workers have become a key affected population because of high levels of stigma and discrimination and the laws that criminalise us and our work.

3. Criminal laws hurt sex workers Sex workers are targeted by the police Condoms are used as evidence Sex Work is criminalised in PNG. The laws says that it is illegal to: Live off the earnings of sex work Own or manage premises upon which sex work take place.   These laws are used to arrest and harass sex workers in PNG.   

4. Problems with police Sex workers are afraid to carry condoms Police give us problems not protection Sex workers have to hide from police The Police use condoms as evidence that people are sex workers. The general public think that if someone is using a condom they are HIV positive. This leads to sex workers being afraid to carry, access and use condoms. Sex workers have difficulty negotiating condom use, with some reporting abuse or violence from clients just for trying to use condoms. Although the laws against sex work are not often used, the police target sex workers as victims for bribery, violence and sexual assault under the threat of arrest. Police abuse their powers by forcing sex workers to have sex with them without condoms, threaten sex workers, demand bribes and refuse to make reports on any crimes committed against us. Many sex workers fear the police: they give us more problems instead of protection. Because we have to hide from the police we do our sex work in hidden, unsafe areas. Some sex workers who have been arrested but not convicted, still carry criminal records, which hinders them from participating in society and finding additional or alternative income.

5. Access to services Because sex workers are seen as criminals we do not get fair treatment from service providers. Sex workers are refused treatment. Confidentiality is not respected Sex workers report being denied access to health care services, including maternity services – even during labour. Services which ‘target’ sex workers very often have little or no respect for our confidentiality, both as sex workers and potentially as people living with HIV. They often treat us as carriers of disease. While there is a law in place to protect breaches of confidentiality about HIV status, it would not be used by sex workers because our criminal status means we are very unlikely to receive access to justice in such matters. Transgender sex workers receive ‘double stigma’ from service providers who do not understand their needs. This leads to transgender sex workers isolating themselves and not accessing sexual health information or services, including HIV testing and treatment (ART).

6. Stigma and discrimination Because of stigma and discrimination sex workers are: less likely to access services subject to violence less likely to seek justice after abuse less able to participate in family and community life View themselves as undeserving, which destroys efforts toward HIV prevention and care The general public call us names like ‘AIDS carriers’, and exclude us from community activities. We face discrimination in all areas of our lives including workplaces if we have other jobs. Sex workers are subject to violence from the general community, who do not view us as deserving of protection. We are often rejected by family and peers, and for transgender and HIV positive sex workers, the stigma can be even more intense. The effects of stigma and discrimination are that sex workers are less likely to access the services they need, are less likely to seek justice after abuse, and are less able to participate in family and community life. Sex workers may also internalise this stigma and isolate themselves, or view themselves as undeserving of access to health and justice. Stigma and discrimination has a big impact on sex workers’ lives and can destroy efforts made toward HIV prevention and care. If sex workers were not criminals we feel there would be less ground for stigma and discrimination.

7. Fear of being known as a sex worker Because of stigma and discrimination and criminalisation of our work, we work in hidden ways and hidden places, which makes us vulnerable and hard to reach by services. Violence and sexual assault are contributing factors to HIV Papua New Guinea has high levels of crime, particularly against women, gay and transgender people. Because we can be arrested for doing sex work, or abused and subject to bribery by police, as well as abused and stigmatised by the general public, we have less choices on when, where and how we can work for our own safety. This is made worse by the fact that most sex work takes place out of doors, due in part to the laws against operating sex work premises. So we hide because we do not want the police or general community to know we are sex workers, but doing sex work in hidden ways makes us vulnerable to violence and sexual assault by clients or street criminals. Violence and sexual assault are contributing factors to HIV.

8. Sex workers rights are human rights Our ability to: protect ourselves from HIV access treatment and care stay on treatment is directly linked to the legal context we work under - the laws that affect our lives. It is important to understand that someone’s ability to protect themselves from HIV, access treatment and care, and stay on treatment is directly linked to the legal context we work under - the laws that affect our lives. To see a real change, reduce HIV and improve people’s lives, sex work needs to be decriminalised.

Decriminalisation of sex work is the best legal frame work for: reducing stigma and discrimination increasing access to health care and services improving human rights reducing HIV. Evidence shows that decriminalisation of sex work is the best legal framework for reducing stigma and discrimination, increasing access to healthcare and services, improving human rights and reducing HIV. UNAIDS, WHO and the Global Fund have adopted policies calling for sex work to be decriminalised.

10. Sex workers are a key affected population needing support..... Sex worker community organisations need to be resourced Sex workers must be involved in the design and delivery of HIV programs for interventions to be successful Sex workers are calling for decriminalisation of sex work NOW! Sex workers are a key affected population needing support. Sex workers are not the problem (HIV) but part of the solution. Sex worker community organisations need to be resourced HIV prevention is more than test and treat, Sex workers must be involved in the design and delivery of HIV programs for interventions to be successful Sex workers are calling for decriminalisation to remove stigma and discrimination and improve our human rights These issues are not unique to Papua New Guinea, they are experienced by sex workers all over the world.