Citation

Minichiello V, Marino R, Browne J, Jamieson M, Peterson K, Reuter B, Robinson K. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Public Health 1999; 23(5): 511-518.

Affiliation

School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales. vminichi@metz.une.edu.au

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Public Health Association of Australia, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10575774

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the profile of clients as reported by 186 male sex workers in three Australian cities. METHOD: The data were collected using a diary which was completed after each commercial sexual encounter with a male client over a two-week period. The data reported in this study are based on reports from 2,088 sex encounters and a profile of 1,776 clients. RESULTS: The findings reveal, for example, that the most common source used for recruiting clients was advertisements, followed by escort agencies, although there were differences between the three cities; the majority of the clients were in their 40s but clients of street workers were younger; clients were most often classified as 'middle class', with differences by source of client recruitment; less than half the clients were identified as being gay and a significant number were identified as bisexual or straight; alcohol and drug use took place in a small percentage of the encounters; most workers had some information about their clients, such as occupation and home number; violence was infrequent; and unsafe sex was requested in a minority of the encounters. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results reveal that clients of male sex workers are a highly heterogeneous group. IMPLICATIONS: The paper highlights a number of issues which can further promote safety and public accountability in male sex work.

Language: en