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Disability
is not Inability |
The deaf commercial sex workers.
21 November 2006
Recent times KTN has opened Kenyans to an interesting dimension
of HIV/AIDS among the disabled community in Kenya. Commercial
sex workers who are deaf. Many who know I work for
the deaf called screaming questions that mobile communication
could not answer. But the gist of the questions prove the long
known fact the fact that the general society knows next to nothing
when it comes to disability. Many do not believe the deaf ARE
SEXUALLY ACTIVE LET ALONE involved in commercial sex. How do they
communicate at night with a
potential client? How do they get to agree on price? How does
sex with a deaf person feel? Is aids as widespread as the case
for hearing people?
Maybe many of the questions asked here, the men out there who
seek deaf women for commercial sex would answer best. And I know
a few because I have been an interpreter in cases where there
were disagreements and the man did not pay-up. What I can tell
you for a fact is that the difference between deaf and hearing
is only the issue of communication. The difference could easily
be compared with the difference between two people of different
tribes and languages. Only that one language has no voice representation.
What this means is that the deaf are actually as sexually active
as any other human being. This sexuality may
differ according to upbringing and experiences at childhood.
Many of the commercial sex workers who are deaf are driven to
it by poverty just like other Kenyans. Many of them work out means
of seeking a livelihood. There are few opportunities for deaf
people to get formal or informal employment essentially because
of lack of sign language awareness among the general public.
The deaf therefore are actually more at risk essentially due
to the few opportunities. Quite a number have therefore resorted
to commercial sex. The fact of the matter is that many of the
sexual signs hearing men invent
are well passed to the deaf. The deaf know these signs quite well.
During our Deaf AIDS
project signs research, quite a number of deaf women
know the sign for sex that hearing use when they seek to have
sexual intercourse.
How many of us men have not used the following signs even against
our fellow hearing girls when we seek sex?
Many a sign language interpreter
will tell you that deaf people are more sexually active. I also
used to think so, until I got a real comparison. Deaf people by
the fact of sign language may seem to have little problem talking
about sex. Negotiation is not as complicated as hearing girl maybe.
To me I think its more an issue of awareness than anything else.
This awareness cuts across both hearing and deaf girls. The less
informed a girl or woman the higher the chances there will be
less negotiation between the sign and the action. The more informed
a person (disabled or not) the longer the time between the sign
and the action.
Again the use of protective devices depends a lot on the level
of power relationships. If the sexual activity is based on a mutual
agreement, there are higher chances a condom will be used
than if there are unequal power agreements.
In many cases even among the deaf when they are well informed
it will be harder to has unprotected sex even among the deaf themselves.
This however depends alot on issues like alchohol or drug influence.
All these are however changed if it is a case of forced sex.
Many deaf people undergo forced sex. This may be continuous from
members of the family or a trusted neighbours. Many deaf men still
have the thinking also common among the hearing population that
sex without a condom is sweeter than with a condom. In quite a
number of seminars this is a thorny issue. This may make the female
deaf in the rural areas to accept more sex without condom. Sharing
of partners is common among the deaf. The conventional definition
of marriage is usually absent and many come-we-stay although end
up with children are not very binding. But so is the hearing community
in Kenya.
Finally HIV/AIDS prevalence among the deaf is slightly higher
than that of the hearing population if samples who have come from
Deaf VCT is anything to go by.
The number of deaf people living with AIDS may be growing at about
the same pace as the general public in high prone areas like Nyanza
at 12%. Prevalence average about 7 to 14% with more women infected
than men. Rural deaf people are more prone to new infections than
urban deaf. Less chances they will use a condom, and high chances
they will be raped.
Urban deaf women are more prone to be practicing commercial sex
than rural deaf women because the rural community cares for its
deaf people in terms of providing basic needs more than urban
community.
The main challenge deaf commercial sex workers have is lack of
honesty among the male partners. Many a time they either don’t
pay or pay less than what was agreed. Many prefer repeat clients
who therefore would have more trust and pay well. The KTN
clip on 19th November only did one dis-service, it
showed the face of one of the workers in this may cause stigma
issues within the community. These and other issues are a source
of an interesting debate within the community on issues raised
and some 'misinformation' wich may have been presented. it was
effective in that they group was able to get funding for World
AIDS Day... but the competition
using misinformation may not sustainable.
For example in one of the issues the people implies there are
no VCT services for the Deaf
which is not true. It also said there are few educational services
for the community which is not true. They are inadequate yes,
they do not have adequate information yes, but non at all is not
true. the deaf among the disability sector are enviable in provision
of services related to AIDS. these and other issues are the cause
of a heated debate among the leaders which is healthy.
Its important as a society to build better early deaf/disabled
child support systems to enable us have better future opportunities
for the disabled in Kenya. Much of what disabled people go through
in early life contributes to the current trend where a large percentage
have to turn to commercial sex to live.
disabilitykenya
Category: Health
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