Interim project report

Submitted by Juri Kalikov
AIDS Information & Support Center
Tallinn ESTONIA

For mapping situation with prostitution in Estonia and other Baltic States it was necessary to use data base collected in AIDS Information & Support Center (Tallinn), Latvian Gender Problem Center (Riga) and NGO “Praetites Pedos” (Vilnius). In AIDS Information & Support Center it is already done on the base of two small rooms in premises of AIDS Information & Support Center, which in other hours  work like drop-in center for sex workers. For light renovation and necessary equipment (furniture, TV/video) we received grant from MAMACASH Foundation from Netherlands and financial help from Finnish Embassy.
For the successful creation of library and info database of research we bye notebook , scanner and printer from the scholarship recourses and office computer  with all necessary equipment through the project “HIV prevention among sex workers” supported by Family Health International.
We start immediately collect new database and existing one through Internet contacts with involved NGOs, governmental and research institutions.
We continue regular research about the ways of involvement in sex business – overview and analysis of all printed issues (magazines, newspapers, advertising newspapers etc, regarding sex work and prostitution) and Internet advertising on the following issues:
 - the number of brothels, clubs, saunas, massage saloons etc, which advertise the allowing sexual services;
 - the number of individuals advertising;
- the range of proposed benefits, the way of the contacts, the countries of destination proposed etc

Before start of collaboration with Latvian Gender Problem Center and NGO “Praeties Pedos”  on questioning sex workers the proper samples of  anonymous questionnaire for sex workers and separately for trafficked women were created and translated on Russian and Estonian languages.
The questionnaire content was discussed and improved by e-mail with experts from both countries and it is about:
 - the age of women and girls involved in sex business
 - the place of origin of the sex workers (migrants, local, from capital, from countryside)
 - the nationality of the sex workers
 - the educational level of sex workers
 - reasons of working in prostitution
 - the marital status, children of sex workers
 - the experience of sex work (long-term, short-term)
 - intentions for the future activities (wish to leave sex industry, wish to continue, how long, experience and wish for working abroad)
 - the reproductive health of the women in sex business: using contraceptives, (condoms,
 lubricants, female condoms etc) knowledge’s about safer sex.
 - experience of sexual abuse (in childhood), sexual violence when working (clients, pimps)
 - area of working (street, sex bars, saunas, clubs, Internet, etc), conditions of sex works (income, safety, hygiene, etc)
 - way of involvement in sex business (Internet, advertising, friends, etc)
 - use of alcohol substance, smoking
 - using drugs (kinds of drugs, ways of procuring drugs)      (samples are on web-page)

 The first visit to Latvian Gender Center (NGO – shelter for trafficked women, Moonlight project for sex workers) was done in April for the obtaining primary information about situation in country, start implementing of questionnaire, first personal interviews with sex workers (5 persons), discuss possible collaboration for the year partnership and exchange information.

This was also possibility to meet my mentor Dr Tatjana Kurova from Genders Center (two meetings for reported period – in Riga and in Tallinn on International Conference against trafficking of women and girls, where we run the workshop about prostitution. She and here volunteers help me to create the samples of questionnaire for trafficked women and make interview with 2 women in shelter. Anonymous questionnaire for trafficked women and girls on two languages (Russian, and Latvian) concerns:
 - the age of women, who has experience to be trafficked
 - the place of origin and place of destination of trafficked women
 - the nationality and educational level of trafficked women
 - voluntary/enforced involvement in sex business
 - the experience of sex work before crossing the borders
 - the experience of sexual abuse, violence, racket, non-voluntary freedom deprivation etc
 - legal status of trafficked women in country of origin and country of destination
 - health conditions before and after trafficking (psychological, medical problems, drug related addiction etc)
 - the way of involvement in sex business (Internet, advertising, friends, etc)       (samples on web-page)

Also for better understanding situation with prostitution I participated during all 5 days on outreach work of the team working with street sex workers. I visit project “Harm reduction among sex workers IDUs” in Riga (IHRD supported) which work on the base GO AIDS Prevention Center, I met the doctor, who is venerologist-dermatologist in STD cabinet and provide medical check-ups for registered sex workers. I met Dr Vavere from assotsiation “For healthy sex”, who works with male sex workers.

In Lithuania situation is more difficult with obtaining information because there are many actors on the field - NGO “PraetiesPedos” is women organization, including professional researches of prostitution and trafficking,  “Demetra” NGO, who deal with sex workers drug addicts, NGO “Missing Persons”, which deal also with trafficking issues.
The first visit was done also in  April, but without spending money from scholarship for travel, accommodation and daily allowances, cause it was united with International Conference against trafficking, initiated by Caritas Network and they cover all costs.  I bring to my partners in Lithuania same samples of both questionnaires and they start the process, translating them to Lithuanian language also.
Because of personal changes in staff of NGOs the Vilnius visit was less successful. But previous agreements with partners keep stay working and questionnaires were implemented.

I plan to go for the next visits to Riga and Vilnius in late August – September.
I already start with some aspects of comparative analyze of the situation during last 10 years in all Baltic States – now more closely about legal situation, migratory processes, criminal investigations and role of mass media. For that purposes I use the library of AIDS Prevention Center, National Library in Tallinn, National library in Riga.

I make contacts with gay organizations in all three countries with the aims to find information about male prostitution, on issue of child prostitution and involvement of adolescent in sex business I work with specialist from AIDS Prevention Center Dr Irina Moroz and Ms Alison Boek from International Organization of Adolescent.

During my visit to Amsterdam in April I also meet my second mentor Ms Nel Van Beelen and I inform her about measures and steps, which were done and also about obstacles and difficulties.  Also we met during XIV World AIDS Conference in Barcelona.
For the creation of conditions for the empowerment of sex workers, reduction of discriminatory attitudes and stigmatization of sex workers I pay special attention for working with mass media: newspapers, TV/radio, Internet.
(Interviews for main newspapers, weekly magazines, for 100FM Radio station, for Estonian TV, Kanal 2 TV, radio station “Voice of America” (Estonian broadband), radio “Freedom”)
In Tallinn  for the basic statistic and informational recourses I use already existing and working projects and organizations:
- Harm Reduction Project Among Drug Users Drug Addicts, supported by IHRD (in AIDS Information & Support Center)
- HIV Prevention Among Sex Workers project, supported by Family Health International (in AIDS Information & Support Center)
- STOP-II International project Against Trafficking of Women & Girls, supported by Caritas Diocesana Roma (in AIDS Information & Support Center)
- Estonian Women and Gender Studies Center (ENUT) in Tallinn Pedagogical University)
- Children & Adolescent Involved in Drug Use and Trafficking: A rapid Assesment”, by International Labour Office (ILO)
- Informational Campaighn Against Trafficking of Women, by IOM (International Organization of Migration) – data of help-line implemented in period april-august
It looks that situation in all three countries is very different, especially regarding legal situation and empowering of sex workers, conditions of life, situation with they health, civil and safety rights. So, the effective and realistic model of multifaceted prevention strategies based on non-discriminatory policies and promotion these prevention policies in co-operation with local governmental and non-governmental health and social services should be created with taking in account very specific backgrounds, measures, already done and future intentions.

It was very unexpected that in middle of a project we mark and find out some changes in governmental policy regarding prostitution (in Estonia) – new attempts to legalize prostitution (unfortunately it is happened all the time before elections), first steps of local city governments to take some measures for prevention of HIV among sex workers (only after visit some key persons from WHO and UNAIDS), more intensive activities regarding trafficking (mostly participation and organization of international conferences and seminars).

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