Thursday, August 2, 2007

I'm not surprised . . . but I'm not sure I like the tone

As always, click on the title for the article link.

In the NY Times today, is an article about how girls sold or forced into prostitution in the third world have become a huge AIDS risk. They cite that it is particularly common for girls who are forced into prostitution before the age of 15 are a higher risk still. They explain that in some of these countries, men will pay more to have sex with a virgin because they believe that a) the young age of the girl means she's disease free or b) having sex with a virgin child will "cure" AIDS.

These girls, once they escape or are too old to continue working, go home to find they are shunned by their communities. Often, this means that in order to support themselves and/or their children borne from the prostitution, they must continue to prostitute themselves which adds to the AIDS risk.

They also point out that the folks who are concerned about human trafficking are not concerned about the AIDS issue as well.

Clearly, the two issues should be jointly addressed. As well as the issue of being forced to bear children as a result of the forced prostitution. As well as the fact that these women and young girls are being robbed of their humanity.

But, I chafe at the tone of the article - it's as if they are blaming the girls themselves for spreading AIDS - not the criminals who kidnap, trick, steal, or buy the girls, nor the criminals who infect them in the first place.

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