Describe the relationship between prostitution and the current HIV epidemic.

There are several reasons female and male sex workers are at higher risk than the general population. First, many sex workers are injection drug users, and injection drug use is one of the primary ways of transmitting HIV infection. Sex workers exchanging sex for crack in crack houses are also at high risk for HIV infection as well as other sexually transmitted infection (STIs). Second, sex workers are at higher risk for STI/HIV infection because they have numerous partners. Third, sex workers do not always require their customers to use condoms. Male sex workers are at even greater risk than female sex workers because of their high-risk sexual practices, especially anal intercourse, and their high-risk gay/bisexual clientele. This means that clients of sex workers are putting themselves, as well as their partners, at high risk for HIV and other STIs if they do not use condoms.