Indian Sex Workers Rewarded for HIV Checks

Under a program to raise HIV/AIDS awareness, prostitutes in southern India are receiving discount shopping cards as a reward for having regular check-ups at a sexual health clinic. Shopkeepers and restaurant owners in Mysore were initially reluctant to take part, due to the association with sex workers, but changed their minds when they became convinced the 500 card-carrying prostitutes would help them gain more paying customers. The plastic cards, which look like credit cards, are also helping raise the prostitutes' self-esteem, said Sushena Reza-Paul of the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust. "They tell me only rich people can normally have these kind of cards, so it gives them a sense of pride and belonging," she said. "They were very particular about us including a sari shop. Presentation is very important for them."

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