South Africa Sex Industry Did Not See World Cup Boom

South Africa's HIV/AIDS rate is among the world's highest, and when the nation hosted the June-to-July 2010 World Cup, experts feared a boom in commercial sex and further transmission of the virus. A new study, however, suggests this was not the case. "There were not significantly more clients seen per sex worker during the World Cup period," according to a survey by the South African Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Task Force, which was conducted with the UN Population Fund. The poll of 663 sex workers found there was little change in the average number of clients per week, 14.4, and male condom use was reported at 99 percent. A massive condom distribution effort preceded the soccer tournament. While the survey said prostitutes reported more international customers, "this may mean that a part of the local clientele was temporarily replaced by foreign clients."

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