Public sex, HIV prevention and law enforcement

C. Segovia-Tadehara, M. Bigler, D. Ferguson, J. Diarte

A sample of 98 men who cruised for sex in public places completed survey questionnaires related to: public sex background, HIV testing, interaction with police, HIV risk behaviors, and demographic information. Fifty-two percent had their first public sex encounter between the ages of 13-23, 76% had been tested for HIV, 15% were HIV positive, 27% had been arrested, and some men engage in sexual behaviors that pose a significant risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, e.G., anal sex w/o condoms. However, outreach efforts and harm reduction methods, where individuals are taught to reduce harmful behaviors, appear to have helped some research participants engage in better decision-making regarding public sex encounters. Continued intervention efforts are needed to assist men who have sex with men (MSM) in making healthful decisions in public sex environments.[Copies are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Center. The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA]