HIV and Young People Who Sell Sex Technical Brief

It has long been acknowledged that sex workers – female, male and transgender – are at high risk of HIV exposure, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This is due in part to a high number of sexual partners and working environment which is not conducive to sex workers’ being able to protect their health and the health of their clients, including widespread criminalisation of sex work, violence perpetrated by both state and non-state actors and extreme levels of stigma and discrimination.