Laws on sex work and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment:an international perspective

Objective To explore a legal system which helps to provide effective HIV prevention and treatment for commercial sex workers.Method A method of literature review was adopted to analyse the major international literature on the interaction between sex work law and HIV prevention and treatment.Results In an international perspective,there are generally three types of legal frameworks of sex work:prohibitive law,law of regulating sex work through licensing,and decriminalization of sex work.In terms of public health,the prohibitive law drives sex workers to the underground state,hindering HIV/AIDS prevetion and treatment;the law of regulating sex work through licensing is unable to deal with the health problems of the unlicensed sex workers;decriminalization of sex work can not only avoid driving sex workers to the underground state,but can also advance HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment by providing integrated health service and behavioural interventions.Conclusion Among the three legal approaches to sex work,decriminalization of sex work provides the most enabling legal framework for HIV prevention and treatment in sex work community.