Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua

Discussion and Conclusions for CSW
The English speaking CSW Focus Group express that they welcomed the interaction to
talk about how they felt and their daily experiences. For some of the girls, the first month
or so was “scary” as one put it, because they did not know if Immigration was going to
find them and send them home. After a while, that was not a fear anymore as they paid
extra to their landlord and his contacts, for getting their time in their passports for them.
None of the participant’s family members knew what they were doing in Antigua. One of
the ladies from Jamaica has a thirteen year old daughter and she is afraid that her
daughter won’t take it well if she finds out the type of work she is doing. It is apparent
that the participants left families back home who were struggling financially and
welcomed the money that was sent back home by them. They saw themselves as helping
their family and while some felt some shame at what they were doing, for the most part
they saw it as necessary.
Generally speaking the use of condom is not consistent enough among SW. If services
provided by the NAP are well considered however HIV tests and medical check-up are
not done frequently enough on a periodic basis
The Spanish-speaking sex workers encountered a lot of discrimination in public and also
when trying to access healthcare. Their inability to pay is a huge barrier and as a result,
they often have to deal with illness in isolation.
It was also noteworthy, that their perception of good health care included being able to
receive free condoms, free services and being treated kindly and with respect. None of
them cared about the doctor’s qualifications or reputation, but rather how they were
treated.
The general consensus is that all of the respondents of the survey and participants of the
focus groups want to be anonymous and not easily identified when they go for HIV
testing, which is the case at the AIDS Secretariat.
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