El viaje: el «infierno flotante»

Street children have a 10 to 25 times higher HIV seroprevalence rate than other groups of children in many countries (Wutoh et al., 2006). The chances of exposure to HIV among street children are reported as being due to the fact that they become sexually active earlier than other any other group of adolescents, they have multiple sexual relationships and unprotected sex, they are reportedly raped or forced into sexual relationships and have inadequate information about sexuality (Wutoh et al., 2006).

Street children were found by (Anarfi, 1997; Pakistan Voluntary Health and Nutrition Association (PAVHNA), 2004) to be sexually active at an early age, as they were exposed to early sexual experience at below 10 years. The average age

57 of sexual initiation of street children was 12 years in some countries (Lockhart, 2002; Swart-Kruger & Richter, 1997). Similarly, Raffaelli et al. (1993) reported that the mean age of first sexual intercourse was 11.2 years for boys, which was earlier than for street girls. In Nepal, street children were also found to be sexually active at an early age: at 13 years for boys and still lower for girls, at 11 years (Gurung, 2004; Subedi, 2002). Southon & Gurung (2006) reported that the age of first sex ranged from as early as seven years, to 17 years, and the average age of first sex was 13 years.

Multiple sexual practices and multiple sexual relationships were frequently observed among street children (Anarfi, 1997; Gurung, 2004; Kruger & Richter, 2003; Lockhart, 2002; Moon et al., 2001; Raffaelli et al., 1993; Southon &

Gurung, 2006; Swart-Kruger & Richter, 1997). Street children engaged in various sexual practices like prostitution; rape; ‘survival sex’; experimental sex among themselves, and sex with girlfriends. Boys engaged in practices that included various forms of non-penetrative public masturbation, as well as unprotected penetrative oral, anal or vaginal sex (Kruger & Richter, 2003; Southon & Gurung, 2006; Swart-Kruger & Richter, 1997); this included group sex practices among boys and girls (Gurung, 2004; Southon & Gurung, 2006), and masturbation and fondling (CPCS, 2007; Southon & Gurung, 2006; Subedi, 2002).

Homosexuality, lesbianism, oral and anal sex were frequently reported by street children (Anarfi, 1997; Raffaelli et al., 1993). Moon et al. (2001) reported that lesbianism among street girls was higher than homosexuality among boys, though both homosexuality and heterosexuality were common practices. The statistical data illustrated that more than 28% of females and more than 8% of males had same sex practices, whilst 82% of females and 78% of males had opposite sex practices. Wutoh et al. (2006) also stated that females were more likely to have sex; the majority of them had peers who reported having sex regularly, and a higher percentage of females were involved in different sexual activities compared to males while on the street. Wutoh illustrated that more than three quarters of the

58 females (74%), but below half of the boys (42%), reported having sex in the street. Street girls appeared to be more sexually active than boys (Moon et al., 2001) and undertook high-risk sexual behaviour, experienced forced sex and were involved in prostitution (Southon & Gurung, 2006); also, female street children may be more vulnerable to sexual exploitation in spite of their adequate

knowledge regarding HIV transmission (Wutoh et al., 2006).

In some other countries, however, homosexuality was found to be a more common practice than lesbianism and heterosexuality, such as in Pakistan (Pakistan

Voluntary Health and Nutrition Association (PAVHNA), 2004) and in Tanzania (Lockhart, 2002), where bisexual behaviours were also reported as being low. In Pakistan, most of the street children were homosexual; 69% of street boys had males as their regular sexual partners and 63% played a passive role. Multiple sexual relationships were very common in Pakistan: 85% of street boys reported multiple partners and even had more than four, and 6% had sexual partners who were commercial sex workers. A slightly lower percentage of street boys

expressed having sexual relations with females who they considered just as friends or acquaintances, or with strangers.

Street children are exposed to various forms of sexual practices and their sexual partners are widespread, both from inside their social circle and outside. Lockhart (2002), in Tanzania, found harsh and coarse sexual activities among street boys.

Street boys in Tanzania practiced anal sex at as early as 11 years old, but lessened the homosexual practice as they approached the age of 18, and increased their heterosexual encounters after the age of 12. All the street boys had experienced both homosexual and heterosexual practices by the age of 18. The critical period when the homosexual and heterosexual activities overlapped as they grew older presented a risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other STIs from the general population, as they had an extended range of sexual partners (Lockhart, 2002).

59 Studies showed that street children had multiple sexual relationships and that their sexual partners came from both within their circle and from different social groups outside (Anarfi, 1997; Gurung, 2004; Lockhart, 2002; Raffaelli et al., 1993;

Southon & Gurung, 2006; Tadele, 2003; Wutoh et al., 2006). Wutoh et al. (2006) reported that more than half of the females and a few males had had sexual intercourse with strangers. Beazley (2002) found that street girls socialised with a variety of different groups, including university boys, rickshaw drivers and street traders. Street boys, street girls, prostitutes and strangers including schoolgirls were also sexual partners of the respondents (Lockhart, 2002). Many street boys’

first sex was with commercial partners (Gurung, 2004; Southon & Gurung, 2006), and 67% of the respondents had had commercial sex workers as their sexual partners (Gurung, 2004). Street-based peers, homosexuals, older youths and tourists, street girls, street-based sex workers, or cabin or restaurant workers were found as sexual partners of street children in Nepal (Southon & Gurung, 2006).

Unprotected sex has been frequently reported among street children in different countries (Gurung, 2004; Kruger & Richter, 2003; Lockhart, 2002; Moon et al., 2001; Southon & Gurung, 2006; Swart-Kruger & Richter, 1997; Tadele, 2003;

Wutoh et al., 2006). Multiple partners, often of both sexes, were common in South Africa. It was common practice for street boys to have two girlfriends at a time and not to use condom in these relationships. Their girlfriends also practiced

‘survival sex’ without the use of condoms (Kruger & Richter, 2003).

Moon et al. (2001) illustrated that significant numbers of the street children were in primary relationships. Street girls had many regular sexual partners compared to boys (Anarfi, 1997; Moon et al., 2001). 58% of males and 76% of females (Moon et al., 2001), and 34% of street girls and 27% of street boys (Anarfi, 1997), were reported to be in primary relationships. Street children commonly reported oral and vaginal sex in primary relationships, and little use of condoms. Both males and females reported less sexual activity but higher rates of condom use with non-primary relationships than with primary partners (Moon et al., 2001).

60 Tadele (2003) said that primary relationships might be promiscuous and activity with such partners to a large extent jeopardises the use of condoms. This suggests that steady relationships are as dangerous as more temporary ones (Tadele, 2003), therefore relationships with permanent partners are a risk factor for HIV/STIs.

Condom practice was very low in Nepal (Gurung, 2004; Southon & Gurung, 2006). CPCS (2007) illustrated that only 36% of the respondents used condoms during sexual intercourse. Street children were frequently found to have STIs.

Southon & Gurung (2006) suggested that large numbers of street children were likely to have untreated STIs. Tadele (2003) reported that most children had had gonorrhoea at least once in their lifetime, and they had had sexual intercourse at the time of infection. Further, Wutoh et al. (2006) illustrated that 72% of males and 45% of females did not use preventive methods for STIs or pregnancy in their last sexual activities; these figures confirm the high level of unprotected sex among street children.