ARAVANIS (HIJRAS/ALIS)

IN SEX WORK IN CHENNAI

Venkatesan Chakrapani, MD

Venkatesan Chakrapani
rch 2003

Ma

1. OBJECTIVE

To provide an overall view

of Aravanis in sex work
in Chennai.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

2. PRESENTATION IS BASED ON
Qualitative studies done among Aravanis in
Chennai and which were presented in the
AIDS India 2000 conference, Dec 1999 and
XIV International AIDS conference, 2002.
Informal discussions with Aravanis who
attended the STD clinic of Institute of STD,
Madras Medical College (1998-2001).
Discussion with Key informants.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

3. WHOM DOES ARAVANIS IN SEX WORK

IN THIS PRESENTATION REFER TO?

In Tamil Nadu, the term Aravani is recently coined to
denote Hijras/Alis since the latter terms are considered
derogatory.
The term Aravani denotes biological males who identify
themselves with women and who join the Aravani
community. These persons are usually in female attire and
may or may not have undergone emasculation/castration.
The term Aravanis in sex work (ASW) refer to those
Aravanis who exchange sex with men for money or kind.
Sex work can be full-time or part-time.
(Note: Those males who wear female attire to attract
masculine partners are not discussed in this presentation)
Venkatesan Chakrapani

4. PROFILE OF ARAVANIS IN
SEX WORK IN CHENNAI
Studies have been done among Aravani
community in Chennai with regard to assessing
their knowledge, attitude, and practices in relation
to HIV/AIDS, but there are almost no studies
which specifically looked at STD and HIV
prevalence among this community.
(Note: Not all Aravanis are involved in sex work
and this presentations focus is on those Aravanis
who do sex work).
Venkatesan Chakrapani

4a. AGE AND LENGTH OF THE

CAREER
Many Aravanis enter into sex work at a very young
age because they ran away from their biological
family and have no financial support.
Young Aravanis might be engaged in sex work more
actively though Aravanis of any age can involve in
sex work.
Middle-aged/older Aravanis might find it difficult to
get clients.
Those Aravanis who are more feminine and younger
might earn relatively more money.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

4b. COHABITATION STATUS

AND HOME ENVIRONMENT
Aravanis might stay single,
cohabitate with their male partner
(Panthi) or live along with their
Aravani friends or with their
Guru/Amma.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

4c. OCCUPATIONAL STATUS

For some Aravanis, sex work is only parttime while for some it is a fulltime job
because of variety of reasons.
In addition to sex work, some go for
Bhasthi (clapping/getting money from
shops).
Some also do house-hold jobs, some sell
vegetables/flowers, etc.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

5. EARNINGS OF ARAVANIS
IN SEX WORK (hereafter ASW)
Most clients of Aravanis in sex work
(ASW) belong to low socioeconomic
status.
Earnings of ASW are relatively low
(usually from Rs. 10 to Rs.500 per
sexual encounter).
Venkatesan Chakrapani

6. PLACE OF SEX WORK

The soliciting sites (pickup sites) and
sex sites (where sex happens) are most
often the same.
Often the clients are recruited by standing
near bushy areas (near beach/other places)
and sex happen in the same place.
Unlike Calcutta and Mumbai, brothels [of
Aravanis] are very rare in Chennai.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

7. PARTNERS OF ASW
a. Clients of ASW:
Most of the clients of ASW belong to
low socioeconomic status. Most often
these male clients dont have any
identity (though Aravanis call these
masculine persons as Panthis).
Venkatesan Chakrapani

7. PARTNERS OF ASW (Contd.)

b. Regular male partners or cohabiting
partners of ASW (Panthis):
Some ASW have regular male partners and
some even cohabitate with their regular
male partners (Panthis).
These regular male partners of ASW may or
may not know that their partners are sex
workers. Those regular partners might also
be married to a female or will get married to
a female in the near future.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

8. ALCOHOL USE
Many ASW use alcohol and
they might give many reasons
for alcohol abuse feeling of
worthlessness, depression, etc.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

9. SEXUAL PRACTICES AND

CONDOM USAGE AMONG ASW
a. Types of sexual practices

All types of sexual practices are practiced by ASW.

Common: Intercrural sex (Thigh sex), oral sex,
and masturbation.
However, significant proportion also have
receptive anal sex (irrespective of castration
status).
The type of sexual practices might vary with the
type of sex site (where sex happens), type of
sexual partner (client or regular), amount of
money, etc.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

9. SEXUAL PRACTICES AND CONDOM

USAGE AMONG ASW (Contd.)
b. Condom use by ASW might depend on many
factors
Money:
Some reported having had unprotected anal sex
with their clients if they offered to pay more.
Physical/Emotional Attraction:
Some sex workers acknowledged that they did not
use condoms if the person looked clean or if they
liked that person.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

9. SEXUAL PRACTICES AND CONDOM

USAGE AMONG ASW (Contd.)
b. Condom use by ASW might depend on many
factors (Contd.)
Type of sexual practices:
Condoms are mainly used for anal sex and rarely for
oral sex. (This could be because that they feel oral sex
is risk-free or they might accept the minimal risk
associated with unprotected oral sex.)
Type of sexual partners:
Condoms also seem to be less used with their regular
male partners/ Panthis (cohabiting male partners)
compared to their clients.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

10. LUBRICANT USE

Water-based lubricants are almost
never used (either unknown or not
affordable).
Irrespective of condom use, saliva or
coconut oil were used in anal sex.

Venkatesan Chakrapani

11. STD/HIV AMONG ASW

In Tamil Nadu, till date there are
no studies that exclusively looked
at STD/HIV prevalence among
Aravanis in Chennai.

Venkatesan Chakrapani

12. VIOLENCE
Most often Aravanis face violence from the
police men and from local rowdies.
Some male clients may force ASW to have
unprotected sex and might also beat them up
once sex is over.
A few incidents of gang rape have been
reported.
Domestic violence (with cohabiting male
partner Panthi) has been reported.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

13. REASONS FOR SEX WORK

The commonly cited reason is for money either
money for survival or money for additional
expenses, and lack of other job opportunities.
A few ASW have mentioned that they do sex work
to get money for their emasculation operation.
It is possible that having multipartner sex through
sex work could be a risky way of affirming their
gender identity.
There could be other reasons that need to be
explored.
Venkatesan Chakrapani

14. AVAILABLE SERVICES

FOR ARAVANIS IN CHENNAI
Some organizations in Chennai (NGOs
and community-based organizations)
that provide services like outreach
education, condom distribution/
promotion, and STD referral services
Venkatesan Chakrapani

15. EXPRESSED NEEDS OF

ARAVANIS IN SEX WORK
Assistance
towards
emasculation
operation and complications following
emasculation
Nonjudgmental sexual health services
Information about hormonal therapy and
emasculation operation
Assistance from govt. and NGOs in
getting jobs.
Venkatesan Chakrapani