Prostitution and the military: planning AIDS intervention in Belize

First world militaries based in 'third world' countries offer an appropriate context for developing AIDS intervention models that are keyed to large-scale population movements and regional differences in HIV infection. In this work, the ethnographic concept of 'social interface' replaces the epidemiological concept of 'risk group' to allow for a more dynamic analysis of the particular forms of interactions between groups that may be linked to the sexual transmission of HIV. The social interface between military and sex workers in Belize displays two distinct forms of organization: (1) 'recognized prostitution' in health-regulated brothels, and (2) 'quasi-prostitution' in non-health regulated public sites such as bars and hotels. These two forms are also distinguished by the ethnicity, national origin, and professional identity of sex workers. Based on survey-form participant-observation in Belize and cross-cultural data on condom use, the social identity of sex workers emerges as a factor crucial to understanding how public health information is incorporated by heterosexuals who put themselves at risk for HIV in different social contexts. The scope of analysis shifts between the personal and transnational; discussion of the possibilities for inter-governmental negotiations regarding AIDS policy issues is included.