Women in contact with Sydney's gay and lesbian community: Sexual identity, practice and HIV risks

Abstract

Total rates are low, but sex with a man remains the main risk for HIV transmission to women in Australia. In February 1998, 774 women in contact with gay, bisexual and lesbian communities completed a two-page questionnaire. Almost all respondents had some social contact with gay men. Two-thirds (503) thought of themselves as lesbian/dyke/homosexual/gay, 13% (100) as bisexual and 17% (133) as heterosexual/straight. In total, 212 women (27%) said they had ever had sex with a gay or bisexual man; 51 women (7%) had done so in the past six months. About 2% of the lesbians said they had recently had sex with a gay/bi man, as had 8% of the heterosexuals and 25% of the bisexuals; 25 women had recently had unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse with a male gay/bi partner. Forty-eight women (6%) had done sex work. Asked about drug use, 61 women (8%) said they had injected in the past six months. Twenty-three women had shared injecting equipment with someone, and five had shared with a gay/bi man. Compared with other women, these women have high rates of injecting drug use. If they have sex with men, these men are more likely to be gay or bisexual than are the male sexual partners of women moving in largely heterosexual milieux. For a case of so-called 'heterosexual' transmission of HIV to occur, neither person need be heterosexual.