This is a descriptive study involving 81 prostitutes from Fortaleza - CE, Brazil in October of 2005. Its objective was to identify their social demographic profile and sexual behavior. The data was collected through a structured form filled out by the participants. The statistical analysis was done by Statistical Package for Social Sciences 11.0. It was identified that 87.7% were heterosexual and engaged in prostitution ranging from one to more than 30 years, with total customers varying from one to more than 20, weekly. With fixed partners they practice vaginal sex (100%), oral sex (56.8%), and anal sex (31.8%); whereas with customers these practices occur in 80%, 55%, and 28.7%, respectively. Condoms are always used with fixed partners by 56.2% of the participants and with customers in 93.8% of the vaginal relations, 88.1% of oral, and 82.6% of anal. The sexual behavior of the prostitutes revealed vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Diseases and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, results which emphasize the necessity for health care educational strategies for adapting to safe sex lifestyles.
Prostitution; Sexual behavior; Sexuality
