Bliss without Risk was founded in Prague in 1992, as an answer to the boom in the number of sex workers after the change of regime of 1989. The main aims of the NGO are HIV&STI prevention among female sex workers, providing basic health care (HIV&STI testing, diagnosis and for some infections, treatment), linking sex workers to relevant health services, and providing psychosocial support. In 2005, Bliss without Risk opened its second centre (in Brno), but together with their Prague centre and their Mobile Ambulance, they are able to cover sex workers’ needs at national level.
The NGO is open to experience-sharing, and has developped a mobile unit project for sex workers in Zimbabwe (the unit was funded by the Czech Government). More
Contact person: Hana Malinová
E-mail: rozkos@volny.cz
Website: http://www.rozkosbezrizika.cz/01_htm/100_ENGLISH.htm
Bliss without Risk was founded in Prague in 1992, as an answer to the boom in the number of sex workers after the change of regime of 1989. The main aims of the NGO are HIV&STI prevention among female sex workers, providing basic health care (HIV&STI testing, diagnosis and for some infections, treatment), linking sex workers to relevant health services, and providing psychosocial support. In 2005, Bliss without Risk opened its second centre (in Brno), but together with their Prague centre and their Mobile Ambulance, they are able to cover sex workers’ needs at national level.
Bliss without Risk provides a wide range of informational leaflets both to sex workers and to their clients. The leaflets for sex workers deal with HIV&STI prevention, promotion of safer sex and information about the labour market. The brochures that are to be given by sex workers to their clients exist in 6 different languages. The leaflets are spread by social workers through outreach work. Outhreach workers propose saliva and rapid tests for HIV and syphillis to those interested.
The counselling provided at the 2 centres means not only psychosocial help (undisturbed and confidential chats with sex workers), but also provision of help in administrative procedures such as replacement of a lost identity card, and helping to resolve accomodation problems. The chats are a good opportunity to identify victims of trafficking. The centre provides also support in case of drug addiction through cooperation with the drop-in centre.
Social workers take care of the kids of sex workers while they have to work and take them to the zoo or any other suitable places. Bliss without Risk has also put together several theatre plays involving sex workers. They performed lately at the Romani Festival in Ostrava and at the international conference „AIDS, drugs and us” held in Poděbrady in November 2005.
The NGO is open to experience-sharing, and has developped a mobile unit project for sex workers in Zimbabwe (the unit was funded by the Czech Government). Bliss without Risk provides technicval support to their Zimbabwean partner GWAPA (Gweru Women AIDS Prevention Association).
Contact person: Hana Malinová
E-mail: rozkos@volny.cz
Website: http://www.rozkosbezrizika.cz/01_htm/100_ENGLISH.htm