by Li Man

李曼

 

China’s population is aging, and the pressures of dealing
with an aging population are becoming apparent. Today, according to a new
report from the Work Committee on the Elderly, 134 million Chinese were over
the age of 60, representing around 11% of the population. The report finds that
of those between the ages of 66 and 71, 90% of men continued to have an
interest in sex, versus 50% of women. In the range of 86-90 year olds, 51% of
men had an interest in sex.

中国已开始进入老年化，老龄化对中国社会的压力正逐步显现。目前，中国60岁以上的老年人口为1.34亿，占总人口的11%左右，这是中国老龄工作委员会根据一项最新调得出的结果。资料表明在66–71岁的年龄段内，对性有兴趣的男性为90%、女性为50%，就是在86–90岁的年龄层中对性有兴趣的男性也有51%。

The development of science has shown that sex is a
lifelong emotional and physical need for older men. Not only is this not
harmful, but a healthy sex life can contribute to prolonging the life. The
report finds that a majority of men over the age of sixty continued to be able
to engage in sexual activity. A healthy and satisfying sex life can prolong
longevity, ease the mind, create emotional stability, eliminate loneliness, and
increase confidence in other areas of life.

科学发展证明老年男性的性需求和性行为都是一种生理和心理需要，不仅没有害处，相反适当的性生活有助于晚年生活。调查结果表明：60岁以上的男性有半数以上仍然保持良好的性功能。适当而满意的性生活可以延年益寿、使心情舒畅、情绪稳定、消除孤独、增强生活的信心.

Even more importantly, though, the wives of these older
men may sometimes no longer be able to engage in sexual activity, and some have
passed away before their husbands. In situations in which these older men can
not meet their sexual needs, they may seek other means, such as visiting sex
workers. Because of traditional views still entrenched in Chinese society, most
people view older people having sex as indecent, and fear that they will
influence the family reputation. This leads older men to feel embarrassment
about their sexual needs, and it leaves them with no choice except to seek out
the most underground sex workers.

更为重要的是这些老年人的妻子已经不能正常的性交、有的妻子已经去世，这些情况导致他们的性需求得不到满足而只有去寻求其他方式解决如：找小姐（性工作者）。又因为中国传统思想的束缚，一般人认为老年人找小姐是：老不正经、下流等等，会影响家人的名誉和生活。所以使得老年人的性需求更为尴尬，他们不得不更加隐蔽地选择也是隐蔽的性工作者。

In one case, an 82-year-old man who had been unable to have
an erection for a long time became seriously depressed, which in turn triggered
a series of illnesses. One of our sisters, used her sexual skills, succeeded in
stimulating this elder man, and afterwards his illnesses were cured. This older
man was extremely grateful to the sister and maintained contact with her for a
long time.

有一位82岁的老年人因为长期不能勃起导致心情非常郁闷，继而引发一系列疾病。一位姐妹用性技巧，成功地使这位老人重现雄风，之后很多疾病不治而愈。这位老人非常感激这位姐妹，从此一直保持关系。

Based on Phoenix’s five years of experience, we have
learned that these underground sex workers have many different identities: they
are sex workers, also drug users, HIV-positive, lesbians, and single mothers…in
order to survive, and get medical treatment, and pay for the educational costs
of their children, many have no other option except to engage in sex work. And
in the process of doing this work, the initiative to use or not use a condom is
manipulated into the hands of the customer. Older clients are often especially
unwilling to use condoms, because they feel that because of their advanced age,
if they contract HIV it’s not such a big deal.

据苦草工作室5年的工作经验得知：这些隐蔽的性工作者大部分具有多重身份：性工作者、吸毒者、艾滋病感染者、女同性恋、单亲母亲。。。。。。。为了维持生活、治疗、孩子的教育她们不得不隐蔽地进行性工作，而在工作过程中安全套的使用的主动权往往操控在男性手中。特别是老年嫖客不愿使用安全套，他们认为自己年纪已经大了，得了艾滋病也没有什么了不起的。

What is more, the sex workers they turn to are often
women who have very limited education, and no ability to earn a living through
other means. If we add to this the heavy pressure of social stigma and the
weight of the pressure to earn a living, some of these sisters even have ideas
about retribution against society. The risk to these older clients of
contracting STD or AIDS is extremely high, but despite the risk, for all these reasons,
both sides continue in this sexual relationship.

而这部分性工作者大都文化水平低、没有其它就业技能，加上严重的社会歧视和沉重的生存压力，有的姐妹甚至有报复社会的念头。所以老年人感染性病、艾滋病的概率是非常高的，因为种种原因他们之间的性交易虽然风险大但是还是在继续。

In another case, a 58-year-old man whose wife passed away
visited sex workers for many years, and had sexual relations with at least ten
women without using condoms. As a result of our intervention program with
long-term customers, he tested for HIV and tested positive. However, he did not
stop engaging in prostitution, and frequently harmed sex workers.

有一位58岁的男性因为妻子去世，长期在外面找小姐，和十几个姐妹多次发生性交，并且从来不使用安全套。在我们干预常客项目时检测感染了HIV，但是他并没有停止嫖娼反而更加频繁地去伤害性工作者。

Many people believe that HIV-positive women should not continue
to engage in sex work because they could transmit the virus to others. But
these people do not consider that they have no other choice; and that sex
workers continue to risk other harm while doing this work, including infection
with other diseases.

很多人认为这些感染的女性不应该再从事性工作，因为她们会传播艾滋病病毒，但是没有人想过她们无奈地从事性工作的同时也面临着更大的伤害，她们会感染不同的毒株、感染其它疾病。

In one case we know of, a 78-year-old man and an
HIV-positive sister had sexual relations for 7 years. Because there was a firm
emotional foundation, she told him that she was HIV-positive and recommended
that he be tested. The older man tested negative for HIV, and so they continued
to have sexual relations using condoms.

有一位78岁的老年人和一位感染的姐妹保持了7年的性交易关系，因为有了一定的感情基础，她如实告知自己感染HIV并建议老人检测。老人检测后没有感染，之后他们一直保持关系，只是在性交过程中使用了安全套。

We at Phoenix believe that intervention with these older
clients is urgent. Past experience tells us that this approach is effective and
that older customers are willing to accept it.

所以苦草工作室认为对老年嫖客的干预刻不容缓。以往的经验告诉我们，我们的工作方式是有效果的，也是嫖客愿意接受的。

 

Li Man is the founder and executive director of Phoenix (苦草工作室), an
organization of sex workers in Gejiu City, Yunnan Province, China. The blog was translated by Meg Davis of Asia Catalyst.