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Influx of Workers and Prostitutes for London Olympics Raises Sexual Health Fears

The imminent arrival of thousands of construction workers for the 2012 Olympics could cause a surge in prostitution and the spread of sexually transmitted infections, health experts say.

Olympics chiefs are being urged to address the impact of the predominantly male construction workforce, which is likely to total more than 100,000 over the next four years.

More than 1,000 people are already working on preparing the site, with a further 2,000 scheduled to begin arriving within weeks as work starts on the stadium. Health organisations are warning that thousands of prostitutes, including trafficked women, are likely to arrive in the run-up to 2012.

They are calling for extra staff in sexual health clinics to address a predicted rise in sexually transmitted infections and for preventive measures, such as sex leaflets in various languages and condom distribution. The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), the HIV and sexual health charity, is calling for an urgent meeting with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.

Clinicians assessing the impact of the Sydney 2000 Games found a big increase in demand for sexual health services and a corresponding increase in sexually related diseases, mainly among casual workers, the trust said.

Lisa Power, policy director for the trust, said: “There will be increased sexual activity at the Olympics and in the run-up. There will be migrant workers, mostly men, separated from their families. Many of them will have unprotected sex. They will go out for casual sex or with sex workers. There is a big potential for increase in poor sexual health, including HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhoea. This an issue where everybody gets embarrassed and they don’t want to talk about it.”

Sara Walker, of the English Collective of Prostitutes, said: “Of course, where men gather with time and money then prostitutes will go there. We are more concerned about the police coming in and targeting prostitutes who are not illegal immigrants.”

Grahame Maxwell, spokesman on human-trafficking at the Association of Chief Police Officers, said that the Metropolitan Police were liaising closely with the Human Trafficking Centre and Maxim, another unit dealing with immigration and smuggling, to detect any increase in trafficking related to the Games. A spokesman for the ODA said that no plans had been made to address sexual health specifically, although an occupational health centre would be set up for workers.

With up to 25,000 workers on site during the peak of construction work in 2009-10, there are concerns about accommodation. Unions are worried that landlords will increase rents and provide poor, cramped accommodation. At least 50 per cent of the labourers are expected to be migrant.

Protection zone

— 100,000 construction workers are expected on or near the Olympic site in the next four years

— An estimated 10,000 sex workers were operating at the Sydney 2000 Olympics

— In Sydney 70,000 condoms for athletes went so fast that 20,000 more were ordered. Even these ran out before the Games ended

— Athletes at the Manchester Commonwealth Games were handed condoms wrapped in little gold medals

— The Home Office claims to have no estimate of the number of prostitutes operating in London

Adapted from: Jill Sherman, "Influx of workers and prostitutes for Olympics raises sexual health fears." The Times Online. 17 March 2008.