This study examined the sexual identities, orientations, risks, and condom use of 250 clients of transgender sex workers in Jakarta, Indonesia. The clients were on average 27 years old, over 50% had completed high school or more, and most were married but living separately from their wives. Oral and anal sex were common sexual behaviors with the transgender sex workers. Over 80% had multiple encounters but only 50% always used condoms during anal sex. About half identified as heterosexual and most others as bisexual. The clients felt most sexually attracted to and fantasized about women. While their behaviors involved risks, their identities suggested sex with transgender sex workers was a substitute for sex with women.

1. CIPTASARI PRABAWANTI1, ABRAHAM P. BUUNK2, ARIE DIJKSTRA3
1.Siklus Indonesia; Magister of Science, Faculty of Psychology,
Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2 Social and Organizational Psychology, University of Curaçao Royal
Netherlands Academy of Sciences Professor Evolutionary Social
Psychology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
3 Social Psychology Department, Faculty of Behavioral and Social
Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
Sexual Identity, Sexual
Orientation, Sexual Risk
and Condom Use Behaviors
of Clients of Transgender
Sex Workers in Jakarta,
Indonesia
Presented in the 14th session of APCRSHR10
Virtual on 21st December 2020

2. Objectives
• The study examined the components
of the sexual identity, sexual
orientation, sexual risk-taking and
protective behaviors of clients of
transgender sex workers (clients of
TSW) in Jakarta, Indonesia. As one
party in the decision to use condoms
during anal sex to prevent HIV
transmission, clients can play an
important role as a “bridging
population” in the prevention of the
spread of HIV.
• This study, therefore, aims first to
answer the question:
(1) Who are the clients of a
transgender sex worker?
(2) Do they practice risk behavior?
(3) Do they practice protective
behavior by using a condom?

3. Methods
• Clients of TSW (N=250) were recruited and
interviewed by transgender women (waria)
using structured questionnaires, immediately
after completing a commercial sex transaction
with a TSW.
• Collaborated with the waria organization in
Jakarta to get access to the commercial sex
sites and to approach the field coordinators
(“mami”) in the five districts.
• The waria organization informed the mami
about this project and asked their permission
to conduct the study.
• The mami approached the TSWs and explained
the purpose of the study.
• The interviewers contacted the TSW and used
them as the key contact to reach the clients.
A client was interviewed at a railway in East Jakarta

4. Results
• The average age of the clients was 27.28 years,
over 50% had completed high school or more,
most of the clients were married, but only about
11% were living with a wife or regular female
partner.
• Oral and insertive anal sex was the most prevalent
sexual behaviors with TSW, 57% did insertive anal
sex with and they seemed very much to favor to
receive oral sex (95%) from TSW during
commercial sex transaction.
• More than 80% of the clients had more than once
visited TSWs and only 50% of them always use
condoms during insertive anal sex.
• About half of the clients described themselves as
heterosexual, and most others described
themselves as bisexual.
• Overall, the clients felt sexually most attracted to
women, fantasized most about having sex with
women, and felt much more masculine than
feminine. Almost all participants (91.6%) said that
they did not have feminine traits at all.
Figure 1. Feelings of sexually attracted to the three different
types of gender.

5. Discussion
• The clients were young married migrant
workers with a mid-educational level and living
separately from their wives. They described
themselves as heterosexual, and most others
described themselves as bisexual.
• Overall, the clients felt sexually most attracted
to and fantasized most about having sex with
women.
• They felt more masculine than feminine. Oral
and insertive anal sex was the most prevalent
sexual behavior with TSW.
• These findings suggest, they had multiple sex
partners during a period of time, whilst they
did not consistently practice condom use
during every sex act.
• Sex with TSW is primarily a substitute for sex
with women.
Thank you
Figure 2. Fantasies about having sex with women and transgender
women

6. Thank you