In Lille, condoms on the buses, side pavement

By Haydée SABERAN

Saturday March 05, 2005 (Release - 06:00)

Lille of our corresponding

The image is insolente. It decorates all the sides of bus, in Lille. A man who draws with an enormous revolver. A lady out of skirt panther and fishnet stocking which retains the blow. A large red spot, in a giant condom. "do Customers, you play Russian roulette?" question the poster. One of the slogans to warn the customers of the prostitution against the sexual relations without condom and to take part in the fight against the AIDS.

In Lille, with Between Acts, a discrete place of listening and assistance, the prostitutes speak to the customers. By way of posters, the day, on the right side on the buses, "the side pavement". And in truth the night, for those which have the notch. They leave with condoms and small leaflets, saying: "I am a sexual worker without risks. I make use of condoms without exception."

Foot of nose. A customer on three would ask for a report/ratio without condom. According to certain prostitutes, much more. "With them, explains Nathalie Masurel, teacher with Between Actes, we reflected, with the way in which one could act. One chose the visibility." Visible, it is the least which one can say. Like a foot of nose to the law of interior safety.

For Between Acts, the law made the customer off-hand. "a law made by the men, for the men", said Sarah (1), 21 years, including seven of pavement. It summarizes a little quickly: "Like there is not the right to work, one does not have the harbour due felt sorry for. Then they do what they want." Including without hood. "the law, it says that it is them the victims: they undergo our soliciting. The poor customer, it is stressed."

"Nathalie, I am hungry! Do not have you a package of biscuits?" In the room of Between Acts, in an old masonry of the Vieux-Lille cheese, they are engulfed when they see light. Here, they are made up, are recoiffent, pass from the Jean to the miniskirt. There are all the stories. Toxico homeless person with the mother which buckles the ends of month on the pavement. They come to speak. "If it is the night late, the girl, she more easily will agree to go up to 20 euros, whereas front, she would not release." And to accept a report/ratio without condom? All say that they refuse. "It is your life." Certain customers propose bundles on the dashboard. "Up to 450 euros", Sarah ensures. It slice of bread a melba toast. It explains, sweeps the air of its knife. "Then, the type, it well will find a meuf in keuman, which will be said: "It is not serious, it seems well to be." And if it is not the AIDS which it will spin to him, it is syphilis or the clap."

Censored

Voluntary. Cost of the advertising operation: 5 000 euros, paid by a subsidy of Ddass (Direction secondary roads of the medical and social businesses). No the agency, but a plastics technician, Guillaume Charon, and a draughtsman, Babouse, both voluntary. A first in France, known as the Grouping of prevention and reception inhabitant of Lille, which controls Between Actes.

(1) the majority of the first names were modified.