Tráfico de drogas, masculinidade, relação de gênero e risco de DST/AIDS

Drug dealing, masculinity, relationship between gender and risk of STD/AIDS

Abstract

The article addresses the relationship between gender and the risk of STD/AIDS of young men who were involved in retail market of drug dealing between 1990 and 2006, in slums in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The starting point of the study was a qualitative analysis with emphasis in the oral history of topical life, involving 30 youngsters aged between 17 and 25, from seven slums of the city. It was detected that these youngsters incorporated a perverse gender relationship very early in their lives, determined by the culture of organized crime, which almost always made the use of condons in sexual intercourse infeasible. It was observed that, even being away from this illegal business, it was difficult for these youngsters to get rid of the previous style of their affective relationships and rebuild new gender relationships, based on respect, reciprocity and loyalty. It was concluded that the preventive actions regarding STD/AIDS, involving youth groups with armed urban conflict experiences, should always be associated to the discussion of factors that foster gender violence and inequality.