Latin American and Caribbean Sex Workers: Gains and challenges in the movement

This article challenges the notion that the organised sex worker movement originated in the Global North. Beginning in Havana, Cuba at the end of the nineteenth century, sex workers in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region have been organising for recognition and labour rights. This article focuses on some of the movement’s advances, such as the election of a sex worker to public office in the Dominican Republic, the system where Nicaraguan sex workers act as court-appointed judicial facilitators, the networks of sex worker organisations throughout the region, and cutting-edge media strategies used to claim social and labour rights. Sex workers are using novel strategies designed to disrupt the hegemonic social order; contest the inequalities, discrimination, and injustices experienced by women in the sex trade; provoke critical reflection; and raise the visibility of sex work advocacy. New challenges to the movement include the abolitionist movement, the conflation of all forms of sex work with human trafficking, and practices that seek to ‘rescue’ consenting adults from the sex trade

Legal Challenges to and by Sex Workers/Prostitutes

Sex worker is a term that emerges from a particular historical and political juncture. It reflects a change in consciousness imbedded in the political struggles of women prostitutes. In this article, I trace the genealogy of the term to the 1960s, when major changes occurred in the role of women in society and in the reconceptualization of what were heretofore known as deviant sexualities. I then shift attention to the Caribbean, where I apply the term to the advent of sex tourism and the development of a sex workers\u27 movement linked to a human rights agenda

Legal Challenges to and by Sex Workers/Prostitutes

Sex worker is a term that emerges from a particular historical and political juncture. It reflects a change in consciousness imbedded in the political struggles of women prostitutes. In this article, I trace the genealogy of the term to the 1960s, when major changes occurred in the role of women in society and in the reconceptualization of what were heretofore known as deviant sexualities. I then shift attention to the Caribbean, where I apply the term to the advent of sex tourism and the development of a sex workers\u27 movement linked to a human rights agenda

El paradigma discursivo en torno a la «víctima de trata». Intervención social con mujeres dominicanas en Puerto Rico

The purpose of this paper is to reflect some of the advances in our research on the work done by Dominican women at cantinas located in Puerto Rico and on the women’s access to the American social protection system. The fieldwork was conducted in 2014, using an ethnographic methodology. In this context, we have focused on the discourse produced by both governmental and non-governmental agents responsible for ensuring the welfare of the most vulnerable population. In particular, bearing in mind that, as a population on the move subjected to situations of exploitation, these women could have access to resources related to human trafficking, we have also examined the support system for trafficking victims. Trafficking cannot be understood without reference to international regulations governed by specific ideologies and definitions about what constitutes a trafficking victim. We have therefore focused on how such regulations are put into practice on the ground. We will consider how, by constructing a «trafficking victim» category, both the regulations and their practical implementation make racialized working-class Dominican women invisible, even though they are extensively present throughout the country and can be found in labor exploitation spaces.En este artículo queremos exponer algunos avances de una investigación que estamos llevando a cabo sobre el trabajo que realizan las mujeres dominicanas en cantinas en Puerto Rico y el acceso de estas al sistema de protección social estadounidense. Nos hemos acercado a esta realidad utilizando la metodología etnográfica, haciendo trabajo de campo en 2014. En este ámbito nos ha interesado el discurso producido por agentes gubernamentales y no gubernamentales encargados de velar por el bienestar de las poblaciones más vulnerables, denominadas así en tanto que resultado de procesos que las conducen a situaciones de vulnerabilidad. En concreto, pensando que, en tanto que población en movimiento en situaciones de explotación, estas mujeres podrían tener acceso a los recursos relativos a la trata de personas, nos hemos acercado al sistema de atención a las «víctimas» de trata Considerando que no se puede entender la trata sin conectarla con regulaciones internacionales que proyectan unas ideologías y definiciones específicas sobre quién es considerado víctima de trata y quién no, nos interesa especialmente la traducción práctica de esas directrices. Veremos cómo ambos elementos, las regulaciones y su aplicación práctica, a través de la construcción de la categoría «victima de trata», invisibilizan a las mujeres dominicanas de clase trabajadora y racializadas, a pesar de su amplia presencia en el país y de encontrarse insertas en espacios de explotación laboral

Barreras y limitaciones en la implementación de la lista de verificación de la seguridad quirúrgica de la Organización Mundial de la Salud.

Introduction: The surgical safety checklist of the World Health Organization (WHO) is a tool that checks and evaluates each procedure in the operating room. Despite its demonstrated effectiveness, it has many limitations and barriers to its implementation. The aim of this article was to present the current evidence regarding limitations and barriers to achieve a successful implementation of the surgical safety WHO checklist. Methods: A narrative review was designed. We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE. Articles that describe or present as primary or secondary endpoints barriers or limitations during the implementation of the checklist WHO were selected. Observational or experimental articles were included from the date of the official launch of the WHO list. To describe the data a summary table was designed. Detailed results were organized qualitatively extracting the most prevalent limitations. Results: 17 studies were included in the final review process. The main findings were: 1) a large number of constraints reported in the literature that hinder the implementation process, 2) limitations were grouped into 9 categories according to their similarities and 3) the most frequently reported category was “knowledge”. Discussion: There are several factors that limit the proper implementation of the surgical safety checklist WHO. Among these, cultural factors, knowledge, indifference and / or relevance, communication, filling completeness, among others. Effective implementation strategies would reach its successful implementation.Introducción: La lista de verificación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) es un instrumento que revisa de forma ordenada el cumplimiento de procedimientos en el quirófano. A pesar de su demostrada efectividad presenta múltiples limitaciones y barreras en su implementación. Objetivo: Presentar la evidencia actual relacionada con las limitaciones y barreras para la implementación adecuada en  instituciones de salud de la lista de verificación de seguridad para la cirugía de la OMS. Metodología: Revisión narrativa en la que se diseñó una búsqueda sistemática en Pubmed/MEDLINE. Se seleccionaron artículos que describieran o presentaran como objetivos primarios o secundarios el describir barreras o limitaciones en la implementación de la lista de verificación de la OMS. Se incluyeron artículos observacionales o experimentales y publicados a partir de la fecha de lanzamiento oficial de la lista OMS. Se diseñó una tabla de presentación de resultados detallados y seorganizaron de forma cualitativa extrayendo los dominios más prevalentes. Resultados: 17 estudios fueron incluidos en el proceso final de revisión. Los principales hallazgos fueron: 1) Se identificó un gran número de limitaciones reportadas en la literatura que dificultan el proceso de implementación de una lista de verificación pre quirúrgico en un escenario real, 2) Se agruparonen 9 categorías las limitaciones de acuerdo a sus similitudes y 3) Se documentó que la categoría de “conocimiento” es la más frecuentemente reportada. Discusión: Existen diversos factores que limitan la apropiada implementación de la lista de verificación quirurgica de la OMS. Entre ellos factores culturales, de conocimiento, indiferencia y/o relevancia, comunicación, cumplimiento en su diligenciamiento, entre otros. Solo con la adopción de estrategias efectivas de implementación y contextualización se alcanzaría su correcta adopción en los diferentes centros hospitalarios

Money, Love, and Fragile Reciprocity in Contemporary Havana, Cuba

Among low-income Havana residents, men frequently give money and other forms of material support to women in whom they have a romantic interest. For women, men's material contributions are expressions of responsibility and care. While men share this view to a degree, they sometimes have more ambiguous emotions regarding such practices. These tensions in different views of gendered reciprocity are influenced by large-scale changes that have taken place in Cuban society since the 1990s. Although, traditionally, state socialism has embraced ideas of gender egalitarianism and women's independent income, the post-Soviet period has seen the emergence of new inequalities, dependencies, and marginalizations that threaten earlier, socialist understandings of intimacy. The importance that women currently place on material wealth in terms of their views of a desirable partner highlights the gendered consequences of Cuba's contemporary economic transformations and their complex interplay with individuals' aspirations for love.Peer reviewe

Tobacco cessation among smokers under substance use treatment for alcohol and/or cannabis: study protocol and pilot study

Background: Approximately 80% of people with a substance use disorder (SUD) are smokers. Starting SUD treatment offers the opportunity to also quit smoking. The ACT-ATAC project aims to identify the predictors associated with smoking cessation among persons treated for alcohol and/or cannabis use disorder in Barcelona. This manuscript reports its methodology and the experience of carrying it out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Mixed methods project with three substudies. Substudy 1 (S1) comprises heterogeneous discussion groups among clinicians. S2 has two prospective cohorts composed of smokers under treatment for alcohol and/or cannabis use disorder and the clinicians in charge of these patients. Participating smokers will be followed for 12 months and interviewed about their substance use and the tobacco cessation services received using the Spanish version of the users' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Services (S-KAS) scale. The clinicians will be asked about their self-reported practices in smoking cessation using the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (S-KAP) scale. S3 comprises heterogeneous discussion groups with smokers. Data will be triangulated using qualitative and quantitative analyses. To facilitate the recruitment process, the researchers have introduced several strategies (design clear protocols, set monthly online meetings, extend the project, provide gift cards, etc.). Discussion: The results of S1 were used to develop the questionnaires. S2 required some adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the follow-up interviews being conducted by phone instead of face-to-face, and the recruitment rhythm was lower than expected. Recruitment will last until reaching at least 200-250 users. The fieldwork could not have been possible without the collaboration of the ACT-ATAC team and the introduction of several strategies

Storage quality of broccoli florets and evaluation of modified atmosphere packaging

The effect of some factors that can affect quality characteristics of broccoli florets in storage was evaluated. Quality characteristics of broccoli florets with different rates of field nitrogen (N) application (0, 90, 180, and 270 Kg N/ha from urea) were evaluated in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (B-900 Cryovac film) storage at 0°C. Increased field N application resulted in more green color and higher chlorophyll concentration but these differences disappeared as chlorophyll linearly decreased by 50% during 28 days of MAP storage. N fertilization up to 180 Kg/ha increased ascorbic acid content at harvest but losses in storage were not affected by nitrogen fertilization treatments. It was noted in several of the packages with B-900 film that off-odors were present after storage. While this was noted late in the evaluation (not quantified) this led to a second experiment. MAP using three Cryovac polyolefin films (PD-941, PD-961EZ, and PD- 900) and perforated polyethylene bags were evaluated for broccoli florets stored at 0°, 5°, and 10°C. Films with differential permeability properties had similar effects on controlling weight loss but significantly affected in-package CO₂ and O₂ concentrations. Color (Hue angle and Chroma) and chlorophyll retention was better in MAP broccoli florets than perforated bag controls. MAP also delayed loss of ascorbic acid. The beneficial effects of MAP were especially noticeable when the florets were stored at 5° and 10°C in which shelf life was appreciably extended. Broccoli florets in PD-941 film developed no off-odors during 28 days storage even under the highest (10°C) storage temperature. Seven different broccoli cultivars were evaluated for quality in MAP storage using Cryovac PD-941 film. Weight loss was kept very low (less than 3%) during 21 days at 4°C and even 5 days after transfer to 15°C storage room. Differences in ascorbic acid content, chlorophyll concentration and green coloration were found among cultivars. While these quality characteristics differed greatly between cultivars at harvest, they lost them at different rates in storage. From this study, 'ATX91-307' followed by 'Emerald' appeared to be superior to the others during simulated marketing conditions of 21 days at 4°C plus 5 days at 15°C under near optimal MAP conditions

Intimate Encounters: Affective Economies in Cuba and the Dominican Republic

Drawing on research in Cuba and the Dominican Republic this paper explores the uses of intimacy in both the corporate sector and in romantic relationships. I use research with hotel workers and with people involved in sexual-affective exchanges connected to tourism to link intimacy to the political economic structures of transnational tourism. These are new spaces of analysis that present practices of transnational corporategenerated intimacy that combine love – or the exploitation of worker’s emotions − and labour. The central aim is to intertwine the intimate with the global, from the formal customer service policies of transnational hotels with the informal, on-the-ground, intimate encounters between tourists and hospitality workers. The commercialization of intimacy, including sexual-affective relations in the delivery of hospitality services, is linked to political and economic processes that are part of transnational tourism practices. This paper challenges the notion that sex tourism and sex work are individualistic practices that exist outside of the spaces of corporate global profit. It further posits that relationships where money is exchanged are not necessarily devoid of care and intimacy.Resumen: Encuentros íntimos: economías afectivas en Cuba y República Dominicana A partir de investigaciones en Cuba y la República Dominicana, este trabajo explora los usos de la intimidad, tanto en el sector empresarial como en las relaciones románticas. Se hicieron investigaciones entre trabajadores de hostelería y personas involucradas en el intercambio afectivosexual relacionado con el turismo con el fin de vincular la intimidad de las estructuras políticoeconómicas del turismo transnacional. Estos son nuevos espacios de análisis que las prácticas de las empresas transnacionales generan por el uso de la intimidad que combinan el amor – o la explotación de las emociones del trabajador – y la mano de obra. El objetivo central es entrelazar lo íntimo con lo global, las políticas formales de servicio al cliente de los hoteles transnacionales con la economía informal, los encuentros íntimos entre turistas y trabajadores de los hoteles. La comercialización de la intimidad, incluso sexualafectiva en la prestación de servicios de hospitalidad, está ligada a procesos políticos y económicos que forman parte de las prácticas turísticas transnacionales. Este trabajo cuestiona la idea de que el turismo sexual y el trabajo sexual sean prácticas individualistas que existen fuera de los espacios de los beneficios de la empresa global. Además, postula que las relaciones en donde el dinero se intercambia no están necesariamente desprovistas de cuidado e intimidad