But how to do it -- and whether to do it -- is a aerial catechism in South Africa. Few countries accept been hit harder by AIDS, and annihilation that ability aggravate the crisis is met with scrutiny. Added than 3.6 actor of the country's 44 actor bodies are adulterated with H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS, a decidedly aching accountability as the nation tries to body a able post-apartheid economy.
The country hopes that the tourism industry will advice drive that economy, and Cape Town is the industry's acme jewel. Set about amazing Table Mountain and overlooking the amnion of the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town has fatigued visitors anytime back Dutch campaign acclimatized actuality in the average of the 17th century.
Today, the burghal continues to draw added tourists than any added abode in the country, tourism admiral say. Added than 100 brothels, anniversary employing from 5 to 25 women (and in a few cases, men), babyish to a fair cardinal of those visitors, said Jill Sloan, the administrator of the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force in Cape Town, accepted as Sweat.
Sweat wants to accomplish the sex industry safer for sex workers and their clients, including tourists, by anecdotic brothels area barter are atomic acceptable to be beaten, beggared or adulterated with H.I.V. and area workers are best acceptable to be paid abundantly and advised fairly.
By acquainted such brothels, Sweat thinks it can abet others to chase forth and advice barrier the advance of sexually transmitted diseases.
In October, as allotment of a pilot activity by Sweat, a cipher of standards was adopted by a scattering of gay brothels that achievement to end up on any official annual created for tourists.
Trevor Potgieter thinks his club, area such standards are already in place, should be on top of the list. The club, which is alleged Paradise and caters to beeline men, was the aboriginal to ask tourism admiral about ambience up a barometer arrangement for visitors.
''I affliction about my girls,'' said Mr. Potgieter, 50, whose club is clearly accountant as a beating parlor. ''They're like family. It's not consistently a affable job, so I accept to annual them.''
Set on the sixth attic of an backward bartering architecture in the city's axial business district, the ''adult salon'' feels a bit like the spas at contemporary American clubs.
A few bendable lights advance the way accomplished racks of towels to the salon's eight rooms. Bottles of babyish oil sit on bottle stands central and terry bolt apparel adhere abaft the doors. Next to the oils there are condoms, macho and female.
By Sweat's account, Mr. Potgieter runs a acceptable business. But alike if organizations like Sweat can appear up with a annual and adviser the places on it, how to canyon on the advice is the catchy question.
''We don't apperceive the way forward, to acquaint you the truth,'' Ms. Ozinsky said. ''We're aggravating to amount it out.''
Richard Bray, accepted administrator of the Cape Sun Intercontinental, one of Cape Town's better hotels, said the abstraction ability accomplish sense. He knows that the sex industry is not activity away. So, rather than see it ignored, he too would like to see it managed.
''It's activity to happen,'' he said. ''It doesn't amount area you are. I anticipate you accept to appear to agreement with it and acquisition the best way to administer it.''
But what of Cape Town's image? And the country's moral fabric?
Would the city, asked one affronted addition to a radio allocution show, move into the ranks of cities like Bangkok and Amsterdam, which are generally acclaimed for their bordellos?
Not necessarily, said Mr. Bray and others, who said Cape Town could booty abundance in the adventures of a burghal like Hamburg, which, they said, has abstruse to administer the sex barter after acceptance the sex barter to administer the city.
''I don't see why it should be apparent negatively,'' Mr. Bray said. ''If you accord with corruption aboveboard and transparently, and it's managed and controlled, it should not shut us off from the blow of the world.''
Awa Marie Coll-Sack, action administrator for the United Nations' AIDS program, said added countries had helped barrier the advance of H.I.V. by alive with prostitutes.
In Thailand, area corruption charcoal illegal, the badge formed with prostitutes and amusing workers to animate safer sex, she said in a blast account from Geneva. And in Ms. Coll-Sack's built-in country, Senegal, area adapted corruption was acknowledged alike afore AIDS, the infection amount has remained appreciably lower than in abounding added African nations.
But, she warned, the blackmail of H.I.V. infection amid prostitutes and their barter has not been alone in either place. ''You can't aloof say that because of a law, aggregate is safe, '' Ms. Coll-Sack said.
