Prevalence and Correlates of Client-Perpetrated Violence against Female Sex Workers in 13 Mexican Cities
BACKGROUND:
Globally,
client-perpetrated violence against female sex workers (FSWs) has been
associated with multiple health-related harms, including high-risk sexual
behavior and increased exposure to HIV/STIs. This study examined correlates of
client-perpetrated sexual, physical, and economic violence (e.g., robbery)
against FSWs in 13 cities throughout Mexico.
METHODS:
FSWs (N =
1,089) who were enrolled in a brief, evidence-based, sexual risk reduction
intervention for FSWs (Mujer Segura) were interviewed about their work context,
including experiences of violence perpetrated by clients, sexual risk and
substance use practices, financial need, and social supports. Three broad
categories of factors (sociodemographic, work context, behavioral and social
characteristics of FSWs) were examined as correlates of sexual, physical, and
economic violence.
RESULTS:
The
prevalence of different types of client-perpetrated violence against FSWs in
the past 6 months was: sexual (11.7%), physical (11.8%), economic (16.9%), and
any violence (22.6%). Greater financial need, self-identification as a street
worker, and lower perceived emotional support were independently associated
with all three types of violence. Alcohol use before or during sex with clients
in the past month was associated with physical and sexual violence. Using drugs
before or during sex with clients, injection drug use in the past month, and
population size of city were associated with sexual violence only, and FSWs'
alcohol use score (AUDIT-C) was associated with economic violence only.
CONCLUSIONS:
Correlates
of client-perpetrated violence encompassed sociodemographic, work context, and
behavioral and social factors, suggesting that approaches to violence
prevention for FSWs must be multi-dimensional. Prevention could involve
teaching FSWs strategies for risk avoidance in the workplace (e.g., avoiding use
of alcohol with clients), enhancement of FSWs' community-based supports,
development of interventions that deliver an anti-violence curriculum to
clients, and programs to address FSWs' financial need by increasing their
economic opportunities outside of the sex trade.
Below: Socio-demographic, work context, and behavioral and social characteristics of FSWs who experienced client-perpetrated violence compared with those who did not (n = 1089)
- 1Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093-0680, United States of America.
- 2Division of Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093-0507, United States of America.
- 3Evaluation and Research Department, Mexican Foundation for Family Planning (Mexfam), Distrito Federal, 14000, Mexico.
No comments:
Post a Comment