Client-perpetrated gender-based violence among female sex workers in post-conflict Gulu district, Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) among female sex workers (FSWs) negatively affects their mental wellbeing and sexual and reproductive health and rights. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of client-perpetrated GBV among FSWs in post-conflict Gulu district, Northern Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 FSWs aged 18+ years who were operating in Gulu district. Participants were selected using simple random sampling and interviewed between March and June 2020. Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires were utilized to collect information on socio-demographic and sex-work-related characteristics, alcohol and illicit drug use, HIV status, and exposure to client-perpetrated GBV. Data were entered into EPI INFO 7 and analyzed using logistic regression with the aid of STATA 14.0. Results: Sixty one percent (61.0%) of the participants reported client-perpetrated GBV. The most common forms of GBV in this population were economic (58.7%) and emotional (52.0%) violence. Meanwhile, sexual violence (21.0%) was the least common form of GBV among the study participants. At multivariate level; street-based sex work (aOR=9.66, 95%CI: 2.78-33.5), mobile sex work (aOR=3.21, 95%CI: 1.83-5.64), HIV-positive status (aOR=1.90, 95%CI: 1.09-3.31), and low monthly income below 50th percentile {<200,000 UGX}(aOR= 2.26, 95% CI: 1.18-4.30) remained independently associated with client-perpetrated GBV. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of client-perpetrated GBV driven by street-based sex work, sex work-related mobility, HIV-positive status, and low income. Therefore, interventions to address client-perpetrated GBV should target FSWs who are street-based, HIV-positive, mobile, and with low income.