scholarly journals Seeing pre-screened, regular clients associated with lower odds of workplace sexual violence and condom refusal amidst sex work criminalization: Findings of a community-based cohort of sex workers in Metro Vancouver, Canada (2010-2019)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn McBride ◽  
Kate Shannon ◽  
Jennie Pearson ◽  
Andrea Krüsi ◽  
Melissa Braschel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Sti Prevention ◽  
Occupational Outcomes

Abstract Background Research that accurately represents how characteristics of sex work clients relate to sex workers’ labour conditions is crucial for informing evidence-based legislation which upholds sex workers’ human rights. However, little quantitative research has examined how seeing regulars (repeat clients) impacts sex workers’ occupational safety, particularly under ‘end-demand’ criminalization. Methods Drawing on longitudinal data from a community-based cohort of 900+ sex workers in Vancouver, we used logistic regression analyses to 1) describe correlates of seeing mostly pre-screened, regular clients, 2) identify associations between seeing mostly regulars and odds of experiencing occupational outcomes of workplace sexual violence and client condom refusal, and 3) examine the interaction between seeing mostly regulars and work environment on workplace sexual violence and client condom refusal. Results Over the 9-year study (N=925), seeing mostly regulars was associated with reduced odds of sexual violence (AOR 0.73, 95%CI 0.53-1.02) and client condom refusal (AOR 0.70, 95%CI 0.57-0.86) in multivariable GEE confounder models. These associations were strongest among sex workers in outdoor/informal indoor workspaces. Conclusion Our findings highlight protective effects of seeing pre-screened regulars within a criminalized setting. Removal of ‘end-demand’ client criminalization is needed to enable sex workers to effectively screen clients, support HIV/STI prevention, and advance sex workers’ human rights.

scholarly journals Structural barriers to condom access in a community-based cohort of sex workers in Vancouver, Canada: influence of policing, violence and end-demand criminalisation

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjsrh-2019-200408
Author(s):  
Shira Goldenberg ◽  
Ruchi Liyanage ◽  
Melissa Braschel ◽  
Kate Shannon
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Sti Prevention ◽  
Condom Access

ObjectivesSex workers (SWs) face a disproportionate burden of HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs), violence and other human rights violations. While recent HIV prevention research has largely focused on the HIV cascade, condoms remain a cornerstone of HIV prevention, requiring further research attention. Given serious concerns regarding barriers to condom use, including policing, violence and ‘end-demand’ sex work criminalisation, we evaluated structural correlates of difficulty accessing condoms among SWs in Vancouver over an 8-year period.MethodsBaseline and prospective data were drawn from a community-based cohort of women SWs (2010–2018). SWs completed semi-annual questionnaires administered by a team that included lived experience (SWs). Multivariable logistic regression using generalised estimating equations (GEE) modelled correlates of difficulty accessing condoms over time.ResultsAmong 884 participants, 19.1% reported difficulty accessing condoms during the study. In multivariable GEE analysis, exposure to end-demand legislation was not associated with improved condom access; identifying as a sexual/gender minority (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.62, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.27), servicing outdoors (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.97), physical/sexual workplace violence (aOR 1.98, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.72), community violence (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.52) and police harassment (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.24) were associated with enhanced difficulty accessing condoms.ConclusionsOne-fifth of SWs faced challenges accessing condoms, suggesting the need to scale-up SW-tailored HIV/STI prevention. Despite the purported goal of ‘protecting communities’, end-demand criminalisation did not mitigate barriers to condom access, while sexual/gender minorities and those facing workplace violence, harassment or those who worked outdoors experienced poorest condom accessibility. Decriminalisation of sex work is needed to support SWs’ labour rights, including access to HIV/STI prevention supplies.

scholarly journals Utilising the due diligence standard to interrogate Kenya's accountability efforts with regard to survivors of sexual violence in the 2007-2008 post-election violence

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Buluma Bwire ◽  
Migai Akech ◽  
Agnes Meroka-Mutua
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Legal Services ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
Special Rapporteur ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Legal Responses ◽  
Election Violence ◽  
Human Rights Violation

SUMMARY Sexual violence is a human rights violation and is addressed under a growing number of international agreements including the 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, among others. This article uses the due diligence standard, as elaborated on by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, to interrogate Kenya's domestic accountability efforts with regard to sexual violence in the 2007/2008 post-election violence. It finds that Kenya suffered from a number of structural and systemic shortcomings that resulted in its failure to meet its obligation to prevent, investigate, prosecute and compensate for such acts of sexual violence perpetrated by both state and non-state actors. Key among them are a lack of well-coordinated multi-sectoral approaches to address sexual violence; human capacity gaps in the provision of medico-legal services to survivors; and systemic failures in the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence cases. The article further highlights the hope for future accountability inherent in the recent ruling in Constitutional Petition 112 of 2013 which held the state accountable for all gaps and shortcomings in responding to sexual violence during the post-election violence. The article concludes by advocating community-based multi-sectoral approaches in prevention and response to sexual violence in the Kenyan context with an emphasis on improving both human and technical capacities for provision of medico-legal services to survivors. Key words: sexual violence; human rights; Kenya 2007-2008 postelection violence; medico-legal responses to sexual violence

scholarly journals Work-related mobility and experiences of gender-based violence among female sex workers in Iringa, Tanzania: a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from Project Shikamana

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. e022621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoé Mistrale Hendrickson ◽  
Anna M Leddy ◽  
Noya Galai ◽  
Jessie K Mbwambo ◽  
Samuel Likindikoki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Risk ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Recent Experience ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Gender Based

ObjectivesTo examine how work-related mobility among female sex workers (FSWs) is associated with gender-based violence (GBV) in Iringa, Tanzania.DesignCross-sectional analyses were conducted on baseline data gathered between October 2015 and April 2016 from FSWs participating in Project Shikamana, a community empowerment-based combination HIV prevention intervention.SettingParticipants were recruited for the baseline study using venue-based time-location sampling in two communities in Iringa, Tanzania.ParticipantsFSWs were eligible for participation if they were 18 years or older and had exchanged sex for money within the past month. Four-hundred ninety-six FSWs participated in the baseline survey.Primary and secondary outcome measuresAny recent experience of GBV was examined by recent work-related mobility among FSWs. Any recent experience of GBV was also disaggregated by severity for analyses. All bivariate and multivariate binary and multinomial logistic regressions adjusted for intraclass correlations among women recruited from the same venues.ResultsForty per cent of participants experienced recent physical or sexual violence, and 30% recently experienced severe physical or sexual violence. Thirty-three per cent of participants recently exchanged sex for money outside of their district or region, and 12% were both intraregionally and inter-regionally mobile for sex work. Intraregionally and inter-regionally mobile FSWs had 1.9 times greater odds of reporting recent GBV (adjusted OR: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.06 to 3.38; p=0.031) compared with non-mobile FSWs and a 2.5 times higher relative risk for recent experience of severe GBV relative to no recent GBV (relative risk ratio: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.33 to 4.74; p=0.005).ConclusionsMobility for sex work may increase FSWs’ exposure to GBV, particularly more severe GBV. The vulnerability of mobile FSWs to violence, particularly severe forms, demands inclusive services that are accessible to mobile FSWs.

Recognising the Human Rights of Female Sex Workers in India: Moving from Prohibition to Decriminalisation and a Pro-work Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaya Sagade ◽  
Christine Forster
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Sex Trade ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
Women’S Human Rights ◽  
Work Model ◽  
Women's Human Rights

This article sets out a women’s human rights approach to the legal regulation of sex work developed through an analysis of feminist perspectives, international human rights standards—in particular, the approach of the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 1979 (CEDAW)—and the voices of female sex workers within India. It categorises sex work into four legal models, namely, prohibition which criminalises all aspects of the sex trade, partial decriminalisation which criminalises only those who force women into sex work and those who trade in under-age sex workers, social control legalisation which decriminalises but regulates the sex trade with the aim of containing through (often punitive) restrictions, and finally pro-work which approaches sex work as valid employment by extending the legal and human rights of other workers to sex workers. The article places India’s current regulatory framework into the prohibition model and argues that the legal response to sex work that most closely accords with a women’s human rights approach is partial decriminalisation coupled with a pro-work model. Although the introduction of this model in India poses considerable challenges, it has the greatest capacity to first, reduce the crime and corruption that surrounds the sex trade; second, to enhance, promote and protect public health and third, provide appropriate legal and human rights protection to sex workers as international obligations require.

scholarly journals The Plight of Female Cameroonian Migrant Sex Workers in N’Djamena, Chad: A Case of Intersectionality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sianga Mutola ◽  
Ngambouk Vitalis Pemunta ◽  
Ngo Valery Ngo ◽  
Ogem Irene Otang ◽  
tabi-Chama James Tabenyang
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Human Rights Abuses ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
Legal Outcomes

AbstractIn most countries, sex-work is criminalized and frowned upon. This leads to human rights abuses, especially for migrant female sex workers. The burden is heavier on migrant female sex-workers whose gender and foreign citizenship intersect to produce a plethora of adverse health, social, and legal outcomes. This phenomenological study explores the intersectionality of individual factors leading to human rights abuses among migrant Cameroonian female sex workers in N’Djamena, Chad. Ten female sex workers and two key-informants were interviewed, and being a small sample, they gave detailed information about their experiences. The data was later analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants narrated experiences of social exclusion, exposure to diverse abuses, and health risks due to gender, immigrant status, and illegality of sex work. The experiences of female migrant sex workers, within contexts of sex work criminalization, are exacerbated by the intersectionality of these factors. Women endure several vulnerabilities in many African countries, more so when they have to survive on sex work as foreigners in a country where the act is illegal.

scholarly journals The economic consequences of decriminalizing sex work in Washington, DC

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Srsic ◽  
K Dubas-Jakóbczyk ◽  
E Kocot
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Economic Impact ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Income Tax ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Tax Revenue ◽  
Sex Worker

Abstract Background Under repressive policies, sex workers are at disproportionate risk for violence, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. The decriminalization of sex work between consenting adults provides increased social and health benefits to both sex workers and society at large. Proponents of decriminalization advocate for these added human rights; this is the first research that complements these arguments with a quantifiable economic impact of such a law and a model for future calculations. This research assesses the potential economic consequences of decriminalizing sex work in the District of Columbia (DC) in three areas: (1) income tax revenue, (2) criminal justice system savings, and (3) health sector savings (violence, HIV, gonorrhea, and herpes). Methods An economic model is developed and utilized based on a literature review and records from local and federal agencies. Results The decriminalization of sex work in DC will generate $5,191.61 per sex worker and $2.49 per client annually, plus an additional $20,118.17 in total criminal justice system savings a year. Per sex worker, $4,906.39 will be gained from income tax revenue, and $285.46 will be generated through health sector savings. Per client, decriminalization will generate $0.05, $2.28, and $0.16 from HIV, gonorrhea, and herpes respectively, or $8,311.67 annually after considering the total number of clients. Estimates are reported in 2019 US dollars. Conclusions The potential economic impact of decriminalizing sex work is widespread. In DC, this legislation should be implemented to not only promote the city's human rights but also economic growth. The presented model, in conjunction with a rights-based foundation, should urgently be used by advocates, sex workers, decision-makers, and other researchers. Key messages An economic analysis of a policy to decriminalize sex work in DC demonstrates its widespread economic impact across sectors. The economic model generated in this research should be utilized in other regions to strengthen human rights-based arguments in support of these policies.

scholarly journals An ethnographic exploration of factors that drive policing of street-based female sex workers in a U.S. setting -  identifying opportunities for intervention.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine HA Footer ◽  
Bradley E. Silberzahn ◽  
Sahnah Lim ◽  
Steven Huettner ◽  
Victor A. Kumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Health Determinant ◽  
Health And Human Rights ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
Police Practices

Abstract Background: Building on a broader sociological discourse around policing approaches towards vulnerable populations, increasing public health and human rights evidence points to policing practices as a key health determinant, particularly among street-based sex workers. Despite the importance of policing as a structural health determinant, few studies have sought to understand the factors that underlie and shape harmful policing practices towards sex workers. This study therefore aimed to explore the drivers for policing attitudes and practices towards street-based cisgender female sex workers.Methods: Drawing on ethnographic methods, 280 hours of observations with police patrol and 10 stakeholder interviews with senior police leadership in Baltimore City, USA were carried out to better understand the drivers for policing strategies towards cisgender female sex workers. Analysis was data- and theory-driven, drawing on the concepts of police culture and complementary criminological and sociological literature that aided exploration of the influence of the ecological and structural environment on policing practices.Results: Ecological factors at the structural (e.g., criminalization), organizational (e.g., violent crime control), community and individual level (e.g., stigmatizing attitudes) emerged as key to shaping individual police practices and attitudes towards cisgender female sex workers in this setting. Findings indicate senior police support for increased alignment with public health and human rights goals. However, the study highlights that interventions need to move beyond individual officer training and address the broader structural and organizational setting in which harmful police practices towards sex work operate. Conclusions: A more in-depth understanding of the circumstances that drive law enforcement approaches to street-based sex work is critical to the collaborative design of interventions with police in different settings. In considering public health-police partnerships to address the rights and health of sex worker populations in the U.S. and elsewhere, this study supports existing calls for decriminalization of sex work, supported by institutional and policy reforms, neighborhood-level dialogues that shift the cultural landscape around sex work within both the police and larger community, and innovative individual-level police trainings.

scholarly journals When Sex Work Becomes Your Everything

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 373-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela M. Bayer ◽  
Mijail Garvich ◽  
David A. Díaz ◽  
Hugo Sánchez ◽  
Patricia J. García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Neighborhoods ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Male Sex Workers ◽  
Transmitted Infection ◽  
Sti Prevention ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Need Support

In Peru, there are few studies on male sex workers (MSWs), and existing studies explore limited subgroups or offer limited information about MSWs’ perspectives. This study provides in-depth perspectives from 40 MSWs who work in downtown Lima ( Cercado) and in surrounding urban neighborhoods (non- Cercado) through interviews on their identities, lives, and HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) risks and vulnerabilities. Findings are that entry into sex work links economy and affection, particularly among Cercado MSWs. Continued sex work cements this link, making it difficult to exit sex work and establish goals. Ties between economics and affections influence MSWs’ perceived HIV/STI risks, vulnerabilities, and prevention practices. Although Cercado MSWs report higher HIV/STI risks and vulnerabilities than non- Cercado peers, they report fewer prevention practices given inability to buy condoms and acceptance of client offers of higher payment, especially clients they feel affection for. MSWs need support to strengthen their self-perceptions and define and pursue their goals in order to improve their HIV/STI prevention practices, health, and well-being.

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