Prevalence and structural correlates of gender based violence among a prospective cohort of female sex workers

Shannon, Kate; Kerr, Thomas; Strathdee, Steffanie A.; Shoveller, Jean; Montaner, Julio S. G.; Tyndall, Mark W.

doi:10.1136/bmj.b2939

Cited by 289 publications

(323 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(55 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

301

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…18,29,33,36,50,52,53 Women in this sample may encounter additional risks stemming from syringe confiscation in the realm of sexual transmission. Literature suggests that police officers often use drug and syringe possession and commercial sex activity to extort sexual services, 2,5,16,18,51,54 a paradigm clearly accentuated by our finding that syringe confiscation was independently associated with police sexual abuse. In this context, victims are no more likely to be able to control the circumstances or these sexual encounters than are the perpetrators likely to practice safe sex, leading to elevated risk of infection to both parties.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Syringe Confiscation as an HIV Risk Factor: The Public Health Implications of Arbitrary Policing in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Lozada²,

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Female sex workers who inject drugs (FSW-IDUs) face elevated risk for HIV/ STIs and constitute a key population for public health prevention. Through direct and indirect pathways including human rights violations, policing practices like syringe confiscation can compound FSW-IDU health risk and facilitate the spread of disease. We studied correlates of experiencing syringe confiscation among FSW-IDUs in northern Mexico, where formal policy allows for syringes to be available over the counter without a prescription, but police practices are often at odds with the law. FSWIDUs reporting recent syringe sharing and unprotected sex with clients in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez were administered surveys and HIV/STI testing. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of syringe confiscation. Among 624 respondent FSW-IDUs, prevalence of syringe confiscation in the last 6 months was 48 %. The following factors were positively associated with syringe confiscation: testing positive for HIV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.54, 95 % confidence interval [CI]=1.11-5.80), reporting sexual abuse by police (aOR=12.76, 95 % CI=6.58-24.72), engaging in groin injection (aOR=1.84, 95 % CI=1.15-2.93), injecting in public (aOR=1.64; 95 % CI=1.14-2.36), and obtaining syringes from pharmacies (aOR=1.54; 95 % CI=1.06-2.23). Higher education level was negatively associated with syringe confiscation (aOR= 0.92, 95 % CI=0.87-0.98) as was frequent injection with clients within the last month (aOR=0.64,). This analysis adds to the body of evidence linking unauthorized law enforcement actions targeting high-risk groups with HIV and other adverse health outcomes. Using a public health lens to conceptualize abuse as a structural risk factor, we advocate for multi-prong prevention, systematic monitoring, and evidence-based intervention response to deleterious police practices.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…Consumption of drugs and alcohol in the context of a transactional sex encounter is known to be associated with unprotected sex, violence, and disease acquisition. 18,54,55 To the extent that police abuse facilitates this practice, this may represent another pathway for compounding sexual and risk behavior and health risk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Syringe Confiscation as an HIV Risk Factor: The Public Health Implications of Arbitrary Policing in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Lozada²,

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A study on prevalence of gender violence against streetwalking female sex workers in Vancouver, Canada, found that 57% had suffered violence, correlated directly with macro-structural factors: lack of housing, criminalization of sex work, and difficult access to drug addiction treatment. The authors observed that these macro-structural factors led to individual risk practices, such as: serving clients in cars or public places; shifting to areas far removed from the main streets due to police harassment; and drug use, among others 14 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatores associados à violência contra mulheres profissionais do sexo de dez cidades brasileiras

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Resumo: No Brasil, há um limitado número de estudos sobre violência contra mulheres profissionais do sexo, tema que vem instigando pesquisadores em todo o mundo, estimulados principalmente por possíveis associações desta com o HIV. Este trabalho objetiva estimar a prevalência de violência contra mulheres profissionais do sexo, segundo natureza e perpetrador, e identificar os fatores associados. Foi realizado um estudo transversal com dados de 2.523 mulheres profissionais do sexo de dez cidades brasileiras, recrutadas pelo método respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Os resultados mostraram que a prevalência de violência verbal foi de 59,5%; violência física 38,1%; sexual 37,8%. Violência física por parceiro íntimo, 25,2%; por clientes, 11,7%. Dentre os fatores associados à violência física estão: idade < 30 anos (ORa = 2,27; IC95%: 1,56-3,29); uso de drogas (ORa = 2,02; IC95%: 1,54-2,65); valor do programa até R$ 29,00 (ORa = 1,51; IC95%: 1,07-2,13). Conclui-se que as mulheres profissionais do sexo brasileiras vivenciam uma carga desproporcional de violência. Identificar fatores de vulnerabilidade é fundamental para as intervenções que garantam direitos humanos e controle do HIV.

show abstract

“…People who sell sex, that is, persons who exchange sex for money or other goods, in general, are a key population that experiences criminalization, rights violations, and violence that elevate their HIV exposure [1,19]. The prevalence of selling sex among MSM varies across contexts, in part due to methodological challenges in sampling a marginalized, and often criminalized, population [1,2,4,12,20–23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social-ecological factors associated with selling sex among men who have sex with men in Jamaica: results from a cross-sectional tablet-based survey

Logie

Lacombe‐Duncan

Kenny

et al. 2018

Global Health Action

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Globally, men who have sex with men (MSM) experience social marginalization and criminalization that increase HIV vulnerability by constraining access to HIV prevention and care. People who sell sex also experience criminalization, rights violations, and violence, which elevate HIV exposure. MSM who sell sex may experience intersectional stigma and intensified social marginalization, yet have largely been overlooked in epidemiological and social HIV research. In Jamaica, where same sex practices and sex work are criminalized, scant research has investigated sex selling among MSM, including associations with HIV vulnerability. Objective: We aimed to examine social ecological factors associated with selling sex among MSM in Jamaica, including exchanging sex for money, shelter, food, transportation, or drugs/alcohol (past 12 months). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a peer-driven sample of MSM in Kingston, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate intrapersonal/individual, interpersonal/social, and structural factors associated with selling sex. Results: Among 556 MSM, one-third (n = 182; 32.7%) reported selling sex. In the final multivariable model, correlates of selling sex included: individual/intrapersonal (lower safer sex self-efficacy [AOR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.94]), interpersonal/social (concurrent partnerships [AOR: 5.52, 95% CI: 1.56, 19.53], a higher need for social support [AOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.12], lifetime forced sex [AOR: 2.74, 95% 1.65, 4.55]) and structural-level factors (sexual stigma [AOR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.15], food insecurity [AOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.41, 4.02], housing insecurity [AOR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.16, 3.26], no regular healthcare provider [AOR: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.60, 4.64]). Conclusions: This study highlights social ecological correlates of selling sex among MSM in Jamaica, in particular elevated stigma and economic insecurity. Findings suggest that MSM in Jamaica who sell sex experience intensified social and structural HIV vulnerabilities that should be addressed in multi-level interventions to promote health and human rights.

show abstract

Prevalence and structural correlates of gender based violence among a prospective cohort of female sex workers

Abstract: Objective To examine the prevalence and structural correlates of gender based violence against female sex workers in an environment of criminalised prostitution.

Cited by 289 publications

References 40 publications

Syringe Confiscation as an HIV Risk Factor: The Public Health Implications of Arbitrary Policing in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Syringe Confiscation as an HIV Risk Factor: The Public Health Implications of Arbitrary Policing in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Fatores associados à violência contra mulheres profissionais do sexo de dez cidades brasileiras

Social-ecological factors associated with selling sex among men who have sex with men in Jamaica: results from a cross-sectional tablet-based survey

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About