Who’s that SMARTgirl? Reaching Cambodian Female Entertainment and Sex Workers with HIV Prevention Services

Gender-based violence, psychological distress, sexual behaviours and binge drinking among female entertainment workers in Cambodia: a cross-sectional study

“…A prevalence of binge drinking of 83.4% has been reported in another study of Cambodian FEWs who were more heavily engaged in commercial sex (reporting two or more different sexual partners within the last month). 12 In our study, only 25.5% of participants reported having sex with one or more commercial sex partners in the past 3 months, which may explain the difference in the binge-drinking prevalence. Consistent with our findings, the prevalence of alcohol drinking among FSWs in other countries also appears high, ranging from 67.8% to 88.5%.…”

“…We found an overall prevalence of binge drinking in the past 3 months of 76.7% and 81.4% among FEWs working at karaoke bars. A prevalence of binge drinking of 83.4% has been reported in another study of Cambodian FEWs who were more heavily engaged in commercial sex (reporting two or more different sexual partners within the last month) 12. In our study, only 25.5% of participants reported having sex with one or more commercial sex partners in the past 3 months, which may explain the difference in the binge-drinking prevalence.…”

“… 6–11 In the baseline survey of the Cambodian Integrated HIV and Drug Use Prevention Intervention, 83.4% of FEWs aged ≥18 years with ≥2 sexual partners or transactional sex within the last month reported binge drinking, defined as having more than five alcoholic drinks on at least one occasion in the past 3 months. 12 Moreover, 23.7% of sex workers aged <29 years reported being drunk for >20 days in the last month. 13 A similar study found that 33.1% of FEWs had been forced to drink alcohol more than once a month.…”

“…Studies have reported high alcohol consumption rates among women working in the sex and entertainment industry across many countries 6–11. In the baseline survey of the Cambodian Integrated HIV and Drug Use Prevention Intervention, 83.4% of FEWs aged ≥18 years with ≥2 sexual partners or transactional sex within the last month reported binge drinking, defined as having more than five alcoholic drinks on at least one occasion in the past 3 months 12. Moreover, 23.7% of sex workers aged <29 years reported being drunk for >20 days in the last month 13.…”

Post-Gender-Based Violence Services Utilization Among Female Entertainment Workers in Cambodia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…There has been some progress in improving the occupation safety and health; however, challenges remain in implementing these regulations, including the limited number of labor inspectors to monitor the entertainment establishment throughout Cambodia (Hsu et al, 2016). A study found that 83.4% of Cambodian FEWs reported binge drinking, defined as having more than five alcoholic drinks on one day or night in the past 3 months (Lee et al, 2019). In a national survey, 53.0% of FEWs reported engaging in transactional sex, defined as having sexual intercourse in exchange for money or gifts in the past 12 months (Tuot et al, 2021).…”