A descriptive profile of abused female sex workers in India.
This descriptive study presents the profiles of abused female sex workers (FSWs) in Chennai, India. Of 100 abused FSWs surveyed using a structured questionnaire, severe forms of violence by intimate partners were reported by most (98%) respondents. Of the total sample, 76% experienced violence by clients. Sexual coercion experiences of the FSWs included verbal threats (77%) and physical force (87%) by intimate partners and forced unwanted sexual acts (73%) by clients. While 39% of the women consumed alcohol before meeting a client, 26% reported that their drunkenness was a trigger for violence by clients. The findings suggest that there is an urgent need to integrate services, along with public-health interventions among FSWs to protect them from violence. Recognition of multiple identities of women in the contexts of intimate relationships versus sex work is vital in helping women to stay safe from adverse effects on health.
Panchanadeswaran
Subadra
S
Adelphi University School of Social Work, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, New York, NY 11530, USA. panchanadeswara@adelphi.edu
Johnson
Sethulakshmi C
SC
Sivaram
Sudha
S
Srikrishnan
A K
AK
Zelaya
Carla
C
Solomon
Suniti
S
Go
Vivian F
VF
Celentano
David
D
D018585:Battered Women / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003068:Coercion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011477:Sex Work; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*