title: Occupational health and safety among commercial sex workers.
abstract: The concept of occupational health and safety (OHS) for commercial sex workers has rarely been investigated,         perhaps because of the often informal nature of the workplace, the associated stigma, and the frequently illegal nature         of the activity. We reviewed the literature on health, occupational risks, and safety among commercial sex workers.         Cultural and local variations and commonalities were identified. Dimensions of OHS that emerged included legal and         policing risks, risks associated with particular business settings such as streets and brothels, violence from clients,         mental health risks and protective factors, alcohol and drug use, repetitive strain injuries, sexually transmissible         infections, risks associated with particular classes of clients, issues associated with male and transgender commercial         sex workers, and issues of risk reduction that in many cases are associated with lack of agency or control, stigma, and         legal barriers. We further discuss the impact and potential of OHS interventions for commercial sex workers. The OHS of         commercial sex workers covers a range of domains, some potentially modifiable by OHS programs and workplace safety         interventions targeted at this population. We argue that commercial sex work should be considered as an occupation         overdue for interventions to reduce workplace risks and enhance worker safety.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas, PO Box 20036, Houston, TX 77225, USA. Michael.W.Ross@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Beth R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Crisp
authors.forename: Sven-Axel
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Månsson
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hawkes
mesh_terms: D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054526:Men's Health; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011477:Sex Work / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014754:Violence; D016387:Women's Health