Publication: Trapped in circle of threats: Violence against sex workers in Thailand
Issued Date
2009-03-01
Resource Type
ISSN
10964665
07399332
07399332
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-60849115872
Rights
Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Health Care for Women International. Vol.30, No.3 (2009), 249-269
Suggested Citation
Ameporn Ratinthorn, Afaf Meleis, Siriorn Sindhu Trapped in circle of threats: Violence against sex workers in Thailand. Health Care for Women International. Vol.30, No.3 (2009), 249-269. doi:10.1080/07399330902733281 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/27600
Research Projects
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Title
Trapped in circle of threats: Violence against sex workers in Thailand
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Abstract
Most researchers studying sex work have focused on the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, predominantly HIV, for sex workers, their clients, and subsequent partners. Violence against these women often goes undocumented and unnoticed. Consequently, few researchers have addressed violence against sex workers, and these few have generated limited evidence about the nature of violence from the sex-worker perspectiveespecially the street sex worker perspective. In this study, we used qualitative methods to explore characteristics of violence against street sex workers and how violence influences personal and societal health risks. The participants were 28 female street sex workers. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with 23 women, one focus group with 5 women, and observations of these women in their working and social environment. The results revealed that violence against sex workers can be clustered into three categories, threat to their life and health, threat to control of work and financial security, and finally, threat to humanity. Because they are disadvantaged, and engage in illegal employment, theses women were trapped in a circle of threats. To reduce violence, sex work should be decriminalized along with strategies to decrease poverty and social inequality. A special agency needs to be established to protect the rights and safety of sex workers.