Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Characterizing prevalence and determinants of violence and the relationship with structural risks for HIV can inform development and implementation of comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment programs. In total, participants completed a socio-behavioral questionnaire and HIV testing. Prevalence estimates of violence were calculated using crude and RDS adjusted estimates.
Relationships between structural risk factors and violence were analyzed using chi squared tests, and multivariable logistic regression. Police refusal of protection was associated with physical adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] Blackmail was associated with physical aOR: 2.
Physical violence was associated with fear aOR: 2. Violence is prevalent among FSW in Abidjan and associated with features of the work environment. These relationships highlight layers of rights violations affecting FSW, underscoring the need for structural interventions and policy reforms to improve work environments; and to address police harassment, stigma, and rights violations to reduce violence and improve access to HIV interventions.
The structural environment has been identified as an important contextual factor in relation to the health and human rights of female sex workers FSW. Social and economic features of the work environment of sex work are determinants for both HIV and violence among FSW. Sustained violence is a human rights violation and commonly observed in studies and programs of FSW. However, FSW have been shown to experience poor health outcomes associated with limited access to reproductive health and HIV services including limited contraception, high burden of unintended pregnancies, and low retention of HIV treatment.
These barriers reinforce the challenges of policy environments when trying to adequately serve the needs of FSW with evidence-based HIV prevention, treatment, and care services.
