Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study
The topic of occupational health and safety (OHS) has been investigated for many years and continues to be a concept often researched today. Generally speaking, OHS research has been centered around food safety, construction safety, transportation safety, fire safety, drug and alcohol testing, healt...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Sexes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/4/1/3 |
| _version_ | 1797608971237851136 |
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| author | Andrea A. Antwi Michael W. Ross Christine Markham |
| author_facet | Andrea A. Antwi Michael W. Ross Christine Markham |
| author_sort | Andrea A. Antwi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The topic of occupational health and safety (OHS) has been investigated for many years and continues to be a concept often researched today. Generally speaking, OHS research has been centered around food safety, construction safety, transportation safety, fire safety, drug and alcohol testing, health and medical management, and industrial hygiene, to name a few. However, the concept of OHS concerning female commercial sex workers (FCSWs) has rarely been investigated, often neglected, seldom discussed, and is lacking in sound research. Although regarded as the “oldest profession”, commercial sex work (CSW) has consistently been ignored, disregarded, and under-researched due to the illegality and stigmatization of prostitution. This paper reviews occupational safety and health issues faced by FCSWs in Tema and Accra, Ghana, through in-depth interviews, visits to women’s homes, fieldwork, informal conversations, and observations with FCSWs during the summer of May 2012–July 2012. Facets of OHS that emerged among FCSWs included: sexually transmissible infections, risks associated with harassment and violence from police and clients, alcohol and drug use, irregular hospital visits or lack of hospital visits, immigration issues, legal hazards, and working conditions. We argue that CSW be viewed as an occupation in great need of interventions to reduce workplace risks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:55:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3535dc6dc6c54f558a0baac02d3be089 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2411-5118 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:55:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sexes |
| spelling | doaj.art-3535dc6dc6c54f558a0baac02d3be0892023-11-17T13:50:45ZengMDPI AGSexes2411-51182023-01-0141263710.3390/sexes4010003Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative StudyAndrea A. Antwi0Michael W. Ross1Christine Markham2Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USAInstitute for Sexual and Gender Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USACenter for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USAThe topic of occupational health and safety (OHS) has been investigated for many years and continues to be a concept often researched today. Generally speaking, OHS research has been centered around food safety, construction safety, transportation safety, fire safety, drug and alcohol testing, health and medical management, and industrial hygiene, to name a few. However, the concept of OHS concerning female commercial sex workers (FCSWs) has rarely been investigated, often neglected, seldom discussed, and is lacking in sound research. Although regarded as the “oldest profession”, commercial sex work (CSW) has consistently been ignored, disregarded, and under-researched due to the illegality and stigmatization of prostitution. This paper reviews occupational safety and health issues faced by FCSWs in Tema and Accra, Ghana, through in-depth interviews, visits to women’s homes, fieldwork, informal conversations, and observations with FCSWs during the summer of May 2012–July 2012. Facets of OHS that emerged among FCSWs included: sexually transmissible infections, risks associated with harassment and violence from police and clients, alcohol and drug use, irregular hospital visits or lack of hospital visits, immigration issues, legal hazards, and working conditions. We argue that CSW be viewed as an occupation in great need of interventions to reduce workplace risks.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/4/1/3Ghanasex workoccupational healthsafetywomenrisk |
| spellingShingle | Andrea A. Antwi Michael W. Ross Christine Markham Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study Sexes Ghana sex work occupational health safety women risk |
| title | Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Occupational Health and Safety among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Ghana: A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | occupational health and safety among female commercial sex workers in ghana a qualitative study |
| topic | Ghana sex work occupational health safety women risk |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/4/1/3 |
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