Incarceration and exposure to internally displaced persons camps associated with reproductive rights abuses among sex workers in northern Uganda
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMJ
Abstract
While female sex workers
(FSWs) face a high burden of violence and
criminalisation, coupled with low access to safe,
non-coercive care, little is known about such
experiences among FSWs in conflict-affected
settings, particularly as they relate to sexual
and reproductive health (SRH) and rights. We
explored factors associated with lifetime
abortions among FSWs in northern Uganda; and
separately modelled the independent effect of
lifetime exposures to incarceration and living in
internally displaced persons (IDP) camps on
coerced and unsafe abortions.
Methods Analyses are based on a community-
based cross-sectional research project in Gulu
District, northern Uganda (2011–2012) with
The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) Gulu,
FSWs, and other community organisations.
We conducted questionnaires, sex worker/
community-led outreach to sex work venues,
and voluntary HIV testing by TASO.
Results Of 400 FSWs, 62 had ever accessed an
abortion. In a multivariable model, gendered
violence, both childhood mistreatment/or abuse
at home [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.96; 95%
confidence interval (95% CI) 0.99–3.90] and
workplace violence by clients (AOR 3.57; 95% CI
1.31–9.72) were linked to increased experiences
of abortion. Lifetime exposure to incarceration
retained an independent effect on increased
odds of coerced abortion (AOR 5.16; 95% CI
1.39–19.11), and living in IDP camps was
positively associated with unsafe abortion (AOR
4.71; 95% CI 1.42–15.61).
Discussion and conclusions These results
suggest a critical need for removal of legal and
social barriers to realising the SRH rights of all women, and ensuring safe, voluntary access to
reproductive choice for marginalised and
criminalised populations of FSWs.
Description
Keywords
Reproductive rights, Sex workers, Northern Uganda
Citation
Muzaaya, G., Birungi, J., Nguyen, P., Shannon, K., Akello, M., Goldenberg, S. M., & Erickson, M. (2017). Incarceration and exposure to internally displaced persons camps associated with reproductive rights abuses among sex workers in northern Uganda.