Here is an abstract and poster shown on Thursday in DC. Are there any other programmes for the children of sex workers in Myanmar?
[him] moderator
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THPE352 - Poster Exhibition
Vulnerabilities facing the children of female sex workers in Myanmar and Bangladesh: a qualitative study
I. Hodgson1, R. Lovich2
1Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Global Health, Dublin, Ireland, 2Save the Children USA, Westport, United States
Background: The children of female sex workers (SW) are potentially exposed to a range of threats to their psychosocial and physical well-being, including lack of access to education and health services, abuse, exploitation, discrimination and violence. The aims of this study were to explore further threats facing mothers working as SW, and their children. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were undertaken with 31 female SW and 29 children of SW, at locations in Myanmar (Yangon) and Bangladesh (Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet). Results: Data were analysed inductively, and revealed high levels of tension and anxiety in this context, with a number of key themes providing insights into the range of threats perceived by respondents. For SW, these included: fear of disclosure to their children; socio-economic challenges; dependence on others to care for their children whilst at work; threat of violence from clients affecting their capacity to care for their children; and the desire to ensure their children are safe, healthy and not sex workers. For children: they experience loneliness due to being apart from their mothers; value school and friendships, and fear factors that could jeopardise this; and experience stigma from other children and the community for their mother's profession. Conclusions: Sex workers' children are vulnerable to being peripheralised. In the context of HIV and sexual health, proximity to sex work and unstable social situations are significant threats. In addition, there is potential risk of premature sensitisation to sexuality, early sexual debut and (as described by mothers) sexual coercion. They are a 'hidden' population requiring targeted support ensuring that programmes protecting sex workers also include their children.
http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=16559
