Vulnerability and involvement in drug use and ... - Sex Work Europe

Vulnerability and involvement in drug use and sex work
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Three-quarters (n=39; 71%) of current sex workers aged 24 or younger reported contact
with sex worker services in the last six months, compared with four-fifths (n=32; 80%) of
those aged 25 or older. This association was not statistically significant.
F rom the data shown in Table 6.2, it appears that the independent entre p reneurs are least likely
to access sex work services. Since these sex workers often work alone, they are unlikely to learn
h a rm reduction or good practice from colleagues. Information and support from altern a t i v e
s o u rces is there f o re likely to be particularly important to them. Workers in this sector tend to be
stable and pro-active. This suggests that these workers would be especially able to benefit fro m
peer education and support systems even with minimal encouragement and re s o u rc e s .
Table 6.2: Contact with sex worker services in the last six months by main sex work
sector (N=95)
Sex work sector In contact with a Not in contact with a
sex worker service sex worker service
% No. % No.
Outdoors 77 36 23 11
Independent drifter 90 9 10 1
Independent entrepreneur 40 6 60 9
Indoor associated 87 20 13 3
Reasons for contact
Participants gave many reasons for using services. The most common reasons for using drug
services were: for advice, support and/or counselling; to access needle exchange; to obtain
methadone prescriptions; and ‘to stop using’ drugs. The most common reasons for using
services for sex workers were: to obtain condoms; sexual health; general health; and for
information, advice and/or support. There was also a considerable degree of crossover in
the services used and participants’ reasons for using them. Nine participants reported using
d rug services to obtain condoms. Meanwhile, 10 participants re p o rted contacting a sex
work service for reasons more directly linked to problematic drug use.
Those not using services for drug users or sex workers
Twenty-seven participants re p o rted using neither a service for sex workers nor a service for dru g
users in the six months prior to interv i e w. Of these, 12 had stopped sex work. Three self-
d e c l a red ‘non-service users’ were re c ruited to the study v i a s e rvices specifically for sex workers