The Effect of Systemic Racism and Homophobia on Police Enforcement and Sexual and Emotional Violence among Sex Workers in East London

Findings from a Cohort Study

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12474151
AutoresLucy Platt (0000-0002-0943-0045, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, autor correspondente), Raven Bowen (0000-0003-2609-4124), Pippa Grenfell (0000-0003-0917-7980, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Rachel Stuart (0000-0002-7165-0073, Brunel University of London), M D Sarker (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Kathleen Hill (0000-0003-1593-4722, Coventry University), John Geoffrey Walker (0000-0002-9732-5738, University of Bristol), Josephine Walker, Xavier Javarez (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Carolyn Henham (0000-0002-7346-2172, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Sibongile Mtetwa (University of Leeds), Julian Hargreaves (0000-0002-3509-3572, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), James Hargreaves, Marie-Claude Boily (0000-0003-3919-006X, Imperial College London), Peter Vickerman (0000-0002-8291-5890, University of Bristol), Paz Hernandez (Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust), Jocelyn Elmes (0000-0003-2097-5465, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Ano2022
Volume99
Fascículo6
Páginas1127-1140
Data de publicação2022-10-12
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Urban Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1099-3460 • E-ISSN: 1468-2869
EditoraSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11524-022-00673-z
PMID36222972
OpenAlexW4304693884
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas12
Referências citadas41

There is extensive qualitative evidence of violence and enforcement impacting sex workers who are ethnically or racially minoritized, and gender or sexual minority sex workers, but there is little quantitative evidence. Baseline and follow-up data were collected among 288 sex workers of diverse genders (cis/transgender women and men and non-binary people) in London (2018-2019). Interviewer-administered and self-completed questionnaires included reports of rape, emotional violence, and (un)lawful police encounters. We used generalized estimating equation models (Stata vs 16.1) to measure associations between (i) ethnic/racial identity (Black, Asian, mixed or multiple vs White) and recent (6 months) or past police enforcement and (ii) ethnic/racial and sexual identity (lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) vs. heterosexual) with recent rape and emotional violence (there was insufficient data to examine the association with transgender/non-binary identities). Ethnically/racially minoritized sex workers (26.4%) reported more police encounters partly due to increased representation in street settings (51.4% vs 30.7% off-street, p = 0.002). After accounting for street setting, ethnically/racially minoritized sex workers had higher odds of recent arrest (adjusted odds ratio 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-5.8), past imprisonment (aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-5.0), police extortion (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.8), and rape (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 1.1-11.5). LGB-identifying sex workers (55.4%) were more vulnerable to rape (aOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1-5.2) and emotional violence. Sex workers identifying as ethnically/racially minoritized (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.5), LGB (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0), or who use drugs (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.8) were more likely to have experienced emotional violence than white-identifying, heterosexual or those who did not use drugs. Experience of any recent police enforcement was associated with increased odds of rape (aOR 3.6, 95% CI 1.3-8.4) and emotional violence (aOR 4.9, 95% CI 1.8-13.0). Findings show how police enforcement disproportionately targets ethnically/racially minoritized sex workers and contributes to increased risk of rape and emotional violence, which is elevated among sexual and ethnically/racially minoritized workers

Ethnic group · Lesbian · Sexual minority · Sexual orientation · Sociology · Transgender · Demography · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Medicine · Psychology · Sex work and related issues · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology · Social Psychology