Vulnerable women in the sex industry- the role of healthcare professionals
EDITOR- In relation to Shannon et al's alarming findings of high
prevalence of violence towards sex workers, it must be asked whether we as
health professionals are ready to respond to this. Not only are voluntary
sex workers victims of violence, but there is increasing awareness of the
huge numbers of women and children who are traffiked within the UK to
effectively work as sex slaves. These individuals are notoriously
difficult to recognise. While many are traffiked from abroad, others are
young vulnerable children, often from care homes, who are groomed by
'boyfriends' who then pimp them to others. G.P.s and GUM doctors as well
as gynaecologists will undoubtedly encounter some of these people with
requests for contraceptives/ T.O.P.
It is my view that health
professionals should therefore be encouraged to be vigilant for traffiked
women and children as well as victims of physical abuse. Medical students
should be educated to be aware of traffiking and abuse of sex workers as
part of their medical education. It may also be of use to introduce a
standard screening question about physical, emotional or sexual abuse
when taking a sexual history. Along with strategies implemented by police,
it is to be hoped that we as doctors can play a part in the fight against
the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women and children.
Rapid Response:
Vulnerable women in the sex industry- the role of healthcare professionals
EDITOR- In relation to Shannon et al's alarming findings of high
prevalence of violence towards sex workers, it must be asked whether we as
health professionals are ready to respond to this. Not only are voluntary
sex workers victims of violence, but there is increasing awareness of the
huge numbers of women and children who are traffiked within the UK to
effectively work as sex slaves. These individuals are notoriously
difficult to recognise. While many are traffiked from abroad, others are
young vulnerable children, often from care homes, who are groomed by
'boyfriends' who then pimp them to others. G.P.s and GUM doctors as well
as gynaecologists will undoubtedly encounter some of these people with
requests for contraceptives/ T.O.P.
It is my view that health
professionals should therefore be encouraged to be vigilant for traffiked
women and children as well as victims of physical abuse. Medical students
should be educated to be aware of traffiking and abuse of sex workers as
part of their medical education. It may also be of use to introduce a
standard screening question about physical, emotional or sexual abuse
when taking a sexual history. Along with strategies implemented by police,
it is to be hoped that we as doctors can play a part in the fight against
the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable women and children.
ref:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/news/human-trafficking
Competing interests: No competing interests