Sex Workers' Experiences of Screening for Intimate Partner Violence.
Jessica L Zemlak, Kamila A Alexander, Deborah Wilson and 3 others
PMID 38490264WHAT IT FOUND
Women who sell sex valued being asked about intimate partner violence, but said stigma, rushed questions, and lack of trust kept them from disclosing.
Only 8 of 22 recalled being screened.
Key findings
01Only 8 of 22 participants recalled being screened for IPV, and 4 were unsure.
02Participants valued dependable screening, and said it happened mainly with trusted providers and only after a relationship was formed.
03Participants feared being judged for sex work or substance use and described rushed, clinical screening as less likely to help them disclose.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used telephone interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have included women with more structural stability than women recruited on the street. Participants came from a longitudinal cohort and may differ from women who sell sex who do not join such studies. The sample was small and mostly White, so it may not represent all women who sell sex. Findings are self-reported perceptions and recollections of screening, not observed clinical encounters. Qualitative themes do not show that any screening method improves disclosure, safety, or health outcomes.
Declared interests
The supplied article text does not include a conflicts-of-interest statement. The publication types indicate non-U.S. government and NIH extramural support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that consistent, face-to-face, trauma-informed screening improves IPV disclosure or health outcomes. This study reports what 22 women said about past screening; it did not test a screening approach against usual care.