Violence Against Trafficked and Nontrafficked Sex Workers in Poland

Authors: Jedrzejewski, Breanna; Fennie, Kristopher & Khoshnood, Kaveh

Abstract: The narratives of Polish sex workers were examined in this preliminary, exploratory, case narrative study to extend an understanding of their experiences and the factors that place them at risk for adverse health outcomes, including the acquisition and transmission of STDs and diminished well-being. A qualitative study was conducted using standardized open-ended chart abstraction of 32 trafficked or nontrafficked Polish female sex workers who received services through an NGO in Poland that rehabilitates abused women and children. Narratives strongly express history of violence. Many women experienced financial pressure to increase sexual risk, substance use, and poor mental health. While the experiences and demographics of trafficked and nontrafficked workers overlap in many aspects, the results of this study suggest that trafficked women experience increased commercial sex violence and depression. Half of the trafficked women in the study worked as prostitutes prior to trafficking, suggesting commercial sex work to be a risk factor for trafficking.

Keywords: Eastern Europe, risk factors, sex workers, STDs, trafficking, violence