Selvey Linda A, Lobo Roanna C, McCausland Kahlia L, Donovan Basil, Bates Julie, Hallett Jonathan
Division of Disease Prevention and Control, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
Front Public Health. 2018 Jun 13;6:171. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00171. eCollection 2018.
Asian sex workers are a significant part of the Australian sex industry. Criminal laws, racism, isolation, poor English language skills and stigma and discrimination combine to increase the vulnerability of Asian sex workers in Australia. To inform service delivery and potential legislative reform, we undertook a study of sex worker health and safety in Western Australia with a focus on Asian sex workers. This was a mixed methods study in which peer researchers played an essential role. We undertook a survey (available online and in paper form and translated into three languages other than English), semi-structured interviews with sex workers, and interviews with key advisors. In our study, Asian sex workers were older, had lower levels of education, more likely to have sex work as their main source of income, work longer hours and work exclusively in a shop-front massage parlor compared to their non-Asian counterparts. The vast majority of Asian sex workers in our study said they had poor English language skills and the greatest proportion spoke Chinese languages. Sex work had a positive impact on the well-being of many respondents, and their level of psychological distress was similar to the general Australian population. Stress and "bad clients" were common negative impacts of sex work. Asian study participants were less likely than their non-Asian counterparts to smoke, undertake risky drinking or use illicit drugs. A similar proportion of Asian sex workers reported being assaulted compared to their non-Asian counterparts. The major challenges facing Asian sex workers in WA seem to be stigma and discrimination, stress, social isolation, and confusion about their legal standing leading to a fear of authorities, particularly the police. Our findings support the need for enhanced targeted peer-based health promotion outreach services for Asian sex workers, increased Asian language services in sexual health clinics and decriminalization of sex work.
亚洲性工作者是澳大利亚性产业的重要组成部分。刑法、种族主义、孤立、较差的英语语言能力以及耻辱感和歧视等因素共同作用，增加了澳大利亚亚洲性工作者的脆弱性。为了为服务提供和潜在的立法改革提供参考依据，我们对西澳大利亚州性工作者的健康与安全进行了一项研究，重点关注亚洲性工作者。这是一项混合方法研究，同行研究人员在其中发挥了至关重要的作用。我们开展了一项调查（可在线获取且有纸质版，并翻译成除英语外的三种语言），对性工作者进行半结构化访谈，以及对关键顾问进行访谈。在我们的研究中，与非亚洲性工作者相比，亚洲性工作者年龄更大、受教育程度更低、更有可能将性工作作为主要收入来源、工作时间更长且仅在临街按摩院工作。在我们研究中的绝大多数亚洲性工作者表示他们英语语言能力较差，且说中文的比例最高。性工作对许多受访者的幸福感有积极影响，并且他们的心理困扰程度与澳大利亚普通人群相似。压力和“难缠的客户”是性工作常见的负面影响。与非亚洲研究参与者相比，亚洲研究参与者吸烟、进行危险饮酒或使用非法药物的可能性更小。报告遭受袭击的亚洲性工作者比例与非亚洲性工作者相似。西澳大利亚州亚洲性工作者面临的主要挑战似乎是耻辱感和歧视、压力、社会孤立以及对其法律地位的困惑导致对当局尤其是警方的恐惧。我们的研究结果支持有必要为亚洲性工作者加强针对性的基于同伴的健康促进外展服务、在性健康诊所增加亚洲语言服务以及将性工作合法化。
