Parkman Suzanne, Stratton Erin C
University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine, USA.
Center for Academic Achievement, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
Scand J Caring Sci. 2025 Mar;39(1):e13316. doi: 10.1111/scs.13316.
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of female sex workers in the Kandapara Brothel in Tangail to build a better understanding of their lived perspective.
This qualitative study was based on the philosophical underpinnings of Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological philosophy.
A purposive, convenience sample of 24 participants (N = 24) was recruited in the brothel, sufficient for data saturation. The inclusion criteria included (a) must work in the brothel and (b) must be ≥ 18 years old. In-depth interviews were conducted, and transcript data were reduced, managed and coded.
The university institutional review board and ethics committee approved the study, and participants provided written informed consent.
A qualitative analysis of transcribed in-depth interviews revealed four major themes: (1) Early Trauma and Dysregulation, which reflects the trauma experienced by the women working in the brothel and being trafficked at a very early age; (2) Internal life describes the emotional experience and gratitude; the feelings of the sex workers in the brothel, (3) External life reflects the view of the greater Bangladeshi society of the sex workers and (4) The Brothel Life examines the relationships, competition, isolation, health concerns and workers' desire/uncertainty to leave the brothel. The four themes, while appearing separate, overlap with the other themes.
This phenomenological study illustrates the complexity of brothel workers' lived experiences. Understanding sex workers' lived experiences through a caring lens promotes care that allows for self-determination, reflection, growth, acceptance and, most of all, healing.
本研究旨在探索坦盖尔坎达帕拉妓院女性性工作者的生活经历，以更好地理解她们的生活视角。
本定性研究基于 Giorgi 描述性现象学哲学的哲学基础。
在妓院招募了 24 名参与者（N = 24）的目的性便利样本，足以实现数据饱和。纳入标准包括：（a）必须在妓院工作；（b）年龄必须≥18 岁。进行了深入访谈，并对转录数据进行了简化、管理和编码。
大学机构审查委员会和伦理委员会批准了该研究，参与者提供了书面知情同意书。
对转录的深入访谈进行定性分析，揭示了四个主要主题：（1）早期创伤与失调，反映了在妓院工作且早年被贩运的女性所经历的创伤；（2）内心生活描述了情感体验和感激之情；妓院中性工作者的感受，（3）外部生活反映了孟加拉国社会对性工作者的看法，以及（4）妓院生活审视了人际关系、竞争、孤立、健康问题以及工作者离开妓院的愿望/不确定性。这四个主题虽然看似相互独立，但与其他主题相互重叠。
这项现象学研究说明了妓院工作者生活经历的复杂性。通过关怀的视角理解性工作者的生活经历，能促进一种允许自我决定、反思、成长、接纳，最重要的是治愈的关怀。
