Kibone Winnie, Pebolo Pebalo Francis, Olum Ronald, Okot Jerom, Opee Jimmyy, Awor Silvia, Ouma Simple, Kakinda Michael, Madraa Grace, Bongomin Felix
School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
Department of Reproductive Health, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda.
BMJ Public Health. 2025 Jul 22;3(2):e001486. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001486. eCollection 2025.
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a public health concern disproportionately affecting female sex workers (FSWs) globally. We investigated the prevalence and factors associated with GBV against women engaged in sex work in Gulu City, Uganda.
In this community-based study, we included FSWs purposely selected from hotspots within Gulu City, Uganda, between February and April 2023. Data on participants' characteristics and history of GBV in the past 1 year prior to the interview were collected using a structured questionnaire. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with GBV.
Of the 314 participants, 222 (70.7%) reportedly experienced GBV in the past year, most frequently economic violence (66.9%, n=210), followed by verbal violence (41.4%, n=130), physical violence (27.7%, n=87) and sexual violence (27.4%, n=86). Factors associated with GBV were secondary education level (adjusted OR (AOR): 0.17, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.87, p=0.034), history of pregnancy (AOR: 3.41, 95% CI 1.05 to 11.04, p=0.041) and places of sex work at bars (AOR: 5.59, 95% CI 2.03 to 15.38, p=0.001), night clubs (AOR: 3.69, 95% CI 1.26 to 10.61, p=0.017) and client's place (AOR: 3.62, 95% CI 1.21 to 10.86, p=0.022).
GBV against FSWs in Gulu City, Uganda, is unacceptably high. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address violence in sex work in Uganda and similar settings worldwide through multisectoral targeted interventions and creating safer working environments by the Ministry of Health and other concerned entities.
基于性别的暴力（GBV）是一个公共卫生问题，在全球范围内对女性性工作者（FSW）的影响尤为严重。我们调查了乌干达古卢市从事性工作的女性遭受GBV的患病率及相关因素。
在这项基于社区的研究中，我们纳入了2023年2月至4月期间从乌干达古卢市的热点地区特意挑选出的女性性工作者。使用结构化问卷收集了参与者的特征数据以及访谈前过去1年的GBV史。进行了二元逻辑回归分析以确定与GBV相关的因素。
在314名参与者中，据报告有222人（70.7%）在过去一年中遭受过GBV，最常见的是经济暴力（66.9%，n = 210），其次是言语暴力（41.4%，n = 130）、身体暴力（27.7%，n = 87）和性暴力（27.4%，n = 86）。与GBV相关的因素包括中等教育水平（调整后的比值比（AOR）：0.17，95%置信区间0.03至0.87，p = 0.034）、怀孕史（AOR：3.41，95%置信区间1.05至11.04，p = 0.041）以及在酒吧（AOR：5.59，95%置信区间2.03至15.38，p = 0.001）、夜总会（AOR：3.69，95%置信区间1.26至10.61，p = 0.017）和客户场所（AOR：3.62，95%置信区间1.21至10.86，p = 0.022）进行性工作的场所。
在乌干达古卢市，针对女性性工作者的GBV发生率高得令人无法接受。因此，迫切需要通过多部门有针对性的干预措施，并由卫生部和其他相关实体营造更安全的工作环境，来解决乌干达及全球类似环境中性工作中的暴力问题。
