Vulnerability to sexual violence and participation in sex work among high-end entertainment centre workers in Hunan Province, China
Elizabeth A. Kelvin A B E , Xiaoming Sun C , Joanne E. Mantell B , Jianfang Zhou C , Jingshu Mao C and Yanhui Peng D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Public Health at Hunter College, City University of New York, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10035, USA.
B HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY 10032, USA.
C Nanjing College for Population Program Management, 10 Suo Jin Cun, Nanjing 210042, China.
D Changsha Tianxin District Population and Family Planning Commission, 298 Xiang Fu Zhong Lu, Changsha 410004, China.
E Corresponding author. Email: ekelvin@hunter.cuny.edu
Sexual Health 10(5) 391-399 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH13044
Submitted: 1 August 2012 Accepted: 15 May 2013 Published: 1 July 2013
Abstract
Background: China has seen a proliferation of entertainment centres that are frequented by business people. Employees at these centres often are young, female rural-to-urban migrants who may be vulnerable to sexual violence and exploitation. Methods: Data for this study were collected using a self-administered survey among male and female employees in two high-end entertainment centres in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. We used logistic regression to examine predictors of violent and potentially exploitative experiences (partner violence, forced sex and transactional sex). Predictors included gender, ever having a same-sex partner, migration variables and employment characteristics. Results: Participants reported high levels of partner violence (16.0% ever and 9.0% in the past 3 months) and forced sex (13.9% ever and 5.5% in the past 3 months). Nineteen percent reported sex work in the past 3 months. In the multivariate regressions, ever having had a same-sex partner was associated with higher odds of ever having experienced partner violence (odds ratio (OR) = 7.8, P < 0.001), partner violence in the past 3 months (OR = 9.0, P < 0.001), ever having had transactional sex (OR = 6.0, P < 0.001) and transactional sex in the past 3 months (OR = 5.2, P = 0.001). After adjusting for transactional sex, the association between having had a same-sex partner and partner violence remained significant. Neither gender nor migration status was associated with any of the outcomes. Conclusion: High-end entertainment centre workers in China are at risk for sexual violence and should be targeted with employment-based interventions.
Additional keywords: gender, men who have sex with men, migrants.
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