Services and information utilised by female sex workers for sexual and physical safety

To examine services utilised by female sex workers in Christchurch for sexual and physical safety.

Estimates were made of the sex worker population in Christchurch before conducting a cross-sectional survey.

303 women responded. Almost all went for sexual health check-ups. Most (251) had a general practitioner, but only about half disclosed they were sex workers. Of the 135 women who used their own general practitioner for sexual health checks, 62% disclosed they were sex workers. In general, the women relied upon informal networks for information and advice, but the peer organisation of New Zealand Prostitutes Collective was also important.

While general practitioners were used by the majority of sex workers, high levels of nondisclosure need to be understood and redressed. The preference of sex workers for informal, peer relationships should be considered in future health promotion efforts.