Table 1.
Characteristics of female sex workers on both sides of the border (N = 232).
| Dominican N = 142 |
Haitian N = 90 |
Total N = 232 |
χ2/t | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and Abuse | ||||
| Physical violence by regular partner | 114 (80.28%) | 54 (60.00%) | 168 (72.41%) |
χ2= 11.34 p < 0.001 |
| Physical violence by client | 86 (60.56%) | 53 (58.89%) | 137 (59.91%) | χ2 = 0.06 p = 0.80 |
| Physical violence by coworker | 85 (59.86%) | 74 (82.22%) | 159 (68.53%) |
χ2 = 12.78 p < 0.001 |
| Socio-demographics | ||||
| Age (Mean/Standard Deviation) | 27.12 (2.77) | 28.81 (3.10) | 27.31 (2.85) |
t = –4.33 p < 0.001 |
| Education | ||||
| Primary school or less | 134 (94.37%) | 82 (91.11%) | 216 (93.10%) | χ2 = 0.91 |
| ≥ Some secondary school | 8 (5.63%) | 8 (8.89%) | 16 (6.90%) | p = 0.34 |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Paid by clients in drugs or alcohol | 35 (24.65%) | 12 (13.33%) | 47 (20.26%) |
χ2 = 4.37 p < 0.05 |
| Use of alcohol to facilitate sex work | 119 (83.80%) | 72 (80.00%) | 191 (82.33%) | χ2 = 0.55 p = 0.46 |
| History of Childhood Abuse | ||||
| Physical abuse | 95 (66.90%) | 37 (41.11%) | 132 (56.90%) |
χ2 = 14.48 p < 0.001 |
| Verbal abuse | 123 (86.62%) | 67 (74.44%) | 190 (81.90%) |
χ2 = 5.51 p < 0.05 |
| Sex Behavior | ||||
| Age of first engagement in sex with penetration | 14.01 (9.18) | 15.56 (3.76) | 14.36 (7.02) | t = –1.52 p = 0.13 |
| Age of first engagement in sex work | 15.76 (8.06) | 18.13 (3.40) | 16.39 (6.20) |
t = -2.65 p < 0.01 |
| Avoid arrest through sex | 89 (62.68%) | 44 (48.89%) | 133 (57.32%) |
χ2 = 4.28 p < 0.05 |