Hanging in or backing out; occupational hazards and coping strategies of commercial sex workers in Dome-St. John’s, Accra-Ghana

Nyarko Daniel Ofori

doi:10.5281/n02b7k52

Authors

Nyarko Daniel Ofori Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana

Clients, Commercial Sex Work, Coping Strategies, Hazards, Hanging-in

Abstract

Commercial sex work is one profession which is highly criminalized in Africa including Ghana. In spite of the criminalization of commercial sex work in Ghana, there exist pockets of commercial sex joints in Accra. The research objectives are; to ascertain the hazards of commercial sex work, to find out how commercial sex workers cope with the hazards of their profession and finally, to find out why commercial sex workers hang on to their work in spite of the hazards involved. The researcher conducted this study through qualitative research methodology by recruiting two commercial sex workers through personal acquaintances at Dome St. John’s in the Ga East Municipality of Accra. The data collection procedure was through in-depth interviews. The researcher found that occupational hazards of commercial sex workers include; sexually transmitted diseases, stress, cheating, abuse, robberies, violence, and unusual sexual demands amongst others. Through these hazards that commercial sex workers face in their daily work, they have resorted to coping strategies including; the use of condoms, in kind and in cash service to police officers and bouncers, working in and around bars, working in and around brothels and hotels owned by people connected to power such as ex-security officers and politicians amongst others. In spite of these hazards and coping strategies, commercial sex workers continually hang in on their work without backing out through the love for money, swearing of oaths and death threats from traffickers and bouncers, the sense of belonging to a networked group and engaging in legal work to solicit for clients. The researcher recommended sexual education and counselling to be given to commercial sex workers as well as protecting the human rights of commercial sex workers and amending the laws that criminalizes commercial sex work in Ghana.

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