Paper
Friday, 21 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Women and Family Issues & Strategies
A Methodological Framework that Captures the Risk Behaviours, Healthcare Needs and Lived Experience of Female Street-Based Prostitutes in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Pauline Hunter, PhD, MEd, BSc, NURSING, MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES, Boston, MA, USA
Learning Objective #1: discuss the meanings that prostitute women ascribe to their involvement in prostitution
Learning Objective #2: discuss the wider context of prostitutes’ lives and how this relates to their specific health, social and sexual needs
Overview:
This paper gives an overview of how a methodological framework was planned to paint an overall picture of the lived experience of being a female street-based prostitute in the red light district of Belfast.
Methodology:
Methodological Triangulation was introduced utilizing interpretive ethnography, hermeneutics phenomenology, influenced by the work of Gadamer (1975) and the use of questionnaires to confirm rigor of the study. The sample consisted of 30 women who had attended the drop-in centre in Belfast. Their age range was between 16-48 years with a mean age of 33 years.
Results
The study produced a number of common themes that emerged around (i) Childhood incidents; (2) Violence (3) Mental health issues; and (iv) Sexual and general health issues. A childhood history of physical, mental and sexual abuse, neglect, and lack of belonging resulted in running away from home or being placed in the care of social services agencies Their perceived self-concept was that of a worthless, powerless individual where nothing was ‘normal’ in ‘normal’ society. These women did not seek access to healthcare despite being raped and beaten due to their perception that healthcare providers were judgemental of their lifestyle. Their uptake of screening services was found to be absent with over 50% reporting they never had cervical cytology. Failure to address the physical, emotional and psychological needs of women in prostitution has made them unable to function independently, care for their children appropriately and function economically. In view of the high level of morbidity among this group of street prostitutes there are strong clinical, social and public health reasons for providing accessible, non-judgemental and compassionate care for this population

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