The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68697

Caroline G. West, MA, MPAff¹, Katherine Gleason, AB¹, M. Patricia West, MSSW², and Amanda Keylor¹. (1) Research and Evaluation, Philadelphia Health Management Corporation, 260 S. Broad Street, 20th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-985-2528, caroline@phmc.org, (2) Public Health Consultant, 2134 Spring St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

Women with a history of commercial sex work are at increased risk for premature violence-associated death in Philadelphia. According to fatality review surveillance conducted by the Philadelphia Women’s Death Review Team (PWDRT) between 1997 and 2001, 124 women with a history of sex work died from violence-associated causes. This paper will 1) describe patterns and correlates of these deaths and 2) outline the efforts of PWDRT to mobilize targeted community action to prevent future premature, violent deaths of sex workers in Philadelphia. Data for this paper are from PWDRT, a collaboration of public and private agencies that screens the deaths of all women aged 15-60 years who die in Philadelphia, and subsequently reviews all deaths from homicide, suicide, adverse effect of drugs, HIV/AIDS, and long-term effects of drug/alcohol abuse. PWDRT has found that commercial sex workers (CSWs) are more likely to die from adverse effects of drugs, homicide, and HIV/AIDS than other women reviewed by PWDRT who have no CSW history. In addition, CSWs are almost three times more likely to have received substance abuse treatment at some point in their lives, and are more than four times more likely to have a criminal justice history. Notably, while 17% of all homicides of women in Philadelphia were to women with a history of sex work, they comprise 52% of all unsolved homicides in the city. Recognizing commercial sex work as a risk factor for violence and violence-associated death is an important step in understanding and preventing future violence against women.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the extent to which violence contributes to the deaths of women with a history of commercial sex work in Philadelphia.
• Describe risk factors associated with violent deaths of known sex workers.
• Understand how information about the violent deaths of sex workers can be used to form strategies to prevent future deaths.

Keywords: Sex Workers, Homicide

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.