Commercial sex work and suicide attempts influence of family among the female commercial sex workers

Abstract

Objective: The study was initiated to explore the role of family in women taking up commercial sex work and also its influence on the suicide attempts among female commercial sex workers (CSW’s). Methodology: 300 Female CSWs who were referred to Victoria Hospital, a tertiary care centre in Bengaluru, India by an NGO were the sample for the study. Results:  The findings threw light on the fact that the choice of these women in taking up commercial sex activity had a very strong family background and that their suicide attempts also was influenced by the family which proved a strong genetic predisposition. Suicidal attempts which was seen among the family members who practised or are practising sex work was more compared to the group of commercial sex workers who have no family history of sex work.