Borders, Barriers, and Violence: Healthcare Challenges in (Migrant) Sex Work
摘要
Research on sex work in Malta is, to date, limited. In this chapter, the authors draw on two complementary qualitative research studies involving 46 participants with lived experiences of sex work to explore the barriers sex workers face in accessing healthcare and ancillary services in Malta. Using Levesque et al.’s (Int J Equity Health 12, 1: 18, 2013) “access to healthcare” framework, findings are presented paying particular attention to the testimonies of migrant sex workers and help-seeking following violence. The results discussed in this chapter highlight that many migrant sex workers face significant challenges in accessing sexual health services in Malta, including following experiences of violence. Hurdles such as strict residency and taxation requirements for HIV treatment, as well as the reliance on private healthcare due to delays in public health services, remain particularly problematic. Moreover, sex-work, gender and race-related biases among practitioners have a bearing on access to dignified care for all sex workers, especially in cases of sexual and other violence experienced during sex work. When gender intersects with precarious migrant status, violence may often remain hidden, as fear of repercussions deters migrant sex workers from seeking help or speaking out. The authors strongly emphasise the need to move beyond restrictive policy arrangements on sex work that negatively impact sex workers’ health. They further underscore the importance of targeted training for professionals on working with (migrant) sex workers, and call for research that can further investigate the role of peer education in access to health, aiming to build a stronger evidence base for targeted interventions.