Abstract:
Back ground: A large number of female sex workers are engaged sex work before age of
18 years. Studies demonstrate that approximately 40% of female sex workers worldwide
have entered the sex trade before the age of 18. The main causes of early engaged to sex
work were social related factors and economic factors. However, no investigations have been
conducted on early engaged sex work. Therefore, the findings of this research have paramount
importance.
Objective: To assess early engagement to sex work and its associated factors among
commercial sex workers in Addis ketema sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2015.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 507 commercial
sex workers. Data was collected using face to face interviewed from March 16, 2015 to April 10,
2015. Simple random sampling techniques were there any stages in the sampling to select study
participants. Proportional allocation of establishment was done for selected Keble.
The collected data was entered using EPI INFO version 3.5.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Logistic regression model was fitted to determine prediction levels of independent variables to the
outcome variables and a variable having P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant on
multivariate model.
Results: A total of 490 respondents were participated with 96.7% response rate. From these,
255(48%) were engaged sex work before the age of 18 years.
Having children (AOR: 0.33, 95%CI: 0.22, 0.51), lack of jobs (AOR: 2.06, 95%CI: 1.36, 3.11),
illiteracy (AOR: 3.68, 95%CI: 1.78,7.54),primary education(AOR2.95,95%CI:1.54,5.65),
migration(AOR:0.53,95%CI:0.30,0.79)forced into sex against will(AOR:1.69,95%CI:1.O2,3.79),
having friends who had been engaged sex work (AOR:2.05,95%CI:1.32,3.16) were significantly
associated with early engagement to commercial sex work.
Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of early engagement into sex work was
48%.These findings highlight the need for interventions among younger girls, particularly those
living on the brothels and red light. Therefore, alternative income-generating strategies (e.g., microfinancing)
and migrant-oriented services (e.g., housing, employment) may help to delay or prevent
entry into sex work.
Key word: Sex work, early engage, Addis ketema, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
