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Culture, Health & Sexuality
An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care
Volume 25, 2023 - Issue 9
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Articles

Managing motherhood – the experiences of female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya

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Pages 1230-1243 | Received 20 Jun 2022, Accepted 28 Nov 2022, Published online: 15 Dec 2022
 

Abstract

Women selling sex often face challenges in raising their children in the context of significant socio-economic difficulties and the social stigma inherent in sex work. This paper is based on a cross-sectional qualitative study that explored the dual roles of motherhood and sex work among female sex workers enrolled for ongoing HIV prevention and treatment services in the Sex Workers Outreach Programme (SWOP) clinics in Nairobi, Kenya. We examined women’s experiences and coping in negotiating and managing the dual roles of motherhood and sex work. In-depth interviews were conducted with 39 women randomly selected from 1,000 women included in a baseline behavioural-biological survey conducted in October-November 2020 as part of the Maisha Fiti study. The analysis focused on themes related to motherhood and making a living: (i) entry into sex work; (ii) childcare arrangements; (iii) ensuring respectability for their children; and (iv) pursuit of safety and security. Findings from the study show women’s entry into sex work was necessitated by poverty and a lack of reliable sources of livelihood to support their children. While performing their motherhood roles, the women demonstrate agency in navigating through their stigmatised conflicted sex work role to be able to provide for their children.

Acknowledgements

We thank the women who participated in this study for sharing their experiences, the SWOP clinic team and the Maisha Fiti study peer champions for mobilisation support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The Kikuyu (also known as Agikuyu) are a Bantu speaking group native to Central Kenya.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this study was provided by the UK Medical Research Council and the UK Department of International Development (DFID) (MR/R023182/1) under the MRC/DFID Concordat agreement.

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