A study by the Juan Montalvo Center reveals that 30% of sex workers in the provinces of La Romana, Santo Domingo and the National District began working before they turned 18. <\/p>\n
According to the study, 73% of sex workers entered their line of work due to financial needs and lack of other job opportunities, while only 1% said they entered the field out of pleasure or curiosity.<\/p>\n
Of the 100 women who were interviewed as part of the study, aged 18 to 35, only half had achieved 6th grade education level. A total of 12% did not have a birth certificate and 26% did not have an ID card. They did have 1 to 3 children, and 73% were single mothers.<\/p>\n
The women told the researchers that 68% had been physically abused. Twenty-three per cent said they had been mistreated by clients, 25% by their parents and 51% by their former spouse.<\/p>\n
63% said they had been arrested by the police, even though there is no law against prostitution in the DR. A total of 48% said they were physically mistreated when in police custody, 38% say they were sexually abused, and 40% say they were robbed.<\/p>\n
A full 94% of the women said they would prefer to leave the profession for their children’s sake.<\/p>\n
www.centrojuanmontalvo.org.do\/spip\/spip.php?article626<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A study by the Juan Montalvo Center reveals that 30% of sex workers in the provinces of La Romana, Santo Domingo and the National District began working before they turned 18. According to the study, 73% of sex workers entered their line of work due to financial needs and lack of other job opportunities, while … <\/p>\n