Risk factors related to sexual exploitation for a cohort of female sex workers in Bogotá

This chapter explores structural, environmental, and individual factors associated with reporting sexual exploitation among a sample of female sex workers in Bogotá. It examines secondary survey data on paid sexual activity with 2,684 sex workers conducted in 2017. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test for associations with self-reported victimisation. Findings reveal that neither Venezuelan nor internal migrants were more at risk than locals in reporting sexual exploitation. The associations with payment per client, having graduated high school, having a post-secondary education, and working on the street were also not significant. Instead, reporting police harassment (AOR=5.70, p <0.001) and feeling stigmatised (AOR=2.15, p <0.001) yielded positive and significant associations. These findings challenge the conflation between migration, sex work, and sexual exploitation by demonstrating migration is not a risk factor to victimisation and that sex workers do not have the same risk of reporting exploitation. The chapter concludes that legislation in Colombia facilitates police harassment and stigma against sex work which are associated with an increase in the risk of sexual exploitation. There is therefore a need to improve relationships between sex workers in Bogotá with the community and police to reduce the risk of this group of becoming victims of sexual exploitation.