Prevalence of Sexual Assault and Use of Emergency Contraceptives Among Female Commercial Sex Workers in Dodoma city, Central Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background Female Commercial Sex Workers (FCSW) are in a constant risk of being abused by their customers or community. With the increased rate of unwanted pregnancies signify the problem in preventive measures and emergency contraception. This study aimed on assessing prevalence of sexual assault and use of emergency contraceptives among female commercial sex workers in Dodoma city, Tanzania. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to 326 female commercial sex workers with a snow ball sampling technique in 10 administrative wards of Dodoma city where by selection of 10 wards from 41 total wards was performed systematically through excel. Results Majority of study respondents 58% were aged between 21 to 31 years. More than a half (51.8%) had experienced sexual assault and majority (64.4%) had never used emergency contraceptives. There was significant relationship between use of emergency contraceptives with variable like ever being pregnant (p = 0.002), ever used drug (p < 0.001), level of education (p = 0.009) and ever heard about emergency contraceptives (p < 0.001). After adjusting for the confounders, the determinants of emergency contraceptives use among female commercial sex workers were level of education; ordinary secondary education (AOR = 0.373 at 95% CI = 0.158–0.878, p = 0.024), College level of education (AOR = 0.131 at 95% CI = 0.036–0.469, p = 0.002), ever used drug (AOR = 0.197 at 95% CI = 0.197–0.608, p < 0.001) and ever heard about emergency contraceptives (AOR = 6.2 at 95% CI = 3.443–11.17,p < 0.001). Conclusion FCSW suffer a significant sexual assault which most of them are afraid to report these assaults basing on the nature of worker being illegal. Most of them heard about emergency contraceptives but few of them are consuming them in their protection against unwanted and unplanned pregnancy.