Exploring the Experiences of Massage Parlor Sex Workers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2016-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This sludy was done with Ihe purpose of underslanding Ihe experience of massage parlor sex
workers who work in massage parlors of Addis Ababa. The participanls were Iwelve massage
parlor sex workers. For the successfid atlainmel7l of Ihe research, qualilative research melhod
was employed. Dala were organized, analyzed and presenled in six cluslers. In line wilh Ihese,
Ihe clusters were conlained, callses Ihat predisposed women 10 become sex workers, factors Ihat
allract Ihem 10 remain in sex ."ork, their common cuslomers, their allilude IowaI'd Iheir
cuslomers, the effecl of Iheir work on Ihe society and the imparlance of Ihe work group for Ihe
sex workers. Findings of Ihe sllldy showed Ihal 1I10st of Ihe respondenls face early sexual abuse,
firsl sexual inlercourse at Ihe age be/ow 18 years and had many sexual parlners al an early age.
The majorily oflhe research parliclpanls also disclosed Ihallhey remain working in Ihe parlor
due 10 Ihe reasons like best earning compared wilh olher eSlablishmenls, companionship and
helping olhers. The olher major finding is most of Iheir cuslomers are married men. In line wilh
Ihis, Ihe majority of Ihe workers believed Ihal Iheir sen'ices as benefiCial to Ihe inslilulion of
marriage. Towards Iheir allilude 10 cuslomers, Ihe majority of the respondents have positive
atlilude IowaI'd Iheir cUSlomers. Finally in line wilh the implicalions of Ihe finding, Ihe
researcher concluded thaI in Ihe near fillure employmenl in Ihis semi-brolhelsf/ourish in large
and medium cilies of the counfly. So as 10 conlrol ils expansion in breadlh and widlll, the
following recommendalion and policy implicalions are forwarded. Among olhers, Ihe concerned
government organ should clearly eSlablish a policy regarding Ihe requiremenls 10 open legal
massage parlors and systemalically discourage Ihe new opening requesls by increasing Ihe
licensing fee and by selling olher adminislralive sanClions. Wilh regard 10 Ihe exisling quasi
brolhels, since Ihey are Iypically exisl below Ihe Ihresholds of bOlh slale and public visibility,
Ihese premises are out of sigh I and oW ofmind and nOI only well escape laxalion bUI also discard
Ihe legal parlors thaI provide legal massage service. Therefore slricl follow lip and judiciCilY
sanclions as well as criminal measures should be followed. Finally, as a general
recommendation, among olhers, Ihe immediale praclical solulion 10 reduce Ihe impact of
prOSlilUlion on Ihe communily markedly, bOlh judiciclIY prohibilions and social work
inlervenlions should be practiced. This is because, if we practice jurisdiclion only, Ihe aclual
problem becomes increasingly a judicial problem, as more and more of Ihe problem is regulaled
Ihrough laws. Therefore social work inlerventions have also largely been devised 10 focus on
minilllizing harmful effecls as well as gelling wOlllenlecn'e "lhe life ".
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Keywords
Experiences of Massage Parlor Sex