Female Sex workers FSWs are a marginalized group. Although some studies have shown various types of violence against sex workers, it is a subject which needs more in-depth knowledge.
This is a conventional content study conducted on 18 street sex workers in Shiraz, Iran. The present study observed that sex workers had extensive experience in five forms of violence: physical, barbaric, psychological, sexual, deception and robbery.
Moreover, violence was deep-rooted in their previous experiences prior to becoming a prostitute, leading to the formation of yet another type of violence, called hidden slavery with male or female pimps. To improve the general health of this group, it is recommended that they be supported by social institutions and be provided with psychological consultations. Violence has several forms, one of which is violence against women. A growing number of studies have documented the high prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women worldwide.
There are various sociological theories about violence against women. The critical structuralism theories associated with the structures of the social system are the cause of violence against women. For example, a feminist theory sees intimate partner violence as an expression of gender-based domination of women by men. Pierre Bourdieu believes that symbolic power which is related to the structures of the society creates gender domination. For example, symbolic violence is here defined as the ideas and values of a ruling cultural class e.
Recently, the Iranian government has acknowledged FSW as one of the groups most vulnerable to HIV, who urgently need prevention and care services. Because this phenomena is illegal in Iran, there is no clear evidence about it. In addition, there is an ambiguous overlap between prostitution and other forms of sexual relationship such as temporary marriage which is legal but informal in the context of Iran, 21 white marriage 22 and bondswoman.
