Table 2 Findings on socio-structural risk factors
Author Year Country | Socio-demographics | Factors promoting entry into bar work | Bar environment |
|---|---|---|---|
Nagot 2002 Burkina Faso [9] | Ages 16–34; 36% foreign; 54% illiterate | – | – |
Van Blerk 2007 Ethiopia [24] | Ages 14–19 | Poverty | Many FBWs in debt to bar owner |
Van Blerk 2008 Ethiopia [23] | Almost all migrated from other regions | Family financial need; escape from FGM & early marriage; disowned by family | Some clients give money without sex |
Van Blerk 2011 Ethiopia [25] | Most migrated from rural areas If in hometown, work in bars far from home | – | Current economic situation depends on type of bars they work in |
Sori 2012 Ethiopia [3] | Often migrated from rural areas; 32% currently married | Early marriage leading to divorce leading to poverty | |
Messersmith 2014 Ghana [6] | Mean age 25; 47% completed high school; 75% unmarried; 19% married/cohabiting 6% divorced | Poverty | Verbal and emotional abuse at bars common |
Kishindo 1995a Malawi [26] | Mean age 19; 5–8 years of education; 10% previously married, none now; 12% have children; 97% migrated from rural areas | Economic need for self or family; minority are looking for husband | FBWs are highly mobile and change between bars |
Kishindo 1995b Malawi [8] | Mean age 22; all have some formal education & are literate; almost all migrated from rural areas | To earn money (87%), incl. For school fees, to support family; to meet man with good job; unintended pregnancy | – |
Mhalu 1991 Tanzania [27] | – | – | – |
Mnyika 1995 Tanzania [28] | – | – | – |
Talle 1995 Tanzania [7] | Mean age 20; most finished primary school; all single or divorced; many had teen pregnancy | Economic need; independent lifestyle; escape from gender roles Typically poor but not the poorest prior to bar work | – |
Talle 1998 Tanzania [10] | Education rate higher than average; most have multi-ethnic background | Economic need; following friend/relative; freedom to make decisions; escape from rural life | 1 year post-interview, 90% had changed work place |
Mgalla 1997 Tanzania [29] | Mean age 25; 80% have 5 years of education; Half migrated to district; 50% single, 50% divorced; most have children | Economic need; boredom; family troubles; left school due to pregnancy, illness, poverty or forced marriage | Bar business models vary: some pay FBWs wages, others do not |
Riedner 2003 Tanzania [30] | Mean age 25; 54% attended secondary school; 21% living with partner, 44% widowed /divorced | – | – |
Akarro 2009 Tanzania [1] | Modal age 20–24; 73% attended primary school; 81% single, 17% separated; 70% have children | – | – |
Beckham 2013 Tanzania [31] | 60% aged 20–29, 40% aged 30–39; 77% primary schooling; 57% single, 33% divorced /separated, 10% widowed; 90% have children | – | – |
Ostermannn 2015 Tanzania [32] | – | – | – |
Gysels 2002 Uganda [2] | Mean age 30; Marriages: mean of 2, if over 35 mean of 3.5; median of 2 children | Poverty; family troubles; early, often forced, sex leading to pregnancy; easier than farm work | – |
Ntozi 2003 Uganda [33] | Age range 15–30 | – | – |