Understanding Sexual Violence in Sex Working Populations: Law, Legal Consciousness and Legal Practice in Four Countries

在全球范围内，性工作者面临的最重要的公共卫生问题是他们经历过高水平的暴力(Kinnell 2006,2008；Alexander，1999)，系统的审查估计，性暴力的水平“在15%-55%之间”(Deering，A.，等人，2014年)。性工作者的边缘化使她们很容易成为受害者，诉诸刑事司法系统的机会受到限制(大赦国际，2016年)。重复受害现象很常见，向警方报告犯罪情况严重不足(Ahrens，2006；Krusi，A.，等人)。2014年；彭福尔德，C.等人。2004年)。即使确实报告了病例，性工作者也经常遭受歧视(Kinnell 2008，Sullivan 2004；Shannon和Csete，2010)。这导致越来越多的基于证据的呼吁，要求将对性工作者的暴力行为作为国家和国际政策议程上的公共卫生和人权优先事项(大赦国际2016年，世卫组织2012年)。对研究和政策文献的详细研究表明，针对边缘化的性工作人口的暴力问题一直被“性工作政治”所主导，在关于什么整体法律模式将最好地促进安全的斗争中，暴力经常被口头使用(Pcher and Wijers，2014；Shannon等人，2004)。为了促进更具协作性的公共卫生对策，迫切需要进行研究，不仅记录性工作者的暴力经历，而且还记录性工作者遭受暴力的比较和同行主导的研究，以便更好地记录和应对对性工作人员的性暴力形成的背景因素以及最能促进受害者正义感的干预措施(Connelly等人，2018年，Platt等人，2018年)。在这项研究中，我们将探索性侵犯和强奸的法律界限是如何在实践中构建的(不仅仅是在抽象的辩论中)，并比较刑事司法程序如何在不同的司法管辖区和不同的背景下运作。该项目将是第一项国际比较研究，旨在检验性工作者遭受性暴力的背景因素，在新西兰、英国、北爱尔兰和美国内华达州启动一项研究方案。我们的目标有三个：1.理论：探索性工作者的经历和性暴力的普遍性，违反四种立法模式中的每一种法律规范和界限，并审查调查最少的影响，如“偷窃”(取下避孕套)。这将通过对性工作者进行的性暴力在线调查在四个研究地点实施，这将衡量流行率、经历、对法律的理解、与警察、法院和其他机构的经历、获得的支持和干预措施以及案件的结果。2.经验性：通过挖掘关于该制度在不同司法管辖区如何运作的新的经验性数据，考察立法模式对如何应对性暴力的影响，不同环境和自然减员、结果和定罪的影响，来增强性工作者对刑事司法制度的已知经验。这将通过刑事司法系统的性侵犯案例观察(每个国家5个，总共20个)来实施，并分析特征、肇事者、结果和定罪。以实践为基础：为了促进将审查在支持受害者方面起作用的最佳做法纳入与安全和健康有关的规定、政策和机构，由“凭经验的专家”领导。这将通过与从业人员、警察和刑事司法人员(每个国家30人)面谈来实施，以评估报告、路标、可用资源、治疗和刑事司法支助等问题。

Globally, the most important public health issue that sex workers face is their experience of high levels of violence (Kinnell 2006, 2008; Alexander, 1999) with a systematic review estimating levels of sexual violence 'between 15-55%' (Deering, A., et al, 2014). The marginalisation of sex workers leaves them vulnerable to victimisation and with restricted access to the criminal justice system (Amnesty International 2016). Repeat victimisation is common, as is significant under-reporting of crimes to the police (Ahrens 2006; Krusi, A., et al. 2014; Penfold, C., et al. 2004). Even when cases do get reported, sex workers often experience discrimination (Kinnell 2008, Sullivan 2004; Shannon and Csete, 2010). This has led to increased evidence-based calls to make violence against sex workers a public health and human rights priority on national and international policy agendas (Amnesty International 2016, WHO 2012). A detailed examination of the research and policy literature shows the issue of violence against marginalised sex working populations has been dominated by the 'politics of sex work', with violence often used rhetorically in battles over what overall legal model would best promote safety (Pitcher and Wijers 2014; Shannon et al 2004). In order to facilitate a more collaborative public health response, there is an urgent need for studies that document not only sex workers' experiences of violence, but also for comparative and peer-led research to better document and respond to the contextual factors shaping sexual violence against sex working populations and the interventions that best promote a sense of justice for victims (Connelly et al 2018, Platt et al 2018). In this research, we will explore how the legal boundaries of sexual assault and rape are constructed in practice (not just in abstract debates) and compare how criminal justice processes operate in different jurisdictions and in different contexts. This project will be the first international, comparative study to examine the contextual factors that shape sexual violence against sex workers, initiating a programme of research in New Zealand, the UK, Northern Ireland and Nevada, USA. Our aims are threefold:1. Theoretical: to explore sex workers' experiences and prevalence of sexual violence against the legal norms and boundaries in each of the four legislative models, also examining the least investigated inflictions such as 'stealthing' (removal of condom). This will be operationalised across the four study locations through online surveys of sex workers on sexual violence, which will measure prevalence, experiences, understandings of the law, experiences with the police, courts and other agencies, support received and interventions, and outcomes of cases. 2. Empirical: to enhance what is known about sex workers' experiences of the criminal justice system by excavating new empirical data on how the system operates in different jurisdictions, looking at the impact of legislative models on how sexual violence is responded to, the impact of different settings and attrition, outcome, and conviction. This will be operationalised through case observations (n=5 per country, total 20) of sexual assaults which have gone through the criminal justice system, with analysis for characteristics, perpetrator, outcome, and conviction.3. Practice-based: to facilitate the integration of best practice from review of what works regarding supporting victims into safety and health-related provision, policies and agencies, led by 'experts by experience'. This will be operationalised through interviews with practitioners, police, and criminal justice personnel (n=30 per country) to assess issues such as reporting, signposting, available resources, therapy, and criminal justice support.