Adverse Childhood Experiences increase the lifetime experience of violence poly-victimization among female sex worker in Hai Phong, Vietnam

Violence against female sex workers (FSW) is understudied in Viet Nam. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with experiencing lifetime interpersonal violence by a pimp, intimate partner, or others, and poly-victimization among FSWs in Hai Phong, Viet Nam. A time-location sampling recruitment methodology was used to enroll 310 FSWs in Hai Phong city, north Viet Nam. Using an adapted version of the WHO-Multi-Country Study on Violence against Women Survey Instrument, four types of interpersonal violence were assessed (physical, sexual, economic, and emotional) for three perpetrator groups (intimate partner; client; and others including relatives, police, strangers, and FSWs) after age 18 years, ACEs before age 18 years were measured using the ACE-Q. The lifetime prevalence of poly-victimization violence across the three perpetrator groups was higher in the FSW who had ACEs than those who had no/fewer ACEs. The logistic regression analysis showed that any and 2+ ACEs have significantly adjusted associations with lifetime exposure to interpersonal violence, including poly-victimization, by different types of perpetrators. Furthur studies on this causal effect need to be implemented to prevent violence among FSWs.