Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Plan International held a seminar in Hanoi on December 15 to share the results of a study on gender-based violence against prostitutes in the capital and experience in dealing with this issue.
According to the study, conducted by the Institute for Social Development Studies, Hanoi is currently home to around 3,000 prostitutes, mainly migrants from other localities with low educational standard.
Most of the prostitutes, aged from under 18 to 50, are victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual abuse.
They have yet to gain access to programmes supporting victims of gender-based violence as there are few interference programmes on violence dedicated to prostitutes.
Delegates to the seminar stressed the need to establish a mechanism and a hotline for prostitute to voice violence-related issues facing them, and provide them with knowledge about law, human rights, and violence prevention through training courses.
They suggested research agencies and non-Governmental organisations continue collecting evidence and documents for the building of interference programmes to protect prostitutes’ rights, while strengthening community-based organisations to improve their livelihoods.-VNA
