SEX WORKER ENGAGEMENT PLAN:

Hi Alice, In my site we work with women at high risk for HIV infection (women who hanging around  bars, night clubs or guest houses trying to get sex customers) is a cohort of more than 500 women, we try not to call them sex workers since it is illegal in my country.   We started by sending some staff to their spots/ stations where they hang around while waiting for customers/clients, they give them an invitation memo/card for a meeting  somewhere in town to discuss some health related issues.  In the first meeting we were able to meet with six women who are sort of leaders in different waiting spots, we engaged them and discussed our project,  then we invited them at the clinic for information seminars and details of the study.  From there we were able to enroll the women in the cohort by using snow-bowling or respondent driven sampling, where these women/girls were bringing their work mates at the clinic.  Therefore i would advice you try getting few of them to conduct a focus discuss and take it from there. In our area they are organized and have leaders or heads of station, once you manage engaging the leaders and make them understand the study other things will follow smoothly.