SurveyMETER, in association with Monash University and the Australian Research Council, carried out a study on the Savings Promotion Study for Sex Workers (PTPS) in February and March. This study was inspired by the observation that female sex workers often recoup their losses by participating in riskier but more rewarding sex transactions when they suffer an unplanned loss of income and have no savings.

Certain literature studies demonstrate that because of their challenging financial circumstances, female sex workers (FSW) engage in riskier sexual transactions; yet, they have never attempted to use a savings account to reduce this behavior. An increased risk of HIV/STDs among FSWs and their clientele is brought on by this type of behavior. Customers typically have families where HIV transmission may occur, increasing the likelihood of the virus spreading across the community.

Reports indicate that just 15% of low-income and uneducated women in Indonesia have official savings accounts; the percentage is substantially lower for FSWs (female sex workers). The persistent societal stigma and the challenges associated with accessing bank branches during specific hours are just two of the many contributing reasons.

Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of access to savings on risk behavior among female sex workers. Following the completion of this study, the sampled FSW will get special savings as part of an intervention, and an impact evaluation study will follow.

The selected research areas for this study were Batu City, Malang Regency, Pasuruan Regency, and Pasuruan City. Meanwhile, the three respondent groups for this research—the Female Sex Worker (S) respondent group, which has a target of 600 respondents; the Customer/Client (C) respondent group, which has a target of 300 respondents; and the General Public (G) respondent group, which has a target of 400 respondents—make up the respondents for this study.

Based on 14 hotspots for groups supported by the CSO Paramitra Foundation situated in these 4 districts, the enumeration areas for female sex worker respondents and consumers were distributed. In the meantime, random is employed to select the sampled subdistricts for the general population group. The sample villages will be obtained by repeating the randomization process after the sample subdistricts have been obtained. [JF]