And she understands, because Jimena was once a migrant sex worker. Doctors of the World has been working in the Tapachula area of Southern Mexico for over 20 years, where many Honduran, El Salvadoran and Guatemalan migrants cross the dangerous border into Mexico. Many are fleeing the violence and instability of their home countries with hopes of making it to the United States. But most are intercepted along the way and sent back to detention centers in Tapachula to await deportation.
While Mexico boasts a number of public healthcare programs, it does not guarantee care to all. Migrants often wait months before being granted papers — if they receive them at all. Which means that, should something serious occur, neither they nor their families can go to a doctor, visit the hospital, or be taken to the emergency room.
In addition, public health officials often refuse to treat migrants or their family members, leaving them vulnerable to poor health and chronic medical conditions. Our team also works alongside former sex workers — women like Jimena.
DotW works alongside the peer educators advising them on how best to support, mobilize and represent their community. In Tapachula, a small Mexican town bordering Guatemala, a Doctors of the World volunteer named Jimena has created a support system for Central American migrant sex workers.
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