TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex workers talk about sex work
T2 - Six contradictory characteristics of legalised sex work in Melbourne, Australia
AU - Begum, Sufia
AU - Hocking, Jane S.
AU - Groves, Jan
AU - Fairley, Christopher K.
AU - Keogh, Louise A
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - Despite research suggesting that legal sex work is safe and that emotional risks and social stigma are of greater concern than health risks, much research on sex work has focused on health risks. Given the legalisation of sex work in Victoria, Australia, it is timely to look beyond health. Three focus groups were conducted with a total of 14 female sex workers on their experience of legal sex work, both positive and negative, and the social acceptability of their profession. Thematic analysis was used to identify the key ways that sex workers described sex work. Women saw legal sex work as safer than illegal sex work, but still not socially acceptable. However, they also described six contradictory elements of sex work, which was seen as: financially rewarding and entrapping; empowering and demeaning; increasing some opportunities while reducing others; flexible and demanding; offering both intimacy and competition; and leading to a 'double life'. While legalisation has improved the safety of sex work, stigma and discrimination persist.
AB - Despite research suggesting that legal sex work is safe and that emotional risks and social stigma are of greater concern than health risks, much research on sex work has focused on health risks. Given the legalisation of sex work in Victoria, Australia, it is timely to look beyond health. Three focus groups were conducted with a total of 14 female sex workers on their experience of legal sex work, both positive and negative, and the social acceptability of their profession. Thematic analysis was used to identify the key ways that sex workers described sex work. Women saw legal sex work as safer than illegal sex work, but still not socially acceptable. However, they also described six contradictory elements of sex work, which was seen as: financially rewarding and entrapping; empowering and demeaning; increasing some opportunities while reducing others; flexible and demanding; offering both intimacy and competition; and leading to a 'double life'. While legalisation has improved the safety of sex work, stigma and discrimination persist.
KW - Australia
KW - job satisfaction
KW - sex work
KW - stigma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871107186&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13691058.2012.743187
DO - 10.1080/13691058.2012.743187
M3 - Article
C2 - 23173716
AN - SCOPUS:84871107186
VL - 15
SP - 85
EP - 100
JO - Culture, Health and Sexuality
JF - Culture, Health and Sexuality
SN - 1369-1058
IS - 1
ER -