Dark skin, hourglass figure: The sexualisation of Black women in the Dutch sex industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 315-330
Author(s):  
Tarah Paul
Keyword(s):  
Black Women ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Racial Hierarchy ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Racial Performance ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract This article explores racial performance and the hypersexualisation of Black women in the Dutch sex industry. In the global sex trade, racialised women are constantly regarded as victims of sex trafficking without any agency, particularly migrant sex workers in European countries. While there is plenty of literature on how racial hierarchy affects Black women in the U.S. sex industry, such relevant research is lacking in Europe. In this explorative research, I deconstruct the images of Black women and set its narrative in the Netherlands. With semi-directive and in-depth interviews, I intend to highlight how Black sex workers perform images of Blackness and racial stereotypes when seducing male clients. My theoretical framework includes Patricia Hill Collins’s ‘controlling images’, Gloria Wekker’s ‘cultural archive’, Philomena Essed’s ‘everyday racism’, and Sunita Patel’s ‘racial performance’.

Sex Trafficking and Prostitution in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 653 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandré Gould
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
World Cup ◽  
The World ◽  
Depth Interviews

This article examines the complex arrangements within which women working in prostitution in South Africa find themselves, and documents their resilience in a hazardous work environment. Findings are drawn from a survey and in-depth interviews with sex workers in Cape Town that investigated the nature and extent of human trafficking in the sex industry, and from a separate survey of sex workers during the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. The findings provide the basis for a critique of Western rescue missions and the larger antitrafficking movement.

Migration, Agency, and the Sex Industry: Practitioners’ Perspectives on Foreign Sex Workers in Turkey

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
pp. 2954-2981
Author(s):  
Omur Kaya ◽  
Edna Erez
Keyword(s):  
Sex Workers ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Legal Reforms ◽  
Sex Market ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

The article presents the political, economic, and sociocultural factors that make Turkey an attractive destination for foreign sex workers, and reviews trends in official statistics of arrested traffickers, rescued victims, and deportation of migrant illegal sex workers. In-depth interviews of 20 law enforcement and nongovernmental organizations staff members, who in the course of their work come into close contact with foreign sex workers, shed light on the statistics. The interview data provide insights into the structure of the Turkish sex market, the factors that bring foreign women to work in this market, and the impact of legal reforms on the circumstances of foreign sex workers. The article concludes with the implications of the findings for public policy.

Structural Vulnerabilities, Personal Agency, and Caste: An Exploration of Child Sex Trafficking in Rural India

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-330
Author(s):  
Rochelle L. Dalla ◽  
Trupti Jhaveri Panchal ◽  
Sarah Erwin ◽  
Jessie Peter ◽  
Kaitlin Roselius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Personal Agency ◽  
Child Sex Trafficking ◽  
Vulnerability Theory ◽  
Depth Interviews

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is considered normative and expected among some Indian castes. Focusing on the Bedia specifically, we sought to identify factors responsible for the intergenerational continuation of CSEC as well as opportunities for prevention. To this end, three questions were posed, including: (a) What structural factors perpetuate CSEC among the Bedia? (b) What are the mechanisms by which Bedia children enter the commercial sex industry (CSI)? and (c) To what extent do Bedia women have personal agency in exiting the CSI and in keeping their children from entering? Guided by structural vulnerability theory and a phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 31 Bedia women engaged in (or exited from) the CSI. Results indicate that girls as young as 12 are “selected” to enter the CSI; once involved, they carry the burden of familial financial sustainability and exit only comes when they are no longer able to attract paying clients and younger female kin able to assume the primary breadwinner role. Ability to keep female children from entry is minimal. Implications for future research, practice, and policy are discussed.

A case for a health promotion framework: the psychosocial experiences of female, migrant sex workers in Ireland

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh-Ann Sweeney ◽  
Sharron FitzGerald
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Relational Model ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Republic Of Ireland ◽  
Psychosocial Experiences ◽  
The Republic

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the barriers preventing women in prostitution from accessing co-ordinated health services in the Republic of Ireland. By examining the experiences of migrant women engaged in prostitution, the research contributes to knowledge pertaining to the psychosocial experiences of female sex workers’ access to healthcare. Design/methodology/approach The study interviewed migrant women across Ireland, using a biographical narrative approach and an adapted voice-centred relational model of analysis to determine the necessity for a health promotion strategy for this demographic. Findings The findings indicate migrant women work primarily indoors, hold precarious legal status and are in Ireland due to processes of globalisation, migration and economic necessity. The women discussed their entry into prostitution and their experiences within prostitution in the context of their psychosocial experiences. Research limitations/implications While the findings are from a small qualitative sample confined to the Republic of Ireland, it is the first study to prioritise migrant sex workers’ psychosocial experiences in Ireland. Practical implications The research concludes education and service development that respects the various social determinants impacting women in prostitution is missing but remains necessary in Ireland. It finds a gendered reform of policies using an ecological framework for health that can address issues of poverty, migration and the global trends of the sex industry. Social implications This means a national review of current services in health, social work and community development fields is timely. Originality/value This paper gives insight into the lives of migrant women involved in the sex industry and can make an important contribution to future research directions and practice in Irish and European prostitution contexts.

scholarly journals “Same same, but different”

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 550-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrett D. Davis ◽  
Glenn Michael Miles ◽  
John H. Quinley III
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Physical Assault ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transgender Persons ◽  
Male To Female ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose This paper is a part of a series of papers seeking insight into a holistic perspective into the lives, experiences and vulnerabilities of male-to-female transgender persons (from here on referred to as “transgender persons”/“Ladyboys”) within the sex industry in Southeast Asia. “Ladyboy” in Thai context specifically refers to the cultural subgroup, rather than the person’s gender identity and is not seen as an offensive term. Among the minimal studies that have been conducted, the majority have focused on sexual health and the likelihood of contracting or spreading HIV/AIDS, while often ignoring the possibility of other vulnerabilities. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The study interviews 60 transgender persons working within red light areas of Bangkok. The final research instrument was a questionnaire of 11 sub-themes, containing both multiple choice and open-ended questions. Findings This study found that 81 percent of participants had entered the sex industry due to financial necessity. There was also a high vulnerability among transgender sex workers to physical and sexual violence. This includes nearly a quarter (24 percent) who cite being forced to have sex and 26 percent who cite physical assault within the last 12 months. Social implications These findings can aid the development of programs and social services that address the needs of ladyboys, looking beyond gender expression and social identity to meet needs and vulnerabilities that often go overlooked. Originality/value This survey provides deeper understanding of the vulnerability of transgender sex workers, including their trajectory into sex work and potential alternatives.

scholarly journals Violence and Victimization in Interactions Between Male Sex Workers and Male Clients in Mombasa, Kenya

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052092236
Author(s):  
Pablo K. Valente ◽  
Alberto Edeza, BS ◽  
Tsitsi B. Masvawure ◽  
Theo G. M. Sandfort ◽  
Peter B. Gichangi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Work ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Peer Networks ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Male Sex Workers ◽  
Male Clients ◽  
Sexual Exchange ◽  
Male Sex ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Sex Practices

Male sex workers (MSWs) and male clients (MCMs) who engage their services face increased vulnerability to violence in Kenya, where same-sex practices and sex work are criminalized. However, little is known about how violence might arise in negotiations between MSWs and MCMs. This study explored the types of victimization experienced by MSWs and MCMs, the contexts in which these experiences occurred, and the responses to violence among these groups. We conducted in-depth interviews with 25 MSWs and 11 MCMs recruited at bars and clubs identified by peer sex worker educators as “hotspots” for sex work in Mombasa, Kenya. Violence against MSWs frequently included physical or sexual assault and theft, whereas MCMs’ experiences of victimization usually involved theft, extortion, or other forms of economic violence. Explicitly negotiating the price for the sexual exchange before having sex helped avoid conflict and violence. For many participants, guesthouses that were tolerant of same-sex encounters were perceived as safer places for engaging in sex work. MSWs and MCMs rarely reported incidents of violence to the police due to fear of discrimination and arrests by law enforcement agents. Some MSWs fought back against violence enacted by clients or tapped into peer networks to obtain information about potentially violent clients as a strategy for averting conflicts and violence. Our study contributes to the limited literature examining the perspectives of MSWs and MCMs with respect to violence and victimization, showing that both groups are vulnerable to violence and in need of interventions to mitigate violence and protect their health. Future interventions should consider including existing peer networks of MSWs in efforts to prevent violence in the context of sex work. Moreover, decriminalizing same-sex practices and sex work in Kenya may inhibit violence against MSWs and MCMs and provide individuals with safer spaces for engaging in sex work.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Condom Use among Female Sex Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin McLachlan ◽  
Tinashe Dune
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Female Sex Workers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Female Sex ◽  
Male Clients

A systematic review of research published in English was conducted across seven electronic databases in public health, social and psychological sciences. The aim was to ascertain the factors that influence condom use among female sex workers in the commercial sex industry globally. The perspectives and experiences of 29,112 female sex workers (FSWs) and 1,792 male clients of FSWs with regards to condom use are represented across the 47 studies included in this review. Key themes comprised of Perceived self-efficacy, Relationship Types, Condom use and Attitudes, Violence and Abuse, Location and Support, Knowledge and Perceived Risk, Perception and Perspectives of Male Clients, Drug and Alcohol use, Criminalisation and Price and Payment. Female sex workers are defined as a high-risk population for HIV/AIDS. Condoms were used less frequently in situations where structural and cultural determinants heavily impacted the experiences and decisions of FSWs. Cultural contextual factors also heavily impacted on the perspectives and perceptions of male clients and their attitudes towards condom use. Criminalization and anti-sex work legislation in many of the countries where these studies were conducted meant that FSWs were a socially marginalised and ostracized population. Recommendations are explored for theory, practice and education and future research.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on online sex advertising and sex trafficking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Coxn ◽  
Vanessa Castro ◽  
Bridgette Carr ◽  
Glen Bredin ◽  
Seth Guikema
Keyword(s):  
Sex Workers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Online Advertising ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Commercial Sex ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Social Events ◽  
Inclusive Society

Disruptive social events like the Covid-19 pandemic can have significant impact on the commercial sex industry, yet these effects have been little understood. This paper examines the effect of the pandemic on one part of the commercial sex industry: sex trafficking. Our results from scraped sexual service advertisements show that the pandemic has had measurable impact on online advertising for sex trafficking in the United States, with a significant decrease associated with stay-at-home orders followed by an increase to levels well above prepandemic levels as Covid-related restrictions were relaxed. We contribute to the policy landscape by showing that the initial decrease was associated with a loss of demand for sexual services due to pandemic-related health concerns, but that a confluence of factors, including the lack of economic and social support, increased the number of people vulnerable to being exploited. This study can assist policy makers in predicting future changes in the sex industry to support a more just and inclusive society. In the context of future health crises, natural disasters, and major social disruptions it can guide policy makers in apportioning public aid in a way that does not leave vulnerable populations and existing sex workers powerless to being trafficked.

In a State of Limbo: Women, Sex Industry and Anti-trafficking Interventions in Assam

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sawmya Ray
Keyword(s):  
Special Reference ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Commercial Sex ◽  
Specific Concern

This article attempts to understand anti-trafficking interventions in Assam with special reference to sex trafficking. It critically analyses ideologies determining the functioning of anti-trafficking networks and its impact on combating sex trafficking. Of specific concern is to understand the ways in which policies of rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration are implemented and whether such implementation places at its centre the standpoint of the marginalised, that is, women in commercial sex—trafficked or otherwise. This article is based on data collected from rescued trafficked women, current sex workers, state and non-state anti-trafficking personnel, observation at shelter homes and case studies. It argues that anti-trafficking networks in Assam work within the neo-abolitionist approach resulting in the patronisation and infantilisation of women in commercial sex. Despite its effectiveness in certain aspects, it more often than not leaves these women in a state of limbo.

scholarly journals 'I've Never Been So Exploited': The consequences of FOSTA-SESTA in Aotearoa New Zealand

2020 ◽  
pp. 99-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Tichenor
Keyword(s):  
Sex Work ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Sex Trafficking ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Sex Industry ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Safety Risks ◽  
Health And Safety Risks

Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2003 decriminalisation of sex work has reduced the exploitation of sex workers, as well as the health and safety risks in the industry. Nevertheless, United States-driven criminalising policies still influence sex workers abroad. The Fight Online Sex Trafficking and Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Acts (FOSTA-SESTA) effectively criminalised websites where sex workers advertise. Shortly before that, the FBI shut down the internationally used Backpage.com, leading many sex workers in both countries to return to the streets or brothels. These events contributed to the rising dominance of one advertising website, NewZealandGirls.com. Drawing on twenty semi-structured interviews and four observation cases with sex workers in Auckland, in this paper, I explore the international consequences of FOSTA-SESTA and the closure of Backpage on my participants. I show that this punitive approach to segments of the online sex industry has not only placed sex workers in greater financial insecurity, but has reduced their ability to control their working conditions. These outcomes, I conclude, have undermined the positive impacts of decriminalisation, while exacerbating socioeconomic, racial, gender, and legal inequalities in Auckland’s sex industry.

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