Organizing the Exploitation of Vulnerable People: A Qualitative Assessment of Human Trafficking

Focusing on the organizing practices by which vulnerable individuals are exploited for their labor, we build a model that depicts how human traffickers systematically target impoverished girls and women and transform their autonomous objection into unquestioned compliance. Drawing from qualitative interviews with women forced into labor in the sex industry, human traffickers, brothel managers, and other sources (e.g., doctors, nongovernment organizations, and police officers fighting human trafficking), we inductively theorize that organizing of vulnerable individuals for human exploitation involves four interrelated practices—(1) deceptive recruiting of the vulnerable, (2) entrapping through isolation, (3) extinguishing alternatives by building barriers, and (4) converting the exploited into exploiters—that together erode and eventually eliminate workers’ autonomy. We conclude by discussing implications of our research for theory—specifically, the literature on human exploitation and loss of worker agency.

Clients Coming Out – Men speak out about purchasing sex in New Zealand’s decriminalised environment

<p>This thesis explores the client experience of purchasing sex in New Zealand in the context of decriminalisation. This research was conducted at a time when speculation over the impact of decriminalisation on the conduct of clients was at an all-time high. Despite vast speculation by critics, little to no research exists on client populations in New Zealand. This thesis addresses this knowledge gap and offers an initial insight into the experiences of clients in this context. The research that forms the basis of this thesis involved qualitative semi-structured interviews with 12 men and women who purchase sex in New Zealand, along with three key informants with broader contextual knowledge of clients. The clients interviewed constituted a diverse group, and in many ways, they challenged common stereotypes. For example, while all participants were motivated by sexual desire, half the sample placed more significance on their desire for human interaction. Hegemonic masculinity was also discussed as motivating their engagements with the sex industry. The interviews also revealed the impacts of purchasing sex on participants, which related more to their interactions with sex workers than the physical act of having sex. Lastly, the research explored participants’ interactions with sex workers under decriminalisation, finding that they emphasised clear communication, respect of sex worker’s boundaries, and a desire to purchase sex ethically. There are three key conclusions of this thesis. Firstly, that client stereotypes are inapplicable to the entire client population as the participants challenged many and provided support for the ‘every man perspective’. Second, that support exists for non-sexual client motivations, and following the impacts participants discussed, sex workers and their services can be considered therapeutic and supporting the well-being of participants. Lastly, that legal context does make a difference on the conduct within sex industries and under decriminalisation. The participants’ conduct was driven by an awareness for sex worker rights and working conditions, thus producing an informed, harm-reductionist approach to purchasing sex.</p>

Clients Coming Out – Men speak out about purchasing sex in New Zealand’s decriminalised environment

<p>This thesis explores the client experience of purchasing sex in New Zealand in the context of decriminalisation. This research was conducted at a time when speculation over the impact of decriminalisation on the conduct of clients was at an all-time high. Despite vast speculation by critics, little to no research exists on client populations in New Zealand. This thesis addresses this knowledge gap and offers an initial insight into the experiences of clients in this context. The research that forms the basis of this thesis involved qualitative semi-structured interviews with 12 men and women who purchase sex in New Zealand, along with three key informants with broader contextual knowledge of clients. The clients interviewed constituted a diverse group, and in many ways, they challenged common stereotypes. For example, while all participants were motivated by sexual desire, half the sample placed more significance on their desire for human interaction. Hegemonic masculinity was also discussed as motivating their engagements with the sex industry. The interviews also revealed the impacts of purchasing sex on participants, which related more to their interactions with sex workers than the physical act of having sex. Lastly, the research explored participants’ interactions with sex workers under decriminalisation, finding that they emphasised clear communication, respect of sex worker’s boundaries, and a desire to purchase sex ethically. There are three key conclusions of this thesis. Firstly, that client stereotypes are inapplicable to the entire client population as the participants challenged many and provided support for the ‘every man perspective’. Second, that support exists for non-sexual client motivations, and following the impacts participants discussed, sex workers and their services can be considered therapeutic and supporting the well-being of participants. Lastly, that legal context does make a difference on the conduct within sex industries and under decriminalisation. The participants’ conduct was driven by an awareness for sex worker rights and working conditions, thus producing an informed, harm-reductionist approach to purchasing sex.</p>

Trafficking, Client and Police Violence, Sexual Risk and Mental Health Among Women in the Sex Industry at the Thai-Myanmar Border

This study describes sex trafficking and associations with violence and health among female migrants in the sex industry in Mae Sot, Thailand. The mixed-methods study included a qualitative interview phase ( n = 10), followed by a cross-sectional survey phase ( n = 128). Entry via trafficking (force, fraud, or coercion [FFC], or as minors) was prevalent (76.6%), primarily FFC (73.4%). FFC was associated with inconsistent condom use, inability to refuse clients, poor health, and anxiety. Past-year violence was normative including client sexual violence (66.4%), client coercion for condom nonuse (> 95%), and police extortion (56%). Working conditions enabled violence irrespective of mode of entry. Profound unmet needs exist for safety and access to justice irrespective of trafficking history.

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

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’.

Selling sex in Luganville: Ni-Vanuatu sex workers' experiences of, and limits to claiming their sexual and reproductive health rights in Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

<p>This thesis is a foundational piece of research into ni-Vanuatu sex workers’ experiences within the sex industry of Luganville, on the northern island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. This research identifies and unpacks ni-Vanuatu sex workers’ limits to claiming their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), limits which are intricately associated with gender paradigms and hierarchies in Vanuatu. Those interviewed were male and female sex workers, an ex-sex worker, ‘middle men,’ who manage sexual transactions, a client and an ex-boyfriend of a local sex worker. Discussions focused on the technicalities of Luganville’s sex industry, as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the extent to which sex workers are able to exercise agency during interactions with clients. Thus, this thesis reveals both the intricate workings of the sex industry in Luganville, and the considerable extent to which sex workers are limited in making decisions about their wellbeing, leading to significant accounts of abuse. The theory of ‘body work’ informs this thesis’ analysis of how ni-Vanuatu sex workers’ bodies are understood as a constitution of their self. This analysis reveals the extent to which sex workers are divested of personhood, thereby limiting their ability to have their rights as persons realised. This thesis also draws on the complex process of, as the author conceptualises, gender and developman in Vanuatu; that is, the ways in which Vanuatu has mingled with, co-opted, and rejected introduced commodities, ways, and beliefs in particularly gendered ways. In this way, this thesis is not only unique in investigating the sex industry in Luganville. This thesis also provides a deep analysis of sex work as a part of gender and developman in Vanuatu, and what that process reveals about sex workers’ agency in particular, and modern configurations of gender in Vanuatu in general.</p>

Selling sex in Luganville: Ni-Vanuatu sex workers' experiences of, and limits to claiming their sexual and reproductive health rights in Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

<p>This thesis is a foundational piece of research into ni-Vanuatu sex workers’ experiences within the sex industry of Luganville, on the northern island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. This research identifies and unpacks ni-Vanuatu sex workers’ limits to claiming their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), limits which are intricately associated with gender paradigms and hierarchies in Vanuatu. Those interviewed were male and female sex workers, an ex-sex worker, ‘middle men,’ who manage sexual transactions, a client and an ex-boyfriend of a local sex worker. Discussions focused on the technicalities of Luganville’s sex industry, as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the extent to which sex workers are able to exercise agency during interactions with clients. Thus, this thesis reveals both the intricate workings of the sex industry in Luganville, and the considerable extent to which sex workers are limited in making decisions about their wellbeing, leading to significant accounts of abuse. The theory of ‘body work’ informs this thesis’ analysis of how ni-Vanuatu sex workers’ bodies are understood as a constitution of their self. This analysis reveals the extent to which sex workers are divested of personhood, thereby limiting their ability to have their rights as persons realised. This thesis also draws on the complex process of, as the author conceptualises, gender and developman in Vanuatu; that is, the ways in which Vanuatu has mingled with, co-opted, and rejected introduced commodities, ways, and beliefs in particularly gendered ways. In this way, this thesis is not only unique in investigating the sex industry in Luganville. This thesis also provides a deep analysis of sex work as a part of gender and developman in Vanuatu, and what that process reveals about sex workers’ agency in particular, and modern configurations of gender in Vanuatu in general.</p>

Modern-day slavery, human rights and the sex industry

This article explores the sex industry in Canada as modern-day slavery and an ongoing violation of basic human rights. Some argue that the sex industry is something that women or children choose to do as a legitimate profession, and others argue that they are exploited and manipulated by other people for indebtedness, for clothing, food, shelter or to support substance or alcohol addictions. How should the laws around sex trafficking and sexual exploitation be designed? The government could be in a position to legally ensure dignity and human rights protection for those engaged in selling sex. This paper highlights the perspectives of survivors of the sex industry as they describe heart-wrenching experiences that include torture, physical threats, psychological fear, and manipulation. As the public discourse grows around this ongoing scourge, momentum for change is also growing. There have been numerous efforts to address, disrupt, and end this social scourge. Our awareness of modern-day sex slavery atrocities seems to coincide with a greater sense of respect for fundamental human rights and a desire to protect them.

Managing Risks of Violence in Decriminalised Street-Based Sex Work: a Feminist (Sex Worker Rights) Perspective

<p>It is widely understood that street-based sex workers are vulnerable to experiencing violence in their work. The Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) was passed in New Zealand in 2003, decriminalising sex work with the intention of supporting the health, safety, and human rights of sex workers. This thesis explores strategies to manage risks of violence amongst women working on the streets in New Zealand, considering how the law change has impacted on the management of these risks, and whether further change is required to better support the safety of street-based sex workers. Drawing from the perspectives of women working on the streets, this thesis challenges portrayals of street-based sex workers as passive recipients of violence. The experiences and perceptions of these women highlight the diverse violence related risks they managed from a range of potential perpetrators, including passersby, individuals approaching as clients, other sex workers, and minders. The shift to decriminalisation has not eliminated violence. However, the findings suggest that the law change has provided a framework that better supports existing risk management strategies. For instance, in removing the possibility of arrest for soliciting, the PRA has provided an environment in which these women have sufficient time to screen potential clients on the street. Moreover, the perceptions of these women suggest that the law change has to some extent improved the relationship between police and street-based sex workers. Nevertheless, whilst decriminalisation has created anenvironment more conducive to sex worker safety, it is clear that challenges remain in addressing violence against sex workers. Since the sex industry does not operate in social and political isolation, moral discourses continue to stigmatise and threaten the wellbeing of street-based sex workers. The overall conclusion of this thesis is that whilst decriminalisation was an important first step, moving forward to proactively challenge violence against street-based sex workers requires a paradigm shift away from discourses that support violence, to a more positive acceptance of street-based sex work in New Zealand society.</p>