Sex Work: The Misconceptions
Sex work is rife in Britain, with an estimated 80,000 female sex workers alone. Selling sex demands managing daily risks from violent pimps and clients. But how adequately are sex workers protected from such violence?
Whilst sex workers that operate indoors are likely to experience physical, emotional, and/or psychological violence, this likelihood doubles when moved to the street. In Sanders' (2004) study, it was uncovered that the majority of sex workers had been subjected to high levels of physical violence, including beatings, rape and kidnapping. This does not account for the extreme emotional abuse that pimps and clients inflict onto vulnerable sex workers.
So why do so many men endorse a world of abuse and exploitation?
Why is sex work glamorised with sexy connotations, ignoring the reality of a life of exploitation?
Legislation which seeks to criminalise clients appears to have failed in its attempt to eradicate exploitation. The Policing and Crime Act 2017 amended the Sexual Offences Act 2003, making it an offence to purchase sexual services if the sex worker has been exploited. Whilst this serves to reduce the demand for sex work, it creates uncertainty surrounding the purchase of sexual services if the client is unaware of exploitation. Bet it begs the question of whether the burden of conviction should be on the shoulders of the client?
Giobbe (1993) established that over 80% of sex workers have been involved with a violent pimp. However, the Home Office concluded that sex workers that are controlled by pimps are a minority in the industry and therefore are not a policing priority. Not only does this conflict with research but ignores exploitation of the vulnerable, creating a dangerous environment for sex work.
Lack of protection has forced sex workers to use geographical space as a means of safeguarding. For example, Sanders (2004) discovered that sex workers will operate in a pre-determined location, planning out an escape route and making sure that they are able to call for help. These locations will usually have CCTV which acts as a deterrent for the client. Other means of protective used include telling a fellow sex worker where they are going and taking note of the client’s car registrations which exacerbates their lack of trust in the police and the justice system does not seek to protect them.
To summarise, it has become apparent that the portrayed glamour of sex work is in fact misinformed. Sex workers are consistently subjected to various means of violence, exploiting the already-vulnerable. Will the Home Office recognise such victimisation? Or will sex work be pushed further underground?
