By Chelsea Hood, Underserved Populations Policy Advocate & Training Assistant
Sex workers are a vulnerable group of individuals that experience sexual violence on the job, but it is difficult and limiting for workers to report their assault (Sex Workers Project, 2020). Sex workers are adults who receive money or goods in exchange for consensual sexual acts. According to research, globally, sex workers have a 45% to 75% chance of experiencing sexual violence on the job (Sex Workers Project, 2020). Women, men, and nonbinary people in the sex industry—including those in pornography, stripping, camming, escorting, and more—face disproportionate amounts of sexual assault and harassment internationally (Rodriguez-Cayro, 2018).
Migrant sex workers, women, especially transgender women of color, individuals who use drugs, and individuals with criminal records are especially vulnerable due to intersecting bias (Koster, 2017). Rates of sexual and physical violence against sex workers are lower in contexts where sex work is not criminalized (Koster, 2017). These horrific statistics demonstrate how violence is driven by perpetrators due to their realization of sex workers being dehumanized in society.
It is important to note that sex workers are reluctant to contact law enforcement for help due to additional concerns, such as stigma, fear of being arrested and having criminal charges filed against them, or further abuse. Fear of authorities is amplified when it comes to sex workers of color, migrant workers, and sex workers from the LGBTQIA+ community. As a result, they may face discrimination, language barriers, privacy concerns, and negative perceptions in social status (McBride et al, 2020).
It is vital for society to understand rigid societal attitudes that significantly impact how sex workers are viewed in the public. For example, various media platforms create narratives that sex workers should be blamed for experiencing sexual assault because their work is considered to be a “high risk lifestyle.” This may include internalized stereotypes, such as sex workers believing that their experience with sexual violence was deserved and it ‘comes with the territory.’ (Benoit et al. 2017). These negative beliefs generate barriers to accessing services from healthcare providers, the legal system, and victim advocates that can leave survivors with low self-esteem and feeling disempowered. Understanding these socialized stigmas of sex workers can help service providers improve accessibility to supportive services for survivors of sexual assault in the sex work industry.
Maryland survivors can contact the Sexual Assault Legal Institute to learn more about their legal options. Survivors can also locate their local Rape Crisis Center which offer confidential support services. Honoring Individual Power & Strength (HIPS) is a non-profit in Washington, D.C. that also offers support to sex workers by providing non-judgmental harm reduction services, advocacy, and community engagement led by those with lived experience. HIPS 24-hour hotline is available at 800-676-4477.
References:
Benoit et al. 2017. Prostitution Stigma and Its Effect on the Working Conditions, Personal Lives, and Health of Sex Workers. The Journal of Sex Research. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1393652
Koster, 2017. 17 Facts About Sexual Violence and Sex Work. HuffPost News. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/16-facts-about-sexual-ass_b_8711720
McBride et al. 2020. Underreporting of Violence to Police among Women Sex Workers in Canada: Amplified Inequities for Im/migrant and In-Call Workers Prior to and Following End-Demand Legislation. Health and Human Rights Journal. Retrieved from: https://www.hhrjournal.org/2020/12/underreporting-of-violence-to-police-among-women-sex-workers-in-canada-amplified-inequities-for-im-migrant-and-in-call-workers-prior-to-and-following-end-demand-legislation/
Rodriguez-Cayro, 2018. Sex Workers Can Be Sexually Assaulted Too, And We Need to Talk About It. Bustle. Retrieved from: https://www.bustle.com/p/sex-workers-can-be-sexually-assaulted-too-we-need-to-talk-about-it-7551815
Sex Workers Project, 2020. Sexual Violence Against Sex Workers. Retrieved from: https://swp.urbanjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/08/Fact-Sheet-Sexual-Violence-Against-Sex-Workers-1-1-1.pdf
