Stigma in the sex trades

Abstract

Recent sex worker-led activism urges the public to consider that those in the sex industry enter it by choice, circumstance, or coercion, but the federal definition of human trafficking is much more broad. Assuming that all prostitution is involuntary, abolitionists are pushing for increased police intervention, without understanding that those in the sex trades often report a lack of trust in the police because of violence they have experienced. This article presents a secondary analysis of mixed-method data I assisted in collecting with 304 adults trading sex. Many of the researchers on the team had prior experience in the sex trades. This article explores how the stigma around the sex industry is damaging an already at-risk population and how therapeutic services offered to sex workers often fall short of meeting their needs. The false dichotomy presented by implying that someone trading sex is either a criminal or a victim ignores the complexities of real life for those working in an illegal industry. Misconceptions and stigma surrounding sex work lead to increases in violence and subpar access to services. It is vital that therapists interacting with this community gain a better understanding of these intricacies to create environments without judgment.