The language used around something or someone frames the way in which we understand it. Recently I was reading an online discussion around the term “survival sex work.” I found the discussion around the terminology of survival sex work brought up a lot of interesting and insightful reflections which highlights the diversity of the experience of people involved in sex work and the way in which those experiences are understood.
What is “survival sex work”?
The term refers to individuals who are engaging in sex work due to outside circumstances. In other words, survival sex workers are not engaging in sex work of their own volition but out of environmental factors & need that could be related to poverty, addictions or mental health concerns as example. There is a sense of vulnerability related to survival sex work because those involved may have an increase chance that they will take risks to obtain and maintain clients. As example, when faced with poverty the opportunity for a sex worker to negotiate safer sex is diminished –have sex without a condom or risk losing the date and not be able to pay rent. A sex worker who isn’t involved in survival sex work could say “no” to sex without a condom because he/she wouldn’t risk losing housing. Having said all that, it is important to be clear about the difference between survival sex work and sexual exploitation. A person may experience sexual exploitation if she or he is being forced into sex work without their consent and do not have control or choice over their work, earnings, services provided etc.
What is really interesting in this conversation is that it highlights the diversity of the experience of people involved in sex work
Why is the term “survival sex work” controversial?
There are always challenges that arsis when we begin to put a label on a group of people because it boxes the experiences of many into one, singular reality. Labels also stigmatize those who fall under them. The term survival sex work creates the image of a victim, helpless and not in control. The label of “survival sex worker”, then, can take away the power and the voice of those involved.
Some argue not to use the term survival sex worker. People who fall under this category state that those involved in the supposed “survival sex work” should not be named as “sex workers” as sex work is about the consensual exchange of sexual services for money or goods. Those that argue this point might assert that if outside circumstances are influencing the sex worker, it is no longer consensual and no longer sex work. Others argue that the term is loaded with stigma and infers that sex work is harmful and damaging, when in fact it is not the sex work that is harmful for survival sex workers but the circumstances. As well, some people maintain that the term is redundant as regardless of the motivating facts, survival sex work is still work and should be understood in the same way as sex work.
On the other side, some people reason that it is important to have the term survival sex worker to fully understand the unique experiences and vulnerabilities of survival sex workers so that those involved can be understood & supported. As well, sex work is often seen by the outside community as one blanket experience where all involved are vulnerable. The term can help people understand that survival sex work is one experience of many in the sex industry.
It is valuable to explore and reflect on the language used to describe those involved in sex work and how that shapes our understanding. Most importantly, it is our language that ultimately impacts people, people who have a diverse experiences and diverse needs. Whatever words are used, they should always reflect and represent the person.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Criminalization & Violence
Shift recently published a position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work. Decriminalization is an important issue for those involved in sex work because of the connection between criminalization & violence. Criminalization transforms behaviors and individuals into crimes and criminals. In the area of sex work, criminalization pushes sex workers to the margins of society, increasing their vulnerability to violence in their work.
The most commonly discussed consequence of criminalization is connected to Canada’s prostitution laws. With Canada’s current laws, sex workers can’t negotiate openly, form collectives, hire receptionists, drivers or bodyguards for screening or protection and are unable to exchange sexual services in a safe working environment. Decriminalization of sex work would eliminate those laws, ensuring sex workers would have the power to negotiate & screen clients, surround themselves with people to increase safety, and work in locations they feel are safer. Boundary restrictions can also be a result of being criminalized, which can prevent workers from entering into certain areas of their town or city. These locations may be where sex workers live, work or access services thus impeding workers from living out their daily lives, accessing support or addressing their needs.
Further marginalization occurs because sex workers may be hesitant to report bad dates to the police for fear of being criminalized, making their identity known to police or if they have warrants for their arrest. This means that many acts of violence against sex workers are unreported and unaddressed by the authorities, creating an environment where perpetrators target sex workers because of this vulnerability.
Criminalization also perpetrates stigma & discrimination by fostering the image of workers as being criminals, corrupt, and devious. The result is that sex workers can often be seen as not being credible and their concerns about violence are not taken seriously. Some have argued that if sex workers do not wish to experience violence, they should just leave the industry. This is also an example of discrimination as it puts the blame on sex workers and implies that there is no other way to prevent the violence.
Criminalization can be used as an argument in favour of increasing safety in sex work, stating that the laws prevents people from entering into or staying in the sex trade. Within this argument, those involved in sex work are portrayed as victims that are in need of laws to help ‘save” them. Laws that put sex workers in the position of victim take away their voices, their power to make decisions around their bodies and work and their right to self-determination. This means that the regulation of sex work is not in the hands of sex workers themselves who know how to increase their safety, but in the hands of other institutions.
Criminalization further marginalizes those involved in the sex industry because it causes challenges for sex workers to fully integrate into society. As example, workers may feel disconnected by not being able to share their experiences with family or friends. Workers may be less likely to access formal or informal support, such as counseling, when dealing with the consequences of violence. Additionally, if a sex worker wishes to move away from an unsafe situation, he or she may have a difficult time obtaining alternative work as a criminal record closes off options.
Criminalization of sex workers’ clients is also not beneficial for sex workers. Taking away a workers’ consumer base only increases the chances that workers will take more risks to obtain and maintain clients. As well, criminalization of clients may reduce the chances that a client, or date, would report if they suspect a worker is experiencing exploitation.
For more information, please see the AIDS Calgary’s position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work; http://www.shiftcalgary.org/Past_Events.html
For more information on Canada’s prostitution laws, please check out our legal card; http://www.shiftcalgary.org/uploads/Legal_Card.pdf
The most commonly discussed consequence of criminalization is connected to Canada’s prostitution laws. With Canada’s current laws, sex workers can’t negotiate openly, form collectives, hire receptionists, drivers or bodyguards for screening or protection and are unable to exchange sexual services in a safe working environment. Decriminalization of sex work would eliminate those laws, ensuring sex workers would have the power to negotiate & screen clients, surround themselves with people to increase safety, and work in locations they feel are safer. Boundary restrictions can also be a result of being criminalized, which can prevent workers from entering into certain areas of their town or city. These locations may be where sex workers live, work or access services thus impeding workers from living out their daily lives, accessing support or addressing their needs.
Further marginalization occurs because sex workers may be hesitant to report bad dates to the police for fear of being criminalized, making their identity known to police or if they have warrants for their arrest. This means that many acts of violence against sex workers are unreported and unaddressed by the authorities, creating an environment where perpetrators target sex workers because of this vulnerability.
Criminalization also perpetrates stigma & discrimination by fostering the image of workers as being criminals, corrupt, and devious. The result is that sex workers can often be seen as not being credible and their concerns about violence are not taken seriously. Some have argued that if sex workers do not wish to experience violence, they should just leave the industry. This is also an example of discrimination as it puts the blame on sex workers and implies that there is no other way to prevent the violence.
Criminalization can be used as an argument in favour of increasing safety in sex work, stating that the laws prevents people from entering into or staying in the sex trade. Within this argument, those involved in sex work are portrayed as victims that are in need of laws to help ‘save” them. Laws that put sex workers in the position of victim take away their voices, their power to make decisions around their bodies and work and their right to self-determination. This means that the regulation of sex work is not in the hands of sex workers themselves who know how to increase their safety, but in the hands of other institutions.
Criminalization further marginalizes those involved in the sex industry because it causes challenges for sex workers to fully integrate into society. As example, workers may feel disconnected by not being able to share their experiences with family or friends. Workers may be less likely to access formal or informal support, such as counseling, when dealing with the consequences of violence. Additionally, if a sex worker wishes to move away from an unsafe situation, he or she may have a difficult time obtaining alternative work as a criminal record closes off options.
Criminalization of sex workers’ clients is also not beneficial for sex workers. Taking away a workers’ consumer base only increases the chances that workers will take more risks to obtain and maintain clients. As well, criminalization of clients may reduce the chances that a client, or date, would report if they suspect a worker is experiencing exploitation.
For more information, please see the AIDS Calgary’s position statement in support of decriminalization of sex work; http://www.shiftcalgary.org/Past_Events.html
For more information on Canada’s prostitution laws, please check out our legal card; http://www.shiftcalgary.org/uploads/Legal_Card.pdf
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sex Workers are People Too
As a case manager for Shift, I have the opportunity to engage with one of the most misunderstood, judged, and largely ignored populations in our society: sex workers. They are the only group of people that I can think of who are stigmatized solely based on the way they earn a living. I am lucky to have first-hand knowledge of the diversity, resiliency, and strength in the people I see every day.
Note that I have referred to sex workers as PEOPLE. This is an identity that society should recognize before their occupation. Sex workers can be parents, siblings, colleagues, friends, and advocates, to name a few. When they meet me for counseling, they talk about “regular” issues like, conflict resolution, healthy sexuality, relationships, money management, and parenting.
Sex Workers are just as DIVERSE as people in other professions. They are men, women, and transgendered. I get the opportunity to work with adults of different ages, education levels and from different socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In addition they offer a diverse range of services like domination, erotic massage, and phone-sex. They have boundaries about what they will and will not do.
They have SKILLS and ABILITIES that are often overlooked. I have met sex workers who are web-page designers, artists, chefs, singers, psychologists, military personnel, musicians, healers, writers, and the list goes on. With that being said, sex workers are far from stupid, uneducated, and lazy. They work hard for their money. They do not need to be rescued, but respected. They know what they are doing and have a right to self-determination.
Sex workers are RESILIENT and STRONG. They often work in unsafe working conditions. They have been told messages by whole communities, their governments, and sometimes their own family and friends that they don’t belong, that there is something wrong with them, and that their rights aren’t as important simply because of the work that they do.
Either way we look at it, sex workers are just like everyone else, they just have a different way of earning money. Is it really our business to be judging that? If you saw a sex worker on the bus, or in your favourite restaurant, you wouldn’t even know it. And does it even really matter? As much as I am fortunate to work with sex workers, the fact that this job exists says a lot about how society makes it their business.
This post was written by the Shift case manager. If you are interested in finding out more of the services that Shift can offer through case management, please connect with Shift at (403) 237-8171 or info@shiftcalgary.org
Note that I have referred to sex workers as PEOPLE. This is an identity that society should recognize before their occupation. Sex workers can be parents, siblings, colleagues, friends, and advocates, to name a few. When they meet me for counseling, they talk about “regular” issues like, conflict resolution, healthy sexuality, relationships, money management, and parenting.
Sex Workers are just as DIVERSE as people in other professions. They are men, women, and transgendered. I get the opportunity to work with adults of different ages, education levels and from different socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In addition they offer a diverse range of services like domination, erotic massage, and phone-sex. They have boundaries about what they will and will not do.
They have SKILLS and ABILITIES that are often overlooked. I have met sex workers who are web-page designers, artists, chefs, singers, psychologists, military personnel, musicians, healers, writers, and the list goes on. With that being said, sex workers are far from stupid, uneducated, and lazy. They work hard for their money. They do not need to be rescued, but respected. They know what they are doing and have a right to self-determination.
Sex workers are RESILIENT and STRONG. They often work in unsafe working conditions. They have been told messages by whole communities, their governments, and sometimes their own family and friends that they don’t belong, that there is something wrong with them, and that their rights aren’t as important simply because of the work that they do.
Either way we look at it, sex workers are just like everyone else, they just have a different way of earning money. Is it really our business to be judging that? If you saw a sex worker on the bus, or in your favourite restaurant, you wouldn’t even know it. And does it even really matter? As much as I am fortunate to work with sex workers, the fact that this job exists says a lot about how society makes it their business.
This post was written by the Shift case manager. If you are interested in finding out more of the services that Shift can offer through case management, please connect with Shift at (403) 237-8171 or info@shiftcalgary.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)