Beyond The Sensationalised: The Essential Role of Sex Workers in Discourse, Research and Policy.

October 4, 2024

The Essential Role of Sex Workers in Discourse, Research and Policy.

Discourse about sex workers often overlooks the views of sex workers themselves. In fact, any conversation about rights in this sector continues to be an extremely polarising topic, with many feminists and politicians calling for criminalisation. This ignores the views of those with lived experience, who campaign and organise to improve conditions in the sex industry.

Discounting the voices of sex workers has additional impacts, which criminalisation generally reflects. There is a tendency to label sex workers as victims or criminals who need to be rescued, or to assume that sexual labour is always ‘survival sex.’ This contributes to stigma and fails to engage with labour rights frameworks constructively. This is why, as the Global Network of Sex Work Projects argue, sex workers must be recognised as experts of knowledge. Including their voices in public dialogue and research is an essential yet extremely neglected human rights issue.

Participatory Action Research

In December 2023, I attended the European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance conference on public health. ESWA shared a document with participants on ‘Gold Standards for Safe and Ethical Sex Work Research in Europe.’ This is a really critical call to arms on best practices, given that academic research often shapes public policy. Studies that exclude sex worker voices can lead to misguided and ineffective conclusions.

ESWA draws attention to the memorable sworker adage “nothing about us, without us.” Academics should always remember this phrase when engaging with the community. Participatory Action Research approaches are recommended as a suitable social justice framework rooted in community collaboration at every stage of the research process. This includes setting research agendas, designing research questions and influencing policies and outcomes based on the findings. This can help ensure that the questions asked, and the solutions proposed, truly reflect their needs.

Breaking Down Stigma

Stigma is a significant barrier that sex workers face, impacting their mental health, safety and overall well-being. By amplifying their voices, we can challenge societal perceptions. Open dialogue helps humanise sex workers and can help shift public sentiment. This has been evident at Sexquisite events, a London-based sex worker cabaret show which both platforms industry artists and educates the public on the contentious political context.

Attendees have expressed how Sexquisite has helped shift their perceptions about the rights and experiences of those working in the industry. Media representation also plays a crucial role here. By featuring stories of sex workers in various contexts—beyond sensationalised, negative portrayals —we can create a more nuanced view that advances support for decriminalisation.

Moving Towards a Better Future

Sex work is a complex and multifaceted issue. From legal frameworks to stigma, the landscape is troubled by morality discourses and political ineptitude. Those who navigate this space daily hold insights that can lead to meaningful change. The inclusion of sex worker voices in public conversations and research should be non-negotiable and he same goes for all marginalised communities. It’s time to recognise that those most affected by policies and practices should be at the forefront of the dialogue.

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All, Research

Harper

Thornhill Digital CEO &Founder