Transcript No Slide Title - University of Leeds

Socio-Psychological Implications of
Selling Sex: Findings from an
Ethnographic Study
Dr Teela Sanders
University of Leeds
Lecture in Sociology of Crime
& Chair of Genesis
[email protected]
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Building up knowledge
Ethnography of indoor and street sex
markets in Birmingham 1999-2002
‘Becoming an Ex: Pathways Out of
Prostitution’ - 2005
‘Paying for Pleasure: Men who buy sex’ 2005/6
Chair of Genesis outreach project, Leeds
UKNSWP 2000 +
Safety, Violence & Policing
Responded to Home Office Paying the
Price
Sex Work. A Risky Business
• Ethnographic study: observations of
markets, working practices, work venues
• 50 sex workers interviewed (45 off-street)
• 5 non sex workers interviewed
• Periphery of the industry - 300 workers
Main questions:
What are the risks involved in sex work?
What strategies are employed to manage
risks?
How are the markets internally regulated?
Who were the women?
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All British citizens, over 18, voluntary
Age range 18-52 years
Average working career 9 years
45/55 White British, 6 Asian, 4 African
Caribbean
41/55 had children
4/55 Class A drug use (indoor bias)
6 HE qualifications
2 studying for a degree
What do the sex markets look like?
• Escorts (agency or independent)
• Women who work from rented premises
• Larger brothels
• Saunas / massage parlours (some licensed)
• Indoor crack houses
• Street
• Swapping sex
Street more risky than indoors
• Street more violent - 90+ murders on
street
• Policing / criminalisation - tolerance
indoors
• Harassment from residents
• Coercion on the street
• Health risks managed better indoors
• Drug use less indoors
• More collective working indoors / rules
of engagement / management
Common findings amongst ALL women
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Screening clients
Protection strategies
‘Being discovered’ : Secrecy & Lies
Stigma & shame
Isolation
Negative emotions - guilt / disgust
Strategies of ‘emotional management’
How to stay sane
Screening clients
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‘Indicators of Trust’
Demeanour – expectations of behaviour
Ethnicity – house rules
Age – the older the safer
Re-identification as a Regular
Groups
Internet screening – compliance
Protection strategies: low levels of
violence indoors because of…...
• Precautions – general working rules (taking
money first, spatial organisation, sexual
positions, clothing) safety in numbers,
‘methodologies of control’
• Deterrents – calling their bluff, drivers,
doormen and receptionists, monitoring
systems, assertiveness
• Remedial Protection: doing violence,
display of bodily capital, weapon,
ambivalence of police
Secrecy: The Shame of ‘Being Discovered’
‘Working is like a double life that I lead: just
lies after lies and you have to remember what
you say and I hate lying’
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Sexual stigma & stereotypes
Shame – the need for secrecy
The ultimate risk
Preoccupation
Double life
Telling family & friends
Strategies to maintain secrecy
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Pseudonyms & Job aliases
Passing off - impression management
Geographical distance
Choosing a market
Isolation
Variations of the truth – closed subject,
half the story, honesty
Isolation: Consequence or Strategy
Consequence:
• disassociation
• social withdrawal
• cut off non-sex work
networks
• limit spread of
information
Strategy:
• decide only to
socialise with sex
workers
• networks become
narrow
• ‘Solidification’ &
‘Solidarity’
• difficult when trying
to leave
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Guilt & Disgust:
’it is that mixing of bodily fluids, that
skin to skin contact that is damaging’
Irrespective of who knows
Violating a principle - fidelity, loyalty,
honesty, openness, morally wrong
Physical contact with client’s body Repulsion as a reminder that this was
work.
‘right’ & ‘proper’ response which motivated
other emotional management strategies
How do women stay sane? Emotional
Management Strategies
• Hochchild’s emotion work and labour
• Strategies:
- avoiding personal relations
- the meaning of sex as work
- condom as psychological barrier
- rationalisation narratives
- body exclusion zones
- ‘manufactured identity’
Why Strategies Fail
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Strain of emotion work
Burden of separation techniques
Strategies become displaced
Weaken after time
Those who don’t adopt strategies
Substances misuse - ‘desire to manage
pain’
• Emotional management achievable only
under certain social, economic and work
conditions
Continuum of Risk / Hierarchy of Harm
• Manage health better - individual choice
• Violence - strategies against this
• Psychological effects - emotional
management strategies to prevent
distress
• ‘Being found out’ - for many this was the
most stressful risk that controlled
everyday practices / double life
Impact of Coordinated Prostitution
Strategy for street sex workers
• Anti social and offending behaviour
• ASBOs & Intervention orders compulsory rehabilitation
• Increased health risks
• Less engagement with outreach
• Increased policing =
• More dangerous practices & working
conditions