After the violation : sex workers’ responses to unwanted incidents

Tools

Sanders, Teela and Smailes, Harriet and Brents, Barbara G. and Abel, Gillian and Scoular, Jane; Sanders, Teela and Scoular, Jane and Brents, Barbara G. and Balderston, Susie and Abel, Gillian, eds. (2025) After the violation : sex workers’ responses to unwanted incidents. In: Voicing Consent. Palgrave Macmillan Ltd., Cham, pp. 117-142. ISBN 9783031777158 (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-77715-8_5)

[thumbnail of Sanders-etal-PM-2025-After-the-violation-sex-workers-responses-to-unwanted-incidents]
Preview
 Text. Filename: Sanders-etal-PM-2025-After-the-violation-sex-workers-responses-to-unwanted-incidents.pdf
Final Published Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 logo
Download (307kB)| Preview

Abstract

In this chapter, we report on sex workers’ responses to incidents of unwanted contact—such as the removal of a condom, non-payment, or other client behaviours that crossed their boundaries. We examine the actions sex workers take during and after these violations, exploring their motivations and the influence of formal law, workplace rules, and social norms. We analyse the factors that lead sex workers to various responses and how their reactions differ based on the legal context and the sex market they operate in. Survey responses reveal that sex workers rarely seek statutory support services. We explore how their legal consciousness shapes their individual actions and intersects with workplace responses. This analysis highlights the dynamics between sex workers’ understanding of formal law, workplace policies and culture, and the informal norms.

ORCID iDs

Sanders, Teela, Smailes, Harriet, Brents, Barbara G., Abel, Gillian and Scoular, Jane ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6686-6494; Sanders, Teela, Scoular, Jane, Brents, Barbara G., Balderston, Susie and Abel, Gillian
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)