The lived experience of sex workers : a phenomenological study

D. Litt. et Phil.Sex work is a phenomenon that has been studied and debated with much fascination and controversy. It is influenced by many of the legal and social structures in society, often with little regard for the sex workers themselves. The aim of this study was to describe the lived experience of sex workers in the context of post-apartheid South Africa, using phenomenological methodology. The trans-historical and trans-cultural nature of sex work has led to the creation and application of several theoretical frameworks that attempt to explain and further understand the sex work phenomenon. These theoretical frameworks include Functionalist theory (Jarvinen, 1993; Wojcicki, 2003), Social Interactionist theory (Jarvinen, 1993) and Classification theory (Self & Burke, 2001), and the critical debate from the Feminist movement (O’Neill, 2001). Recently, more holistic theories have been used to study sex work including Systems theory and Family Systems theory (Dalla, 2006). Various other critical theories have also been applied to sex work (Carpenter, 2000; O’Neill, 2001; Weitzer, 2005). Along with theoretical frameworks, several significant themes have emerged in the literature that may contribute toward understanding and explaining women’s entry into, and decision to remain in, the sex work industry. These themes include victimisation in childhood (Dalla, 2006), physical and emotional abandonment by caregivers, poverty (Bucardo, Semple, Frage-Vellejo, Davila & Patterson 2004; Vanwesenbeek, 1994, 2001), substance abuse (Dalla, 2006; Vanwesenbeek, 1994) and attachment behaviour (Slater, 2007; Wilson, 2001). Other themes are significant in understanding women’s experiences of sex work including the practical, social and psychological motivation for male clients to seek out prostitutes. These themes also address issues of violence and victimisation (Anderson & Anderson, 2008; Grenz, 2005; O’Connell Davidson, 2003; Vanwesenbeek, 1994)