DOCSLIB.ORG

SEX WORKERS : PART of the SOLUTION Cheryl Overs. 2002

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
SEX WORKERS : PART of the SOLUTION Cheryl Overs. 2002 SEX WORKERS : PART OF THE SOLUTION An analysis of HIV prevention programming to prevent HIV transmission during commercial sex in developing countries Cheryl Overs. 2002 CONTENTS Definitions 3 Summary 4 Commercial Sex and HIV 5 HIV epidemics The role of sex work Research gaps Rates of infection – women sex workers Rates of infection – men and transgendered sex workers Rates of infection – clients A Paradigm Shift 9 A new conceptual universe Strategies 11 Individual / cognitive interventions Participation and empowerment Enabling environment Operationalising Issues arising Impact on the community Challenges 23 Gender Migration and mobility Drug use Other factors Linking prevention and care Informal commercial sex Replication and Expansion 34 Participatory Site Assessment Participatory Research and Action Priorities and Policies 36 Working with governments Networking and participation Footnotes 38 Bibliography 40 1 DEFINITIONS Commercial sex is the exchange of money or goods for sexual services. It always involves a sex worker and a client and it frequently also involves a third party. Sex work is the provision of sexual services for money or goods. Sex workers are women, men and transgendered people who receive money or goods in exchange for sexual services, and who consciously define those activities as income generating even if they do not consider sex work as their occupation. The words “women”, “men” and “people” in this document include sexually active adolescents. Children who have not reached the age of puberty may also engage in sex work but they are not the focus of this document. Clients are people (usually men) who pay with cash or other resources for sexual services either explicitly or within an agreed package that includes other services such as entertainment or domestic service. Transgender describes people with a range of identities and behaviours, including both transvestism and transsexualism. Transgender identities, behaviours, legal status and physical states vary in different cultures and places. For the purposes of discussion of public health issues, transgender is a general term for people whose self–identity crosses gender. Third parties are people who play ancillary roles in commercial sex. These include arranging meetings between sex workers and clients and/or providing resources and services. These roles vary from place to place and in terms of influence and power over commercial sex and sex workers. The commercial sex industry is the combined phenomenon of individuals, establishments, customs and messages – explicit and implicit, desired and undesired – involved in commercial sex. 2 SUMMARY It has become increasingly clear that in many places the role of commercial sex is significant in sustaining and expanding HIV epidemics, albeit in different ways and at different rates. Knowledge and experience about how to work with sex workers on health issues remains incomplete and controversial. However, by bringing together epidemiological data, operations and behavioural research, project reports and, most importantly, information from communities themselves, practical strategies, guiding principles and measures of success can be identified. A degree of consensus has emerged among frontline projects and key agencies, including many governments, about which combination of policies and programmes reduce HIV transmission during commercial sex. This paper reviews these ideas and principles and presents examples of how they work in practice. It identifies processes for adapting, combining and implementing strategies to maximise their impact on epidemics locally and nationally and raises a series of challenges and questions for implementing agencies and policy makers. 3 COMMERCIAL It has long been recognised that unprotected commercial sex is SEX AND HIV has a significant role in many HIV epidemics. There is also considerable evidence that HIV transmission can be dramatically reduced during commercial sex and such a reduction makes a significant impact on the broader dynamics of the epidemic. However, gaps in our knowledge regarding the exact nature of transmission during commercial sex, stigmatisation of sex workers, and a failure to identify and work closely with large numbers of clients, have prevented many communities from developing effective prevention campaigns for sex workers and their clients. HIV epidemics The World Bank classifies HIV epidemics as ‘nascent’ where infection rates are below 5% in all known risk groups, including sex workers, ‘concentrated’ where rates are above 5% in high risk groups but below 5% in the sentinel populations such as urban antenatal clinics, and ‘generalised’ where rates of more than 5% are found among antenatal clinics attendees. 1 Nearly half of the 4.8 billion people in developing countries live in areas where HIV infection is not yet widespread, even among people most likely to be exposed to the virus. An effective response in these countries would contain the epidemic within the nascent or concentrated stages and spare billions of people the ravages of the epidemic.2 That response must include appropriate interventions for sex workers and their clients. The role of sex work Preventing transmission among those with high rates of partner change is desirable and cost effective because it prevents more secondary cases per primary case averted than interventions directed at those who practise low risk sex. This applies not only to sex workers, but also to men who acquire HIV during unprotected commercial sex and transmit it during non–commercial sexual networking frequently enough to form a significant “epidemiological bridge” to a broader population. Where epidemics are already generalised, sex workers are usually more affected than others. Care and treatment that integrates effective prevention activities and protects HIV positive sex workers from discrimination has an important role in reducing the epidemic in the longer term and for future generations. This means that whatever the state of the epidemic, expanding efforts to prevent HIV transmission during commercial sex should be a high priority. Even in industrialised countries with small epidemics and universal access to health care, maintaining awareness around HIV in the sex industry is still necessary. In such settings, sexual health can and should be integrated into the routine business of occupational health and safety. 4 Research gaps Academics and programme implementers frequently criticise the quality of behavioural and social research into commercial sex. Problems include: ?? lack of an agreed definition of ‘sex worker’: some studies have defined sex workers as people with as few as three sexual contacts per year, even where those involved do not identify those sexual transactions as commercial or even income generating; ?? assumption that every client has penetrative sex: condom use rates are frequently interpreted without considering non– penetrative sex and other services that sex workers offer;3 ?? differences in the level of risk posed by unprotected anal, vaginal and oral sex are often not modelled appropriately; ?? incidence of sexually transmitted infections among sex workers is often recorded but little is known about the types of STI or duration of infections and virtually nothing about STI patterns in clients. Qualitative data and anecdotal information can help fill some of these gaps but limited data has been published, at least partly because non-governmental organisations and others working in the field have few resources to do so.4 Rates of infection – women sex workers It is difficult to quantify HIV among sex workers and clients, partly because it is almost impossible to identify how many people in any one country sell or buy sex, how many of these have HIV, and how many are likely to transmit the virus to others. Commercial sex is frequently clandestine, sex workers and clients are often mobile and many people sell sex only occasionally and away from recognisable commercial sex settings. In some countries statistics are available from law enforcement agencies or health service registers. However, these may not be reliable because they tend to record only women sex workers and there are strong incentives for those selling sex to avoid having their names appear on such registers. Even less information is gathered about clients. Where information is available, it shows that at one extreme, rates of HIV infection among women sex workers above 80% have been reported in Zimbabwe and Kenya, above 60% in Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia and above 40% in Tanzania, Benin and Mali. In Asia high rates have been reported among sex workers in parts of India, Cambodia and Thailand5. Sampling, however, is often biased and non-random. In many other countries, however, HIV rates among women sex workers have remained low. These include 1.4% among female brothel workers in Malaysia6, 1% in Peru7, 0.06% in Bangladesh 8 and none in Mauritius thirteen years after the virus was identified in that country9. Reasons for low prevalence are not clear, although it has been suggested that they result from lower levels 5 although it has been suggested that they result from lower levels of patronage of female sex workers and a lower number of clients per worker in the Philippines10 and Senegal11, and possibly as a result of early, intensive and ongoing prevention interventions. National seroprevalence data for women sex workers, particularly in large countries, such as Russia (15%) and India (51%)12, should be
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Stakeholders Submission on Human Trafficking to OHCHR for UPR on November 23, 2010
    Mongolia - Stakeholders Submission on Human Trafficking to OHCHR for UPR on November 23, 2010 1. In prepration for the UPR submission by stakeholders, 8 NGOs that are actively involved in combating human trafficking have gathered 3 times at the Human Rights and Development Center to finalize the draft of the present report that was reviewed at two meetings assembling representatives of 40 NGOs. The present report was completed by the the Human Security Policy Studies Centre (hereinafter to be referred to as “HSPSC”). 2. The shift of Mongolia from a one party system with a centralized economy to a democratic market oriented society in 1990 had induced the crime of trafficking in persons, specifically of young girls and women. Though democracy had opened to Mongolian citizens many opportunities for enjoying human rights and freedoms such as the right to study and work abroad it also had triggered negative trends and instigated new types of crime. 3. Unemployment and poverty/low income caused by the transition period that started in 1990 had become the main reason for instigating human trafficking within and out of the country, specifically of women and children. According to official records only 1 case of human trafficking was recorded in 2001. In 2008 300 human trafficking cases were recorded and investigated.1 However we assume that these statistics do not correspond to the reality. 4. The forms of human trafficking in Mongolia are as follows: a. Sexual exploitation b. Labor exploitation c. Fraudulent marriage 5. Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking: Mostly young girls and women are vulnerable to cases of sexual exploitation.
    [Show full text]
  • New Economies of Sex and Intimacy in Vietnam by Kimberly Kay Hoang
    New Economies of Sex and Intimacy in Vietnam by Kimberly Kay Hoang A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and the Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Raka Ray, Chair Professor Barrie Thorne Professor Irene Bloemraad Professor Peter Zinoman Fall 2011 New Economies of Sex and Intimacy Copyright 2011 by Kimberly Kay Hoang Abstract New Economies of Sex and Intimacy in Vietnam by Kimberly Kay Hoang Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology and the Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality University of California, Berkeley Professor Raka Ray, Chair Over the past two decades, scholars have paid particular attention to the growth of global sex tourism, a trade marked by convergence between the global and local production and consumption of sexual services. In the increasingly global economy, the movement of people and capital around the world creates new segments of sex work, with diverse groups of consumers and providers. This dissertation examines the dialectical link between intimacy and political economy. I examine how changes in the global economy structure relations of intimacy between clients and sex workers; and how intimacy can be a vital form of currency that shapes economic and political relations. I trace new economies of sex and intimacy in Vietnam by moving from daily worlds of sex work in Ho Chi Minh City [HCMC] to incorporate a more structural and historical analysis. Drawing on 15 months of ethnography (2009-2010) working as a bartender and hostess I analyze four different bars that cater to wealthy local Vietnamese men and their Asian business partners, overseas Vietnamese men living in the diaspora, Western expatriates, and Western budget travelers.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring Barriers to Care for Sex Worker Mothers in South Africa
    Parmley et al. Reproductive Health 2019, 16(Suppl 1):63 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-019-0716-7 RESEARCH Open Access Antenatal care presentation and engagement in the context of sex work: exploring barriers to care for sex worker mothers in South Africa Lauren Parmley1*, Amrita Rao2, Zamakayise Kose3, Andy Lambert4, Ryan Max1, Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya3, Mfezi Mcingana5, Harry Hausler4, Stefan Baral2 and Sheree Schwartz2 Abstract Background: Late presentation combined with limited engagement in antenatal care (ANC) increases risk of vertical transmission among mothers living with HIV. Female sex workers (FSW) have more than four times greater burden of HIV than other women of reproductive age in South Africa and the majority of FSW are mothers. For mothers who sell sex and are at increased HIV acquisition risk, timely and routine ANC seeking is especially vital for prevention of vertical transmission. This study represents a mixed-methods study with FSW in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to characterize factors influencing ANC seeking behaviors in a high HIV prevalence context. Methods: FSW (n = 410) were recruited into a cross-sectional study through respondent-driven sampling between October 2014 and April 2015 and tested for HIV and pregnancy. A sub-sample of pregnant and postpartum women (n = 30) were invited to participate in in-depth interviews (IDIs) to explore their current or most recent pregnancy experiences. IDIs were coded using a modified grounded theory approach and descriptive analyses assessed the frequency of themes explored in the qualitative analysis among the quantitative sample. Results: In the quantitative survey, 77% of FSW were mothers (313/410); of these, two-thirds were living with HIV (212/313) and 40% reported being on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (84/212).
    [Show full text]
  • The Current Landscape of Prostitution and Sex Work in England and Wales
    Matolcsi, A. , Mulvihill, N., Lilley-Walker, S-J., Lanau, A., & Hester, M. (2020). The Current Landscape of Prostitution and Sex Work in England and Wales. Sexuality and Culture, 25(1), 39-57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09756-y Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record License (if available): CC BY Link to published version (if available): 10.1007/s12119-020-09756-y Link to publication record in Explore Bristol Research PDF-document This is the final published version of the article (version of record). It first appeared online via Springer at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12119-020-09756-y . Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher. University of Bristol - Explore Bristol Research General rights This document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/red/research-policy/pure/user-guides/ebr-terms/ Sexuality & Culture https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09756-y ORIGINAL PAPER The Current Landscape of Prostitution and Sex Work in England and Wales Andrea Matolcsi1 · Natasha Mulvihill1 · Sarah‑Jane Lilley‑Walker1 · 1 1 Alba Lanau · Marianne Hester © The Author(s) 2020 Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive typology of the sex industry based on primary data collected between 2018 and 2019 for a UK Home Ofce-funded study. Typolo- gies of the contemporary sex industry in England and Wales have tended to be lim- ited to particular sectors or have been developed from a specifc disciplinary per- spective or theme (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Sex Workers, Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation in Ethiopia
    EVIDENCE REPORT No 80 IDSSexuality, Poverty and Law Sex Workers, Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation in Ethiopia Cheryl Overs June 2014 The IDS programme on Strengthening Evidence-based Policy works across seven key themes. Each theme works with partner institutions to co-construct policy-relevant knowledge and engage in policy-influencing processes. This material has been developed under the Sexuality, Poverty and Law theme. The material has been funded by UK aid from the UK Government, however the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official policies. AG Level 2 Output ID: 232 SEX WORKERS, EMPOWERMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN ETHIOPIA Cheryl Overs June 2014 This is an Open Access publication distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are clearly credited. First published by the Institute of Development Studies in June 2014 © Institute of Development Studies 2014 IDS is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (No. 877338). Contents Abbreviations and terms 3 Acknowledgements 3 Executive summary 4 1 The global context: poverty and sex work 6 2 The Ethiopian context 9 2.1 Economics and policies 9 2.2 Ethiopia’s legal system 10 2.3 HIV and AIDS 11 2.4 Civil society 11 3 Case study methodology 13 3.1 Limitations 13 4 Sex work in Ethiopia 15 4.1 Types of sex work 15 4.2 Economic policy and programmes for sex workers 15 4.2.1 Traditional associations
    [Show full text]
  • Ethics and Vulnerability in Street Prostitution: an Argument in Favour of Managed Zones
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Plymouth Electronic Archive and Research Library Crimes and Misdemeanours 3/1 (2009) ISSN 1754-0445 ETHICS AND VULNERABILITY IN STREET PROSTITUTION: AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOUR OF MANAGED ZONES Anna Carline1 Abstract This article draws upon the work of Judith Butler, in particular her approach to ethics and the concepts of vulnerability and „liveable lives,‟ in order to provide a critical analysis of reform proposals contained in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (now Act 2008) in relation to street prostitution. The article will argue that the proposals presented in the Bill problematically use the vulnerability of street sex workers in order to promote a moralistic agenda. In contrast it will be argued that managed zones, as proposed by Liverpool City Council, provide a potentially more ethical approach to the issue of street prostitution. Keywords: prostitute, sex worker, street prostitution, Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill Introduction In 2006 the Government published its co-ordinated prostitution strategy, the main aim of which was to eradicate all forms of „commercial sexual exploitation,‟ especially street based prostitution.2 Many of the proposals contained within the strategy were included in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill 2006-2007 (now Act). However, the reforms were eventually abandoned during the Bill‟s process through Parliament.3 In contrast to the „zero tolerance‟ approach adopted by the Government, Liverpool City Council proposed the establishment of a „managed zone‟ for street 1 Lecturer in Law, The School of Law, Liverpool John Moores University, [email protected] 2 Home Office, A Coordinated Prostitution Strategy and a Summary of Responses to Paying the Price, (Home Office, January 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • The Mainstreaming of Sex Workers' Rights As Human Rights
    Fordham Law School FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship and History Faculty Scholarship 2020 The Mainstreaming of Sex Workers' Rights as Human Rights Chi Adanna Mgbako Fordham University School of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/faculty_scholarship Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Chi Adanna Mgbako, The Mainstreaming of Sex Workers' Rights as Human Rights, 43 Harv. J. L. & Gender 92 (2020) Available at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/faculty_scholarship/1092 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship and History. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of FLASH: The Fordham Law Archive of Scholarship and History. For more information, please contact [email protected]. \\jciprod01\productn\H\HLG\43-1\HLG103.txt unknown Seq: 1 29-JAN-20 12:48 THE MAINSTREAMING OF SEX WORKERS’ RIGHTS AS HUMAN RIGHTS CHI ADANNA MGBAKO* Introduction .................................................... 92 R I. History of the Sex Workers’ Rights Movement’s Framing of Sex Workers’ Rights as Human Rights ..................... 95 R A. 1960s and 70s: The Emergence of Collective Action for Sex Workers’ Rights.................................. 95 R B. 1980s and 90s: A Globalizing Movement Frames Sex Workers’ Rights as Human Rights in the Shadow of the HIV/AIDS Crisis..................................... 97 R C. 1990s – Present: A Diverse, Fully Globalized Movement Embraces Sex Workers’ Rights as Human Rights ....... 101 R II. The Sex Workers’ Rights Movement’s Human Rights Framing is a Rejection of Whorephobia, the Politics of Rescue, and Carceral Feminism .....................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ethical Dilemma's in Sex Work Research
    JUNE 2004 7 Sex workers health, HIV/AIDS, and ethical issues in care & research HIV prevention and health promotion in prostitution and health promotion HIV prevention EDITORIAL In the very first issue of Research for Sex Work, in 1998, Sue Moving beyond STIs Metzenrath from Australia wrote: “For far too long researchers On the positive side is the contribution from Gabriela Irrazabal, have been using sex workers as guinea pigs without any benefit who describes how the Argentinean sex workers’ union accruing to sex workers as the result of research. Essentially aca- AMMAR fights discrimination in health-care settings. Other demic careers are made on our backs. Further, some research community-based organisations have found similar solutions. has provided ammunition to those who want to suppress the However, some practices remain unacceptable. Veronica Monet sex industry and research findings have been used to support explains how sex-negative attitudes in the USA lead to biased some of those arguments. In many countries sex workers views of policy makers and researchers, which in turn lead to already refuse to be involved in research because they can’t see practices like mandatory testing. anything in it for them. After all, why would sex workers give An important step would be to move beyond thinking that STI freely of their information and knowledge and then it is used to treatment is the primary goal of health care for sex workers and suppress their livelihood?” STI research the primary goal of sex work research, as William Stigmatisation and discrimination are key factors that have an Wong and Ann Gray from Hong Kong stress in their article.
    [Show full text]
  • Sex Work and Gender Equality, NSWP
    POLICY BRIEF Sex Work and Gender Equality Global Network of Sex Work Projects 1 Sex Work and Gender Equality Introduction This policy brief highlights the linkages between sex workers’ rights and gender equality. It argues the women’s movement must meaningfully include sex workers as partners. It advocates for a feminism that recognises sex workers’ rights as human rights and highlights shared areas of work under an international human rights framework. Ultimately, there can be no gender equality if sex workers’ human rights are not fully recognised and protected. Sex workers’ rights activists, feminist allies and human rights advocates have long held that the Ultimately, there can be no agency of sex workers must be recognised and gender equality if sex workers’ protected, that all aspects of sex work should be decriminalised, and that sex work should be human rights are not fully recognised as work and regulated under existing recognised and protected. labour frameworks. Given that the majority of sex workers are women and many come from LGBT communities, protecting sex workers’ rights is imperative to achieving gender equality as defined under The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).1 Sex workers and their allies recognise that the discrimination and violence sex workers face are a direct result of the criminalisation of their work and clients, and that structural inequality, such as the feminisation of poverty, gender- and sexual identity-based discrimination, casualisation of labour, and restrictive migration laws, are responsible for reproducing harmful conditions within the sex industry.2 These same factors fuel labour migration and human trafficking, which are distinct from each other and from sex work.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Trafficking Poster in English and Spanish
    Victims of slavery and human trafficking Las víctimas de esclavitud y trata de personas are protected under United States and Illinois law están protegidas bajo las leyes de Estados Unidos y de Illinois If you or someone you know: Si usted o alguien que usted conoce: • Is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, • Es forzado a participar en cualquier actividad y no puede whether it is: dejarla, ya sea de: • Commercial sex industry (street prostitution, strip clubs, • La industria del sexo comercial (prostitución callejera, clubes, salas de masaje, servicios de acompañante, burdeles, Internet) massage parlors, escort services, brothels, internet), • Residencias privadas (trabajo doméstico, cuidado de niños, • Private Homes (housework, nannies, servile marriages), matrimonios serviles) • Farm work, landscaping, construction, • Trabajo en fincas, jardinería, construcción. • Factory (industrial, garment, meat-packing), • Fábricas (industrial, textil, empacado de carnes). • Peddling rings, begging rings, or door-to-door sales crews • Grupos de venta ambulante, limosneros o grupos de ventas • Hotel, retail, bars, restaurant work or callejeras • Any other activity • Hoteles, tiendas, bares, trabajo en restaurantes o • Had their passport or identification taken away or • Cualquier otra actividad. • Is being threatened with deportation if they won’t work • Le quitaron su pasaporte u otra forma de identificación. • Le amenazan con deportación si rehúsa trabajar. National Human Trafficking Resource Center Centro Nacional de Recursos Para la Trata de Personas 1-888-373-7888 1-888-373-7888 Or Text “HELP” to 233733 O para acceso a servicios y ayuda, to access help and services. envíe un texto con la palabra “HELP” al 233733 La línea: The hotline is: • Está disponible las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana.
    [Show full text]
  • Sex Worker Politics and the Term
    very early in their formations, for example MODEMU and COIN in the Sex Worker Politics and Dominican Republic 25, and DMSC in Kolkata, India 26. Andrew Hunter summarises the the Term ‘Sex Work’ trend of the uptake of the term ‘sex work’ in Australia as a way for sex worker organisations to claim – with By Elena Jeffreys meaning and integrity – our place in the HIV sector.27 HIV has an impact on Contemporary sex workers have been as workers10, as organised workers and all people engaged in sex work. The theorising about our work since the very activists11, as public and community term ‘prostitution’ was too specific and beginnings of the sex worker movement educators 12, and experts in peer lacked meaning in the language of the in the 1970s. Carol Leigh1 and Margot St education to other sex workers13. Sex HIV sector. Terminology changed to use James2 were influential in the USA. They worker theory began repositioning ideas terms that encompassed all sex work, and their organisation COYOTE came about sex work in the public sphere and to use sex workers’ own term, not from a sex worker oriented political from solely negative to celebratory terms that society use as insults. The perspective.3 Their new thinking on sex and positive. adoption of the term ‘sex work’ was a work were developed at a time when Carol Leigh is the embodied radical and influential change for sex the early sex worker rights movement expressions of this new politic. Her worker politics in Australia on many was at a ‘unique historical moment’ 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Employee Rights in Sex Work: the Struggle for Dancers' Rights As Employees
    Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality Volume 14 Issue 2 Article 4 December 1996 Employee Rights in Sex Work: The Struggle for Dancers' Rights as Employees Carrie Benson Fischer Follow this and additional works at: https://lawandinequality.org/ Recommended Citation Carrie Benson Fischer, Employee Rights in Sex Work: The Struggle for Dancers' Rights as Employees, 14(2) LAW & INEQ. 521 (1996). Available at: https://scholarship.law.umn.edu/lawineq/vol14/iss2/4 Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality is published by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. Employee Rights in Sex Work: The Struggle for Dancers' Rights as Employees Carrie Benson Fischer* Introduction The legal sex industry1 in Minneapolis has boomed in recent years,2 and will likely continue to grow.3 The number of women * J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, expected 1997; B.A., St. Olaf Col- lege, 1993. I gratefully acknowledge Sandra Conroy, Kent Klaudt, Sarah Garb and Amy Chiericozzi for their thoughtful editing. I am especially thankful to Kelly Hol- sopple and the entire staff of WHISPER, to whom this article is dedicated, for provid- ing research materials and personal insight into the sex industry. Finally, I am indebted to the partner of my life, David Fischer, who not only provided me with infinite support and encouragement, but who sincerely understands why this article needed to be written. 1. "Legal sex industry" refers to commercial facilities, bars or clubs, that fea- ture strip shows, nude dancing, and other live entertainment for the sexual gratifica- tion of their patrons. Sexually-oriented clubs typically feature female dancers performing in various ways for an almost entirely male audience.
    [Show full text]