We are pleased to release the report for our recently undertaken research, “‘It’s my best choice in a broken unfair system‘: Sex workers navigating gendered poverty, disability, and autonomy.“
Decrim Now undertook this piece of research to explore and evidence the reasons why sex workers in England and Wales are currently entering and remaining in the industry. While previous research has indicated that people primarily enter sex work for socio-economic reasons, much about the economic, social and political context in England and Wales has changed significantly over the past five years. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, and against a backdrop of rising poverty rates, increases in living costs and international political and economic instability, research reflecting the impact of these turbulent times on sex workers becomes increasingly necessary.
While our research demonstrates a range of different reasons why people enter the sex industry, we found that 76% started sex work due to financial need.
Some of our other key findings were:
- 77% of respondents considered themselves to be disabled or to have a long-term health condition, including mental illness and neurodivergence.
- 32% of sex worker respondents started or continued in sex work because of being too unwell to continue with ‘regular’ work and being unable to survive on benefits.
- 55% of sex workers who had received universal credit felt it did not give them enough money to live on.
- Nearly all respondents cited decriminalisation as the intervention needed to make them more safe whilst sex working.
Based on our research, we’ve put together a number of recommendations for the Government, including a number of anti-austerity and anti-poverty measures that would help to prevent more people feeling like sex work is their best option.
If you’d like to read our research and our recommendations, you can read or download the full PDF below.