Overview of the Different types of Sex Work

Sexworkandtheglobal economy

Sexworkisacontroversialtopicthatoftenstirsheateddebatesand intenseemotions.Despitethecontroversy,sexworkisasignificant industrythatcontributestotheglobaleconomyinvariousways.

Inthisarticle,we’llinspectthedifferentsexworkandtheireconomic implicationsanditsglobalperspectives.Besides,youcanalsoget aninsightintotheimpactoftheregulationandcriminalization,and thehumanrightsandworkingconditionsofprostitutes,whichalso haveaconnectiontoregulation.

Overviewofthedifferent typesofsexwork

Sexworkisabroadtermthatencompassesavarietyofsexual servicetypesproviding.Itisanyjoborserviceinvolvingsexual activityinexchangeformoneyorotherbenefits.Thetypesofsex workvarywidely,fromstreetprostitutiontohigh-endescortservices andbrothelprostitution.

Streetprostitutionisoneofthemostvisibleandarguablytheoldest formsofsexworkers.Itinvolvestheworkerssolicitingclientsonthe streetorinpublicplaces.Oftenatnightorinareaswithhighpoverty levels.Streetprostitutionisgenerallythecheapestformofsex

work.Itassociateswiththehighestlevelsofriskanddangerforthe workers,includingphysicalviolence,humantraffickingand exploitation.

Brothelprostitutionisanothertypewhereworkersprovideservices withinabrothelsetting.Brothelscanrangefromsmalloperations withafewprostitutestolargecommercialestablishmentswith hundredsofworkers.

Thepricesforbrothelservicesaregenerallyhigherthanforstreet prostitution.Therearefurthercontributingopportunitiestoincrease thecountry’sinformalgrossdomesticproduct(GDP)as “entertainment”spendings.

Escortservicesareahigh-endformofsexworkthattypically involvesaclientpayingforthecompanyofanescortinsocial settingsandsexualservices.Companionservicescanbe expensiveandareoftenassociatedwithluxuryanddiscretion.In addition,escortsusuallyadvertisetheirsexualservicesonline

throughagencies’andonlineescortdirectories’sites.Whichcan alsocontributetoacountry’sGDPthroughadditionaltransactions.

Anotherversionofsexworkissurvivalsexisfornecessitieslike food,shelter,anddrugs.Besides,italsoincludesgolddiggerswho “work”withwealthypartners.Theyuseromanticrelationshipsfor financialgain,whichinvolvessexandmakesthemprostitutesfalling undersurvivalsex.

Howsexworkcontributestothe globaleconomy

Asyoureadabove,theeconomicimplicationsofeachtypeofsex workvarywidely.Overall,sexworkrepresentsanimportantsector ofthe-mostlyinformal-economy.Bygeneratingbillionsofdollarsin revenueeachyearworldwide.Theregulationandcriminalization varywidelyaroundtheworld.Insomecountries,sexworkislegal andregulated,whileinothers,itiscriminalized.Whichalsoaffects itsimpactonacountry’seconomy.

Incountrieswheresexformoneyislegal,regulatedor decriminalized,thegovernmentcancontributetothecountry’s grossdomesticproductbycreatingjobs.AnincreaseinGDPcan gothroughdirectspendingbyclientsonsexworkservicesand indirectspendingonothergoodsandservicessuchas accommodation,transportation,andentertainment.Inaddition,for instance,intheNetherlandsandGermany,workershavelegal protections,accesstohealthcare,andtheabilitytonegotiatetheir ratesandworkingconditions.Incontrast,incountrieswheresex workiscriminalized,suchasIndia,theyaremorevulnerableto exploitation,violence,andabuse.Thiscanmakeitdifficultfor

prostitutestoearnastableincomeandcanalsocreateacycleof povertyandexploitation.

Whiletheexactimpactofsexworkontheeconomyvariesby countryandregion,itisclearthatitrepresentsanimportantsector oftheeconomyandgeneratessignificantrevenue.

Economicimpactofsex work

So,thesexworkindustrygeneratesbillionsofdollarsinrevenue eachyear,makingitoneofthelargesteconomicsectorsinthe world.Besides,thisistrueevenincountrieswhereprostitutionis illegalorheavilystigmatized.Becausetheeconomicimpactofsex workgoesbeyondjustrevenuegeneration.Incountrieswhereitis legalizedordecriminalized,itcanalsocreatejobs,forexample,and contributetoacountry’sgrossdomesticproduct.

Readonbecausethissectionlooksattheeconomicimpactof9 countries’sexworkersectorsonGDP

NewZealand

InNewZealand,generalprostitutionislegal,sovisitorscan encounterstreetandbrothelprostitution,aswellassuchonline escortadvertises.

However,it’simportanttonotethatNewZealandlawsrestrictthe tradeofprostitutionandrequirenumerousrulesforitssafeand healthypractice.Forinstance,brothelsneedalicense,operators mustcomplywithstricthygieneandsafetyregulations,and prostitutesmustregularlyundergohealthchecks.

Therewereabout3500prostitutesinthecountryin2015, accordingtoProstitution.Procon.Org’sarticle.Intermsofthe economicimpact,a2017reportcommissionedbytheNewZealand MinistryofBusiness,Innovation,andEmploymentestimatedthat thesexworkindustrycontributesapproximatelyNZD1billion($685 millionUSD)annuallytothecountry’seconomy.Thisincludesdirect spendingbyclientsonsexworkservices,aswellasindirect spendingonothergoodsandservicessuchasaccommodation, transportation,andentertainment.Ofthat1billionNZD,an estimatedNZD300million($205millionUSD)comesfromthe spendingofdomesticclients,whiletheremainingNZD700million ($480millionUSD)comesfrominternationalvisitors.

Thailand

InThailand,forexample,thesexindustryisestimatedtogenerate between$6billionand$12billionannually.Althoughprostitutionis technicallyoutlawedinThailand,butunfortunately,workersexist andsexformoneymostlythroughred-lightdistricts,massage parlours,go-gobarsandkaraokebars.Inaddition,therearemany peopleinthecountrywhoworksasThailandescortladies.They advertisetheirescortservicesonline,forinstance,throughonline escortdirectorieslikethese:

FormanyThaiprostitutes,particularlyruralwomenwithlimited skillsandfinancialstruggles,sexworkprovidesasignificant financialincentive.

Australia SexformoneyislegalandregulatedinmostAustralianstates. Theyestimatedtheindustrytobewortharound$1billionperyear Thelegalityofprostitutionvariessignificantlydependingonthe stateorterritory.InNewSouthWales,theyessentially decriminalizedprostitution,althoughsolicitingisstillillegal.Besides Queensland,Tasmania,andVictoria,sexworkislegaland regulated.InWesternAustralia,theNorthernTerritory,andSouth Australia,independentsexworkislegalbutunregulated,while brothelsandsolicitationareillegal.So,thelawmakespossibleto peopleinAustraliaworkasprostitutes,forinstance,asescorts:

UnitedStates

IntheUnitedStates,theprostitutionisillegalinmostoftheU.S., exceptforafewcountiesinNevada,whereitislegalbutheavily regulated.AlthoughaccordingtotheProstitution.Procon.Org’s article,therewerearearound1000000prostitutesintheU.S.in 2013whatisprobablyincreasedbytheyears.Americanescorts, brothelprostitutionandstreethookersarethemostcommontypes ofsexworkersintheU.S.Streetprostitutesusuallyplytheirtradein permanentlocationsinsomepartsofcities.Whileinsomecounties inNevada,prostituteshavesexinbrothelsformoney.Inaddition, U.S.escortsadvertisetheirservicesonlineasthesehotAmerican girls:

Besides,althoughexactnumbersaredifficulttoestimatebecause ofthenatureoftheindustry,somestudiessuggestthattheillegal sextradegeneratesbillionsofdollarsinrevenueannuallyinthe UnitedStates.Forexample,a2014reportbytheUrbanInstitute estimatedthattheundergroundsexeconomyineightmajorU.S. cities(Atlanta,Dallas,Denver,KansasCity,Miami,Seattle,San Diego,andWashington,D.C.)generatesapproximately$290million inannualrevenue.Additionally,thereportestimatedthattheannual costofservingvictimsofsextraffickinginthesecitiesisabout$95 million.Besides,a2016studyinSanDiegoCountyprovided

severalkeyfindingsaboutpimpsandtraffickersinthatcounty,such aspimpsreportedanaverageincomeof$670,625inthatyear.

China

InChina,thesexindustryisalargeandgrowingsectorofthe economy.Theyestimatedtogeneratebetween$73billionand$80 billionannually.ProstitutionisillegalinChina,butenforcementof thelawsvariesbyregion.Withsomeareascrackingdownmore heavilythanothers.Althoughtherearenoofficialstatisticsonthe numberofsexworkersinChina,someestimatessuggestthatthere maybe10millionpeopleinvolvedintheindustry.VisitorstoChina mayencounterstreetprostitution,brothel-basedprostitution,aswell asalotofsuchChineseonlineescortserviceadvertises:

France

InFrance,sellingsexhasbeenlegalfromin2016.So,prostitutes canplytheirtrade,forinstance,asFranceescortswithsuchonline advertises:

Althoughbuying,organizingandsolicitingarestillillegal.They estimatedtheindustrytogeneratebetween1.5and3billioneuros annually,withabout20,000sexworkers.TheFrenchgovernment hasimplementedvariousmeasurestoregulatetheindustryand protectthesafetyandrightsofprostitutes.Includingmandatory healthchecksandafineforclientscaughtbuyingsex.Inthefirst yearalone,thefinesgeneratedapproximately€1.2millionin revenueforthegovernment.

UnitedArabEmirates(UAE)

TheUnitedArabEmirateshasstrictlawsagainstprostitutionand anyrelatedactivities,includingsolicitationandrunningbrothels. Althoughitisstillpresentinvariousforms,particularlyinDubai. AccordingtotheSmh.Com.Au’s2016articlethereareestimatedas manyas30,000sexworkersinDubai.Thecountryconsiderthat sexformoneyisaseriouscrimeandispunishablebyimprisonment anddeportationfornon-citizens.

Becauseofthestrictlawsandtheculturalstigmaassociatedwith sexwork,thereislimitedinformationavailableaboutthesex industryintheUAE.However,itisknownthatthereisademandin thecountry.ParticularlyinthemajorcitieslikeDubaiandAbu

Dhabi.Someprostitutesreportedlycometothecountryontourist visasandworkillegally,whiletraffickersmaybringothersin.In manycases,sexworkersworkasescortsandadvertisingtheir escortservicesonlinethroughagenciesanddirectories.The companions’ratesareaboutbetween1.500-2.000AED/hour,such asTobEscortBabesDubai’ladies:

CheckoutmorebeautifulfemaleescortsinDubai,orcheckAbu Dhabiescortgirls.

TheNetherlands

TheNetherlandsisknownforitsliberalapproachtosexwork,with prostitutionbeinglegalizedandregulatedsince2000.Thereare legalred-lightdistrictswithstrippersandprostitutes,andbesides, TheNetherlandsoffermanybeautifulescortladies:

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Theindustryisestimatedtobewortharound650millioneuros annually,andemploysanestimated20,000people.TheDutch governmenthasimplementedarangeofmeasurestoensurethe safetyandrightsofprostitutes.Includingmandatoryhealthchecks, licensingrequirementsforbrothels,andtheprovisionoflegal servicestoworkers.So,thegovernmentcreatesnewjobpositions thatalsoincreasetheGDPthatrelateswithsexwork.

UnitedKingdom

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Activitiesrelatedtoprostitution,suchassoliciting,pimping,and owningormanagingbrothels,areillegal.TheUKhasimplemented variousmeasurestoregulatethesexindustryandprotectthesafety andrightsofsexworkers.Forexample,inEngland,Wales,and Scotland,independentprostitutescanworklegally,whilebrothels andsolicitingremainillegal.Therearearound72,800sexworkers intheUK,withthemajoritybeingfemale.A2016studybythe HomeOfficeestimatedthatthetotalsizeofthesexindustryinthe UKwasbetween£3.0billionand£8.5billionperyear.Thestudy alsofoundthatmostworkerswereindependentandworkingoffstreet,withonly10-15%workinginbrothelsoronthestreets.So probablymanyprostitutesworksasescortsintheUK,andclients canfindthemonline,suchasescortdirectories.

Humanrightsand workingconditionsin sexwork

Despitetheeconomicimportanceoftheindustry,sexworkersface numerouschallengesandrisks,includingdiscrimination,violence, andhealthrisks.Manyprostituteslackaccesstohealthcareand

legalprotections,andthesocietyoftenstigmatiseandmarginalise sexworkers.ItisessentialtonotethatLGBTQ+membersalsostill fightchallenges.

Legalisingprostitutionisanongoingissueworldwideincountries wheresexformoneyisillegalandevenwhereitdoes.Overtime, therehavebeeneffortstoimproveworkingconditionsandprotect thehumanrightsofworkers.Thehumantraffickingstronglyaffect thesexindustry.Still,OrganisationssuchasAmnestyInternational andtheGlobalNetworkofSexWorkProjectsadvocateforthe decriminalisationandtherecognitionofsexworkers’humanrights. Besides,otherorganisationsandadvocacygroupsworktopromote therightsofprostitutes.Besides,therearemoreandmore resourcesofhelpfulcontent.Forinstance,forescortsabouthowto staysafewhileworking.

Finalthoughts

Sexworkisacomplexindustrythathassignificanteconomicand socialimplications.Whileitcancontributetotheglobaleconomy,it alsoposesmanychallengesandrisksforitsworkers.Asasociety, weshouldhaveopenandhonestconversationsaboutregulating sexworkbecauseithasaneffectglobally.Besides,itisalsoworth recognizingthatthestigmatizationandmarginalizationofprostitutes onlyperpetuatetheirvulnerabilityandperpetuatethecycleof exploitation.

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