Sex Work Isn’t Evil.

Why Consensual Sex Work Should Be Decriminalized.

Let’s start this article by defining sex work is, and what it isn’t. Sex work is anything where money is exchanged for sexually based services. That means, stripping, acting in porn, and yes, even consensual prostitution is included in that definition. I would even include bikini bars in that as well, even though there isn’t any nudity.

The common thread is that each one of those types of sex work is consensual. Sex trafficking is different in that there is no consent, and it’s wrong. We should always do everything we can to combat it. However, with consensual sex work, everyone is there voluntarily, and there isn’t anything wrong with that.

There are always going to be sex workers, they have been around since we first figured out how to barter for goods and services. There are records dating back to 2400 BCE that mention Sumerian sex workers. It’s not going away anytime soon. Sex work has a very important place in our culture and our society.

We as humans need a way to express our sexuality, whether it’s asexual or on the other end of the spectrum as pansexual. It doesn’t matter if you're a swinger, part of a poly triad. You have to have a way to express your sexuality. Sex work, and the people that do it allow people to express their sexual preferences. Sex work also embodies another aspect, and that is the freedom of choice. Consensual sex work is the embodiment of freedom of choice. People can and do willingly choose to be sex workers because they want to be sex workers.

“What one person sees as degrading and disgusting and bad for women might make some women feel empowered and beautiful and strong.” — Sasha Grey

Not everyone wants a long term relationship, or even have the time for it. Some people are just looking for a moment of release, or just a bit of companionship. Note that I’m not just talking about men. Women and other people on the gender spectrum are also part of both “customers” and providers. Sometimes people just want to have a good time, and then move on. Some people have regular appointments with their workers. It’s different for everyone.

“Exploration — it’s one of the really cool things about sex and sexuality, and every new partner.” — Stoya, to Bustle in 2015

Sex work has a benefit to society, it’s not the source of all evil, and yes, there is a dark side to it. However, there’s a dark side to just about everything in life. It’s just the way things work. However, to minimize that dark side, we can start by decriminalizing it. Decriminalization will, in my opinion, lessen the stigma of sex work, and make it more normalized and acceptable. The prohibition of sex work, making it illegal, only makes it less safe.

According to Sex Workers Outreach Project-USA (SWOP-USA), A study of New York Street-Based Sex Workers reported that 80% of participants had reported experiencing violence including 27% in the hands of police.

Globally, sex workers have a 45 to 75% chance of experiencing sexual violence at some point in their careers and a 32 to 55% chance of experiencing sexual violence in a given year. According to a HuffPost article written by Former SWOP-USA Communications Director Katherine Koster in December of 2015 and then updated in December of 2017.

Sex work needs to be made safer for those that take part in it, and for those that want to purchase services. According to the Open Society Foundation's publication 10 Reasons To Decriminalize Sex Work (PDF), “Sex work is not inherently violent; it is criminalization that places sex workers at greatest risk. The need to avoid arrest — of both sex workers and their clients — means that street-based sex workers must often move to more isolated areas that are

less visible to law enforcement, and where violence is more prevalent.”

The same publication also states that “Fear of arrest and police abuse limits the time and methods that sex workers can use to conduct safety screenings of clients without detection by police. For sex workers who are not street-based, the authorities have even shut down online sex work forums, like Redbook, which have offered sex workers more detailed client screening possibilities and thus greater security. These factors, plus real or perceived impunity for perpetrators of violence against sex workers, place sex workers at heightened risk.”

Sex work in and of itself isn’t evil, in fact, it benefits our society as a whole. Life is different for everyone. Not everyone is going to be a lawyer, politician, doctor, or some other white collar job that pays five to six figures. Consensual sex work is one path that someone might take, more often than not it’s a woman looking to keep herself or her family out of destitution. She may even have chosen this path because she enjoys it. A woman that enjoys sex, isn’t the worst thing in this world. In fact, I’d say it’s a good thing. Why can’t women enjoy sex as much as men do?