Behind the screen: Commercial sex, digital spaces and working online

Cunningham, Stuart; Sanders, Teela; Scoular, Jane; Campbell, Rosie; Pitcher, Jane; Hill, Kenneth; Valentine-Chase, Matt; Melissa, Camille; Aydin, Yigit; Hamer, Rebecca

doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2017.11.004

Cited by 75 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…The Internet has had a transformative impact on the sex industry and, consequently, on the way we research it. Digital platforms changed the way sex workers and clients interact before the in-person activity takes place (Sanders et al 2018;Cunningham et al 2018). Before the advent of the Internet, sex workers could reach clients by streetwalking specific urban areas, or working in brothels, massage parlours and walk-ups (Cunningham and Kendall 2011;Crotty and Bouché 2018).…”

Section: Sex Work and Digital Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention

Giommoni

Berlusconi

Melendez‐Torres

2020

Culture, Health & Sexuality

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This study analyses large-scale online data to examine the characteristics of a national commercial sex network of off-street female sex workers and their male clients to identify implications for public health policy and practice. We collected sexual contact information from the largest online community dedicated to reviewing sex workers' services in the UK. We built the sexual network using reviews reported between January 2014 and December 2017. We then quantified network parameters using social network analysis measures. The network is composed of 6477 vertices with 59% of them concentrated in a giant component clustered around London and Milton Keynes. We found minimal disassortative mixing by degree between sex workers and their clients, and that a few clients and sex workers are highly connected whilst the majority only have one or few sexual contacts. Finally, our simulation models suggested that prevention strategies targeting both sex workers and clients with high centrality scores were the most effective in reducing network connectedness and average closeness centrality scores, thus limiting the transmission of STIs.

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Section: Sex Work and Digital Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention

Giommoni

Berlusconi

Melendez‐Torres

2020

Culture, Health & Sexuality

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“…Mapping exercises must, however, be undertaken with an understanding that the information gathered will, in most cases, remain partial and never complete. The Beyond the Gaze study has provided important data to inform future methodologies for estimating online sex working populations according to factors such as gender, client profiles, working sector and geographical spread, as well as mechanisms to calculate potential duplication of individual profiles [34]. When doing this, researchers must try where possible and appropriate to consult those involved in the sex industry, and approach the organisations that have the capacity to shed insight and information which is otherwise not obtainable.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Point of Counting: Mapping the Internet Based Sex Industry

Sanders¹

2018

Self Cite

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Study Aim: This paper tries to grapple with some of the questions about counting numbers in the sex industry as an adjunct to a much larger sociological study of the ways in which digital technology has changed the commercial sex industry. The project sets out to reflect on the ethics of counting online and what this means to the sex work community. Method: The data is provided by the largest online adult services advertising platform in the UK which is compared to our own counts of sex worker profiles on that same platform to illustrate some of the challenges related to counting the sex industry. Result: The data comparisons show that using front facing public profiles of adult sex workers is not an accurate measure of the size of the sex industry, and whilst the information can be used for some purposes it must be used with caution. The findings point to the need for researchers and others involved in mapping sex worker populations to reflect carefully on ethical issues and the impact of mapping on sex workers. Conclusion: It is suggested that the usefulness of counting profiles on adult websites should be approached with caution both as a researcher analyst and also as someone who uses or requests this form of quantification. With over 40% differences between outward facing and active profiles the margins for error are high.

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“…The literature on escorting in England and Wales (including studies on the UK as a whole) explores the experiences and backgrounds of both independent and agency escorts, of various genders (Cunningham et al 2018;Pitcher b, 2019;Sanders et al 2009Sanders et al , 2017. Some of the literature focuses on violence and risk/safety management strategies (Kinnell 2008), including specifically by male escorts who sell sex to men (Jamel 2011).…”

Section: Escorting: Independentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Live webcam shows can be public or private and vary in terms of the acts performed (Jones 2016). Usually, nudity or sexual content are streamed to customers watching on their personal computers/tablets/phones (Cunningham et al 2018). As well as live webcam shows, sellers can also upload pre-recorded videos or photographs that buyers then pay to view.…”

Section: Webcammingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Current Landscape of Prostitution and Sex Work in England and Wales

Matolcsi

Mulvihill

Lilley-Walker

et al. 2020

Sexuality & Culture

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This paper presents a comprehensive typology of the sex industry based on primary data collected between 2018 and 2019 for a UK Home Office-funded study. Typologies of the contemporary sex industry in England and Wales have tended to be limited to particular sectors or have been developed from a specific disciplinary perspective or theme (e.g. sexual health programming, income). Situated in the context of international sex industry typologies, this paper seeks to address this gap. Data was derived from an online survey, questionnaires and consultations with stakeholders including individuals currently or formerly involved in selling sex, service providers/NGOs, police, local authority representatives and others. The data was supplemented with insights from a systematic literature search. This work aims to assist with programme and policy planning in the UK context. Our methods can assist in developing typologies in other contexts.

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Behind the screen: Commercial sex, digital spaces and working online

Cited by 75 publications

References 13 publications

Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention

Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention

The Point of Counting: Mapping the Internet Based Sex Industry

The Current Landscape of Prostitution and Sex Work in England and Wales

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