Understanding the Impact of the Mother-Child Relationship on Sex Workers’ Decision to Enter and Leave the Streets – Lessons for Social Work Practice

Abstract

This paper focuses on 'streetwalkers' and 'street sex workers' who are unlicensed sex workers not belonging to a brothel and subject to criminalization. They often face great stigmatization and are usually considered victims by service providers. Five Singaporean ex-streetwalkers (n = 5), who had left the streets for at least six months and were currently receiving or had previously received skills training at a social service agency, participated in this study. Using an agentic framework and social relational theory principles, this qualitative study explored the impact of streetwalkers' relationship with their children on their decision to enter and leave the streets and reasons for their successful help-seeking experiences. Findings revealed them to be agents who actively used strategies to meet their goals and to sustain close relationships with their children. The mother-child relationship context was a key influence on their decision to enter and/or leave the streets. Social work practice implications include tailoring service delivery to tap into their agentic capacities and identity as mothers; research and training in provision of proactive social services in a non-judgmental manner to preserve the dignity of these women while meeting both their own and their children's needs.

The Feminist Ethic of Care: Mothering Among Sex Workers in Mumbai

“…Guha (2018) acknowledges the dichotomous viewpoint in existing literature that tends to frame sex workers as either self-empowered agents or victims of their social environment. In line with previous findings, participants described a sense of resiliency, personal power, and fortitude in their decision to enter and continue in sex work as a legitimate means to provide financially for their families (Dodsworth, 2012; Praimkumara & Goh, 2016). Sex workers identify as mothers first and contend that it is their responsibility to care for their children ahead of their own needs (Basu & Dutta, 2011).…”

“…Sex workers identify as mothers first and contend that it is their responsibility to care for their children ahead of their own needs (Basu & Dutta, 2011). In this way, their decision making was thoughtful and purposeful; rather than being victims, some participants described being active agents in their lives—making plans and working toward achieving life goals they had for their children (Praimkumara & Goh, 2016).…”

“…Mothers who are sex workers commonly experience violence, stigma, marginalization, and separation from their children, families, and broader society (Basnyat, 2014). Stigma—deeply tied to perceptions about morality and the choice to participate in sex work—limits sex workers’ ability to access to health care and social services (Basu & Dutta, 2011; Praimkumara & Goh, 2016; Wahed et al, 2017). More specifically, sex workers report multiple physical and mental health symptoms and conditions that often go unaddressed.…”

“…Previous research has shown that some sex-working mothers are motivated by aspirations that their children will have better lives, become educated and employed, and grow their families (Basu & Dutta, 2011; Dalla et al, 2019). In order to support these goals, mothers frequently use their wages to provide for their children’s education in addition to basic survival needs (Praimkumara & Goh, 2016). Although society often labels sex-working mothers as “bad” because of their vocation (Basu & Dutta, 2011; Dodsworth, 2012), mothers’ actions help improve the likelihood that children will become formally educated and economically independent.…”

Organizing for agency: rethinking the conditions for children’s participation in service provision

“…Children's agency is attracting increasing interest in social work research (Chee, Goh, & Kuczynski, 2014;Goh, 2015;Katz, 2015;Praimkumara & Goh, 2015). So far research has focused on documenting and identifying the ways in which children are able to influence decisions that impact on their lives.…”