“You Just Give them what they Want and Pray they don't Kill You”

Abstract

Using both qualitative (in-depth, personal interviews) and quantitative (self-report survey indices) techniques, data were collected from 43 women involved in streetwalking prostitution. The purpose of the investigation was to examine exposure to violence and victimization among a particularly vulnerable female population across the life span. A secondary goal was to apply stress theory as an organizing framework for examining personal resources (e.g., social support, locus of control) and coping behavior. Results from both data collection strategies are presented, and implications for intervention are described.

A Virtual View of Managing Violence among British Escorts

“…One of the safety measures escorts discuss to stay safe, intuition or ''gut feelings'' about clients, is also described by street prostitutes (Dalla et al 2003;Sanders 2005;Williamson and Folaron 2001). For those involved in street prostitution this is understood to be the most common risk management strategy and this seems to be true for escorts too (Brewis and Linstead 2000a;Plumridge 2001).…”

“…For those involved in prostitution on the streets, practical safety precautions can include using visible and familiar meeting points, and checking for weapons and working door handles before getting into a car (Dalla et al 2003;Williamson and Folaron 2001) Pragmatic techniques to stay safe and minimize risks when working indoors involve using common sense, telephones to screen clients and always working with a third person for protection. The success and failure of telephones to screen clients is probably the most discussed protective strategy on the webpage.…”

“…Most research into the violence and risk management strategies evident in the work setting draws attention to those involved in street prostitution (Banach 1999;Barnard 1993;Dalla 2002;Dalla et al 2003;Farley and Kelly 2000;Kurtz et al 2004;Miller and Schwartz 1995;Monto and Hotaling 2001;Sanchez 2001;Weiner 1996;Williamson and Folaron 2001). Street workers are thought to represent only 10À20% of those engaged in prostitution overall while indoor sex workers make up the other 80À90% (Alexander 1987;Chapkis 2000;Matthews 1997;Weitzer 2000).…”

Pregnancy intentions among female sex workers: recognising their rights and wants as mothers

“…Previous qualitative studies among street-based FSWs have suggested high rates of various forms of violence from clients, pimps and intimate partners 37 38. The culture of violence towards FSWs may in part stem from the highly criminalised and stigmatised nature of sex work and poverty, and as such, community-level interventions to reduce poverty and stigma surrounding sex work could be beneficial.…”

Silent Killers of the Night: An Exploration of Psychological Health and Suicidality among Female Street Sex Workers

“…Similarly, another study of sex workers in San Francisco found that 82% of the respondents had been physically assaulted after they had entered prostitution, 55% of them had been attacked by clients, while 30% of them had been attacked by nonclient males (Farley & Barkan, 1998). Dalla, Xia, and Kennedy (2003) discovered that their informants reported exposure to lifelong patterns of abuse and victimization. Particularly concerning were the use of escapism and internalization as coping strategies among their informants, leading to cycles of self-compromising behaviors.…”