Date

8-18-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Sex work is a misunderstood occupation riddled with stereotypes and stigmas. Those who participate in the sex work industry, throughout the duration of their career, have been exposed to various magnitudes of violence. This study specifically focuses on female sex workers (FSWs) and delves into why these women would continue engaging in a field as dangerous as sex work. Applying feminist theories and the victim/offender overlap, this study explores the complexities of the sex work industry, along with the violence and stigma that sex workers experience daily, through content analysis of interviews with FSW from a YouTube docuseries. Findings suggest that larger societal structures are the root causes for how a vast number of women are ushered into exchanging sexual services for money or other goods. To truly comprehend the reason why these women continue to participate in this industry, one must also acknowledge the substantial criminological and societal systems that perpetuate the cycle of gendered crime and poverty.

Department

Criminal Justice

Thesis Comittee

Dr. Francisco Alatorre, Thesis Advisor
Dr. Robert Grantham, Committee Member
Dr. Eileen Kirk, Committee Member

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