Service user perspective, social measures and experiences of social support amongst people who sell or purchase sexual services
Short description
Commercial sex is often discussed and debated in Sweden but there are few studies focused on how people who sell or purchase sex experience societal responses. Departing from a service user perspective this study explores needs, social measures and experiences of social support that different target groups express. The study is centered around the conditions and circumstances under which people sell and purchase sex in relation to how societal support systems are perceived and function. The aim is to allow service users’ experiences to contribute to improve welfare services. The result will serve as a basis in developing a service user perspective on measures and support in order to reduce stigma, vulnerability and exploitation.
Background
Research shows that the access to societal support and services as well as how people who have experiences of commercial sex are treated varies in an unsatisfying way. How well societal support is designed and meet different target groups´ needs is still a rather unexplored area. The greater part of the existing knowledge is drawing on secondary sources, data from professionals and volunteers have been collected from different authorities and organizations. As they have different missions and aims the knowledge about different target groups´ specific needs is often incomplete and fragmented.
Research also shows that conditions and circumstances for people in commercial sex are permeated by different forms of vulnerability manifested in discrimination, stigmatization, violence and exclusion. Here different factors such as gender, class, ethnicity and race but also nationality/citizenship, age, functionality and sexual identity intersect in creating unequal conditions and different circumstances of life. The increased focus on criminal justice measures directed towards commercial sex during recent decades also plays an important part, where the shift from social measures to criminal justice measures risk having unintended consequences for particularly vulnerable groups.
The current interview and survey study is a part of a larger study mapping how social measures meet the needs expressed by people involved in commercial sex. Previously interviews with authorities, civil society organizations and associations organizing people with experience of selling sex have been carried out.
Aim and purpose
The aim of the study is to explore experiences of commercial sex and societal measures from a service user perspective. The purpose is that agencies providing services to the target groups should employ service users experiences as a starting point for bettering social support.
Do you have experience of purchasing or selling sexual services?
Do you have experience of purchasing or selling sexual services and want to participate in the study? Begin with reading the information below. To participate in the survey click on the link ”till enkätstudien köpare” if you have experience of purchasing sex and the link ”till enkätstudien säljare” if you have experience of selling sex.
To participate in the interview study: contact us by email or telephone. You will find our contact information on the site.
Information for research participants
As there are few studies focusing on how people who sell or buy sex experience societal responses, social policy measures and which needs for social support there are based on different people’s circumstances and life situations - this study is directed to you who have experience of commercial sex.
With few exceptions, existing knowledge is drawing on data from social workers, police, the judicial system and civil society organizations. In this study we want to get in touch with people who have personal experiences of commercial sex. We are interested in how you perceive societal responses in relation to your needs but also in how you wish society would act in order to prevent risk for different forms of vulnerability. You do not need to have any previous experience of or any ongoing social support contact.
What matters the most to us is that knowledge and experiences from people who in different ways are directly involved in commercial sex are heard and get to guide the development of better and more adapted social measures and social support.
How is the study carried out?
The study consists of a web based survey and an interview study. You can choose whether you want to participate in one of the studies or in both. Here is a description of how the studies are carried out:
Survey
The survey is filled out online and consist of 24 questions. You choose which questions to answer. Initially there are questions about age, gender, sexual identity, nationality, citizenship status and main source of income. The following part concerns experiences of commercial sex, followed by questions about health and wellbeing as well as exposure to crime. Finally there are questions about social measures and social support.
The survey is answered anonymously and no data can be traced to individual participants in the study. Click on the link below if you want to participate in the survey!
Participate in the survey
Contact
Anna Hall, lecturer, Department of social work, University of Gothenburg
+46-31- 786 38 98
anna.hall@socwork.gu.se
Annelie de Cabo Y Moreda, lecturer, Department of social work, University of Gothenburg
0762- 13 30 67
annelie.decabo@socwork.gu.se
Publications
- Sex mot ersättning - - säljare, köpare, makt och moral (External link)
- Brott eller passion? Myndighetsdiskurser om manlig sexhandel från 1930- till 20… (External link)
- The multiplicities of prostitution experience : narratives about power and resi… (External link)
- A critical perspective on difference: ‘the prostitute’ and women with prostitut… (External link)
- Sexhandel, sexköpslagstiftning och myndighetsförståelse – ett svenskt exempel (External link)