Vulnerability and involvement in drug use and ... - Sex Work Europe

The two most important factors for exiting are: separation of private and commercial sex;
and not having problematic drug use as the principal motivation for sex work. In addition,
ending problematic drug use as a motivation to sell sex and separating private and
commercial sex are themselves potential harm reduction measures. Above all else, freedom
from problematic drug use was key to freedom from multiplying vulnerabilities. Successful
treatment for drug use led to exiting sex work where sex work had been principally a means
to fund drug use. Successful treatment for drug use in the case of these sex workers was
strongly linked to residential separation from the drug selling markets that share pavement
space with sex markets. The strength of links found in this study between ‘outdoor’ and
‘independent drift’ sex work and problematic drug use were overwhelming. It was
concluded that these sex work sectors are so characterised by experience of vulnerability
that they may serve as a site for reinforcing these vulnerabilities.
To counter the reinforcing of vulnerabilities that young people experience in environments
where both sex work and drug use take place, interventions need to break the connections
between these two activities. It is important when designing these interventions that they
also contribute to reducing harm for sex workers and their clients. Such interventions could
have the following goals:
● to reduce drug consumption amongst sex workers and their clients;
● to promote sexual safety via safer sex with paying partners; and
● to ensure that safer sex practices and personal physical safety are not under
mined by the effects of drug use or by reduced capacity for physical control.
Recommendations
The aim of our recommendations here is to break the connections between sex work and
drug use.
● to dissuade sex workers from using drugs with clients, and
● to discourage sex working with clients when under the influence of drugs
One avenue that could be explored in separating sex work and drug use would be to
increase the regulation of sex work premises. Future research could explore the feasibility of
licensing sex work premises. Under such a system, a condition of the license could be that
d rug supply or possession would not be tolerated. For example any license would be
rescinded where drug dealing or repeat offences for possession occurred.
Executive summary
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