‘The street's got its advantages’: Movement between sectors of the sex industry in a decriminalised environment

Abstract

This article explores the movement of sex workers between sectors of the sex industry in New Zealand's decriminalised environment and motivations for working in these different venues. We argue for contextual, risk environment approaches to understanding risks associated with the different sectors and how these risks might influence the movement of sex workers between sectors. By doing so we also address arguments made by policy makers in different countries, with different ways of regulating sex work, for the eradication of the street-based sector of the sex industry. The findings are drawn from a survey of 772 sex workers and in-depth qualitative interviews with 58 sex workers in New Zealand. Findings suggest there is a growing private sector but little change in the size of the street-based sector following decriminalisation. Street-based sex workers argue the need to maximise earnings and that this is only possible from the street environment. They are prepared to make the trade-off of more money for less safety, something which managed sex workers are not prepared to do. This article demonstrates the relativity of risk perceptions and concludes that attempts to eradicate the street-based sector of the sex industry through more stringent regulatory practices are unrealistic and will only serve to place this vulnerable segment of the sex worker population at greater risk. It argues that in addition to decriminalisation, other social and economic policies are required to address risk and develop more enabling environments within the diverse sectors of the sex industry.

Keywords:

• risk
• risk perception
• public health
• sex work

Acknowledgements

The research was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand and the Ministry of Justice and granted ethical approval by the Multi-Region Ethics Committee. The authors would like to thank their partners in the research, New Zealand Prostitutes’ Collective, as well as all the participants who gave so willingly of their time.