Boyfriends, lovers, and “peeler pounders”: experiences of interpersonal violence and stigma in exotic dancers’ romantic relationships

Abstract

Drawing on ethnographic data collected during my doctoral research, in this study, I explore how women who work as exotic dancers in Winnipeg, Canada, negotiated the stigma of sex work and interpersonal violence in their romantic relationships with men. What are the connections between the stigma of sex work and the violence that occurs in exotic dancers’ relationships? What are the ways in which exotic dancers make sense of, and attempt to manage, this violence? I address these questions through feminist ethnographic research methods, including participant observation, open-ended interviews, and participant collaboration. Through an analysis of participants’ stories about their romantic relationships, I suggest that the stigma of sex work is a form of structural violence that manifests as direct violence in women’s relationships with men. I conclude by suggesting that the de-stigmatization of sex work is an important part of ending violence in sex workers’ interpersonal relationships.

Keywords:

• Relationships
• exotic dance
• ethnography
• sex work stigma

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributors

Jacenta Bahri has a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from University of Manitoba. Her research interests include stigma, sex work, and exotic dance. She is currently working as a research consultant.

Notes

1 The name of the agency, strip clubs, bars, and all other specific locations have been changed, and pseudonyms were used for all individuals who are mentioned.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Doctoral Award.