Most people don’t know what it’s really like to be a sex worker. They hear headlines about danger, exploitation, or crime-but rarely the quiet stories of people who chose this work to pay rent, support their kids, or fund their education. Society doesn’t just misunderstand sex workers-it often dehumanizes them. And that misunderstanding has real consequences: police raids, lost housing, denied healthcare, and families torn apart.
What Society Thinks vs. What’s True
Ask a random person on the street what they think about sex workers, and you’ll likely hear one of two things: either they’re victims who need saving, or they’re immoral and deserve punishment. Neither is true for most.
A 2023 study by the Global Network of Sex Work Projects surveyed over 1,200 sex workers across 18 countries. Nearly 70% said they entered the work voluntarily-not because they were trafficked or coerced. Many were students, single parents, or people with disabilities who found sex work paid better than fast food or retail jobs. One participant in Toronto said, “I made more in one night than I did in two weeks cleaning offices. I could afford my insulin and my daughter’s school supplies.”
But the public doesn’t hear those stories. Media frames sex work as a moral crisis, not an economic one. When a sex worker is murdered, the news calls them a “prostitute.” When a client is arrested, they’re a “predator.” The language itself reinforces the idea that sex workers aren’t people-they’re symbols.
The Legal Trap
Where sex work is illegal, it doesn’t disappear. It just gets more dangerous.
In the U.S., laws like FOSTA-SESTA were passed in 2018 under the guise of fighting human trafficking. They shut down online platforms sex workers used to screen clients, set boundaries, and share safety tips. The result? A 2020 study in the Journal of Sex Research found that 64% of sex workers reported increased violence after these laws took effect. Many were forced onto the streets, where they couldn’t control who approached them.
Canada and Sweden have “Nordic model” laws that criminalize clients, not workers. On paper, it sounds protective. But sex workers there say it’s just as harmful. “If no one will pay for sex, I can’t work,” said a former worker in Montreal. “Now I have to meet strangers in dark alleys because I can’t afford to wait for someone who’ll text me back.”
Only in places like New Zealand-where sex work is fully decriminalized-have violence and exploitation dropped. A 2022 government review found that sex workers there felt safer, had better access to police protection, and were more likely to report abuse.
Religion, Morality, and the Double Standard
Why does society treat sex work differently than other jobs? The answer isn’t about safety-it’s about control.
Religious groups often call sex work sinful. But they rarely call corporate exploitation or wage theft sinful. Why? Because sex work challenges the idea that women’s bodies should be controlled, owned, or hidden. It exposes how deeply society ties morality to gender and sexuality.
Think about this: a woman who sells her time to a CEO for $200 an hour is called a professional. A woman who sells her body for the same price is called a “whore.” The only difference? The nature of the service.
Men who pay for sex are rarely labeled predators unless they’re famous. But when a woman is caught selling sex, she’s labeled a “fallen woman.” That double standard isn’t accidental. It’s designed to shame women into silence.
What Sex Workers Actually Want
Most sex workers don’t want to be “saved.” They want rights.
They want to rent apartments without being turned away because of their job. They want to open bank accounts without being flagged as “high risk.” They want to file police reports without being arrested first. They want healthcare providers who don’t judge them when they walk in.
In 2024, the International Union of Sex Workers launched a global campaign called “Decriminalize, Don’t Criminalize.” It’s backed by over 200 sex worker-led organizations. Their demands are simple: remove criminal penalties, allow unionization, and fund harm-reduction services like safe spaces and STI testing.
They’re not asking for handouts. They’re asking for dignity.
The Hidden Costs of Judgment
Stigma doesn’t just hurt feelings-it kills.
A 2021 study in The Lancet found that sex workers are 30 times more likely to die from violence than the general population. Why? Because stigma makes it harder to get help. When you’re afraid to call the police, you don’t report assaults. When you’re ashamed to go to a clinic, you don’t get tested. When your family disowns you, you have no one to turn to.
And it’s not just physical danger. Mental health struggles are common. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD rates among sex workers are higher than among most other professions. But therapy is expensive-and many therapists refuse to work with sex workers because they believe it’s “morally wrong.”
One sex worker in Los Angeles told a researcher, “I’ve had therapists tell me I need to ‘find a real job.’ I asked them what they meant by ‘real.’ They didn’t answer.”
Changing the Narrative
Slowly, things are changing.
In 2025, the city of San Francisco launched a pilot program to train social workers and police officers on how to interact with sex workers without judgment. Instead of arrests, they offer housing referrals and legal aid. Early results show a 40% drop in repeat arrests.
Artists, filmmakers, and writers are also shifting the story. Documentaries like Sex Work Is Work and books like Whores and Other Feminists are putting real voices front and center. Social media has given sex workers a platform to speak for themselves-something they’ve been denied by mainstream media for decades.
But real change needs more than awareness. It needs policy. It needs employers to stop firing people for sex work. It needs landlords to stop evicting them. It needs doctors to stop refusing care.
What You Can Do
You don’t need to become an activist to help. Start small.
- Don’t assume someone’s story based on their job.
- If you hear someone say, “All sex workers are victims,” ask: “Have you ever talked to one?”
- Support organizations run by sex workers-not those that speak for them.
- Donate to groups like the Red Umbrella Fund or the Global Network of Sex Work Projects.
- Vote for politicians who support decriminalization, not criminalization.
Sex work isn’t a problem to be solved. It’s a reality for millions of people. The real problem is the system that makes their lives harder just because they earn money with their bodies.
Maybe the question isn’t, “Why do people become sex workers?”
Maybe it’s, “Why does society refuse to let them live in peace?”
Are all sex workers victims of trafficking?
No. While trafficking does happen, studies show the majority of sex workers enter the work voluntarily. A 2023 global survey found that 70% of respondents chose sex work because it offered better pay, flexibility, or safety than other jobs. Trafficking is a serious crime-but it’s not the same as consensual sex work.
Why is decriminalization better than legalization?
Legalization means the government controls who can work, how, and where-often creating a two-tier system where only licensed workers are protected. Decriminalization removes criminal penalties entirely, letting sex workers operate without fear of arrest. It’s the model used in New Zealand, where violence and exploitation have dropped significantly since 2003.
Do sex workers have access to healthcare?
Often, no. Many doctors refuse to treat sex workers, or they make them feel judged. Some clinics won’t even let them book appointments. This leads to untreated STIs, mental health crises, and preventable deaths. Decriminalization improves access because workers feel safe seeking care without fear of being reported.
Can sex workers unionize?
In most countries, no-because their work is illegal. But in places where sex work is decriminalized, like New Zealand and parts of Australia, sex workers have formed unions. These unions negotiate for safer working conditions, fair pay, and legal protections. Unionization is a key step toward dignity and safety.
Is sex work the same as human trafficking?
No. Human trafficking involves force, fraud, or coercion. Sex work is consensual labor. Confusing the two harms both victims of trafficking and sex workers. Anti-trafficking campaigns that target all sex work make it harder for real victims to get help-and push consenting workers into more dangerous situations.
