Risks & Wellbeing of Groups of Female Sex Workers in the Netherlands: The Perspective of Activists and Professionals

Abstract

This study considers four groups of sex workers within a hierarchical structure—escorts, sex workers in brothels and clubs, window sex workers, and street sex workers—and the potential differences among these groups. The first aim of the current study looks at the extent to which this hierarchy is present in the current Dutch context. The second aim is to look at how female sex workers in the various groups encounter health risks, risks of physical violence, and emotional risks, which may differ in type, likelihood, and intensity. Lastly, this research aims at getting an in-depth understanding of the role risk plays and its potential direct or indirect impact on the wellbeing of sex workers within the different groups.