For as long as the profession has been around: sex work has always been associated with poor mental health. Whenever society thinks of a sex worker- the first image that comes to mind is a tattered street worker in the early hours of the morning, trying to scrounge up the cash to feed a drug addiction. If a friend of mine inadvertently found out about my job- the first thing they ever say is ‘are you okay?’ I always thought this was an odd thing to ask, but I assume this is the trajectory they imagine I am on when they discover my profession.
From the moment we enter the industry, we are told to get out before it takes an unrelenting hold of us. There is no doubt mental health is a concern in the industry. I haven’t been shy about sharing some of my own mental health issues from over the years. But did sex work cause this or were they pre-existing? Let’s unpack this question.
Correlation vs Causation
One of the greatest oversights when it comes to sex work and mental health is the classic ‘chicken and egg’ situation. Is the job of being a sex worker the cause of our mental health, or did we have it already?
Most studies show that poor mental health precedes entry into sex work.
A lot of women enter the sex industry out of desperation. It’s an industry with very low barriers to entry (no resumes or job interviews required), and a high pay to skill level ratio. Workers can start earning decent money straight away. This isn’t to undermine the skill of sex workers- as there are certainly some that are incredibly intelligent and skilled at what they do- but I am saying is that it is still possible to make decent money with very little skill.
Because of this; sex work is an option for women who are in critical circumstances- for example: leaving a DV relationship, raising a child as a single parent, dealing with family breakdowns or having a sudden medical bill come up. It’s easy to blame sex work as the contributor for these women’s mental health, as the timing of when women enter usually coincide with life crises. But in reality- sex work was the solution, not the problem.
I never entered the industry out of desperation. But I had a lot of self esteem issues growing up. I also struggled with depression, anxiety and ADHD which made working a full time job difficult. Like many sex workers who have such conditions; sex work gave me other options outside of a traditional work structure in which I struggled with. Also, the feeling of being desired gave my self esteem an incredible boost. But it was clear that my mental health issues were present long before entering the industry.
The problem isn't The job- it's society.
Of course, we can’t deny that the sex industry can attribute to mental health issues.
But not because of the clients.
And it’s not because of the other ‘catty’ sex workers.
It’s because of the way the society treats us.
All jobs have the potential to cause mental health problems.
I spent some time working in the mines, and I can attest to the fact that this industry inflicts mental health issues due to the solitary and isolated nature of the job. Many people who work corporate struggle with the stresses and high-pressures of their job. First responders are often involved in horrific scenes and struggle with dealing with the situations in which they come across on a daily basis. Many are often abused.
People in many professions deal with adversity and challenges in their jobs every day. Yet we seem to scrutinise sex workers more than any other profession.
This is due to the shame and stigma that society places on sex workers.
Why Stigma is the problem
A large part of why sex work causes mental health problems is because of the stigma rather than simply the job itself.
I want to use some examples in my personal life to explain this.
I was suffering from some really bad depression during my time working in the mines. Some of this was due to work-related problems and others were personal. Regardless, I had a plethora of support opportunities to choose from. From speaking to my manager or HR, or even being able to access the local counsellor to help me get through some of these issues. I also had friends and family to support me. At no point was the solution ever to quit work (even though work was contributing to most of my issues). Rather, I was able to talk openly about my problems and find solutions and strategies to get me back on track.
Sex work on the other hand is completely different. Firstly, because of the shame associated with the line of work, most sex workers have no choice but to hide their job from therapists, doctors and of course- their friends and family. This means that sex workers have no support and are often suffering alone. For example, when I have mentioned this job to a GP or therapist (often in a ‘matter-o-fact way such as simply taking my history); a wave of unsolicited judgement is loaded onto me. Things like ‘you’re a smart girl, why don’t you get a proper job’ or ‘how can you be in a relationship if you’re a sex worker?’ It’s no wonder we hide it from health professionals- they contribute to the problem rather than help.
I’m pretty independent in my way of thinking and forming opinions, so these comments don’t really affect me. But I know for some more vulnerable people (which many sex workers already are), it absolutely can. Many sex workers have no choice but to internalise the problems and challenges they face in the job and this breeds psychological distress.
Blaming Sex Work instead of Men
Of course, we do need to address the elephant in the room. There are aspects of the job itself that can attribute to poor mental health.
Some sex workers will face abuse at some point; whether it’s physical violence, emotional blackmail, dealing with stalkers etc.
But we are shifting the blame onto the industry when in reality- the problem is men.
Of course, this isn’t all men. My overall experience with men has actually been very positive during my time in the industry and I have met some amazing, kind and highly respectful gents during my time in this job. But there is a small portion of men who do abuse women.
The reality is that abusive men don’t just abuse sex workers. They abuse all women.
In Australia, one in three women have been abused by an intimate partner. IPV (intimate partner violence) is the most common forms of violence against women. Then why is it that we tell sex workers not to enter the industry because of ‘the abusive clients’ when in most cases of abuse actually happen between intimate partners. We celebrate engagements when perhaps we should be offering warning instead…
It’s ironic that we so casually and excitedly tell our friends when we are meeting a guy off Tinder, but for some reason as soon as there is an exchange of money- it’s like we are heading to a slaughterhouse.
We need to understand that violence isn’t a problem with the sex industry- it’s a problem with men.
Yet, unlike relationships and Tinder dates- because of the stigma around the industry, many workers don’t report it because they’re not taken seriously. Or in some countries where sex work is illegal, they fear that it will backfire and they will get in trouble if they report a violent client. Crazy, I know! So, these women just have to live with the threat of a dangerous man out there rather than report it because otherwise THEY will get in trouble. And we wonder why some sex workers have bad mental health.
We, as a society, have created it.
I hope this gave a bit of insight into my thoughts around sex work and mental health. Let me know your thoughts about this topic as well- I am always interested in other ideas and perspectives around these issues.
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Love your insightful blog Jasmine.
As a man who has the utmost respect for woman, it hurts me to know that others of my gender ( those that are violent towards women don’t deserve to be called men, calling them dogs is an insult to dogs, let’s refer to them as pond scum ) aren’t held accountable by their friends, peers or family.
As a society we need to do more, not just talk about it but actually do something about it.
Treat women as the goddesses they are.
Thanks Dale. I appreciate you understanding that I don’t include all men in that statement, and I have been lucky to have met some wonderful gents and haven’t had any violent experiences. But there are some awful ones out there and I hate that we blame the industry rather than the perpetrators 🙁 thanks for reading.