Presented at Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Eastern/Midcontent Region Joint Conference, "The Business of Sex," June 5-7, St. Petersburg, FL.

1. Bridging Communities
in
Sex Work Research
Elizabeth Anne Wood
Michael Goodyear
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
St Petersburg, Florida June 5 2009

2. Elizabeth Anne Wood
Sociology
Nassau Community College, NY

3. Michael Goodyear
Medicine
Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia
Research Ethics, Capital District Health Authority

4. DISCLOSURE

5. Elizabeth

6. Michael
X Chromosomally Challenged

7. Learning objectives I
• Understand why sex workers distrust and
lie to researchers
• Understand how research and the
research agenda harms sex workers
• Propose ways to repair damaged trust
• Understand ethical issues in sex work
research and how to navigate them to
produce research of high ethical and
scientific quality

8. Learning objectives II
• Use examples of collaborative and
problematic research in order to suggest
ways of improving problematic studies

9. Learning objectives III
Participatory activities
• Roleplay an escort negotiating with a
difficult researcher
• Roleplay a pro domme negotiating with a
difficult client
• Perform a passable pole dance.
• Become a better ally or sex worker
researcher
If you can stay awake long enough!

10. Audience input
• Your learning objectives
• What disciplines/backgrounds
represented?
• Who has performed sex work research?
• Is planning to?
• Your experiences?
• Sex work experience?

11. Brief overview
• Why we do research
• Research design
• Research dissemination
• Responding to research
• Discussion
– ethics
– ways of knowing
– funding dilemmas
• New directions for sex work research

12. Why do we do research?
The pursuit of knowledge

13. “The aim of science is not to open
a door to infinite wisdom but to
set a limit to infinite error”
Brecht B. The Life of Galileo (Leben des Galilei) 1943
Bertolt Brecht (1898 –1956)

14. Why we do research
• Academic advancement
• Professional reputation
• Funding agencies
• Government priorities
• - How does the Research Agenda
construct „social problems‟

15. Issues
• The Research Agenda
– highly politicised*
– ethical implications largely overlooked
– sex workers mistrust and resist researchers
“living off the backs of sex workers”
*Kempner J (2008) The Chilling effect: How Do Researchers React to Controversy? PLoS Med 5(11): e222

16. Ethical principle I
Respect for Persons (Autonomy)
“act as to treat humanity…in every case as an
end..never as a means”
Kant I: Groundwork of the metaphysics of morals (1785)

17. Ethical principle II
• Distributive justice
– Burdens of research must be distributed fairly
– Research cannot be performed on one
population for the benefit of another
Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics

18. Sex Workers’ Experiences with
Researchers
&
Problematic Research

19. The Internet:
A blessing and a curse
I‟m a labor economist researching the escort market and
got your email off the internet. I‟m hoping to collect some
field evidence from current or former workers in this
profession.
Any feedback that you could give would be great, and will
of course be kept completely confidential and used for
research purposes only.
1. Do you still provide escort or companionship services?
a. I‟m still active.
b. No, I‟m no longer active.

20. The Internet:
A blessing and a curse
•Greetings,
You have been randomly selected to participate in a survey
by the Criminal Justice Department at (…..University). This
is a study designed to understand the ways that you use
technology, including computers and the Internet in the
course of your profession and day to day lives.
…This study will also ask questions addressing when you
first began to use the Internet in the course of your job
and your reasons for using websites, such as the Escort
Blogs as a means to communicate with clients and other
providers. …

21. Sex Worker Research on
Researcher
When the escort who sent us the email followed
the researcher‟s link she found a research agenda
that included:
• computer crime, the role that technology and the
Internet play in crime and deviance... the behaviour of
“sexual deviants” on-line…has published research on the
use of the internet by clients….
And that the researcher collaborates:
• with law enforcement… to understand the technological
and social elements of computer crime.

22. Big Brothel - A Survey of the off-street
sex industry in London.
Poppy Project, August 2008
http://sexinthepublicsquare.org/files/u1/Big_Brothel_Poppy_2008.pdf

23. Wednesday 10 September 2008
Revealed: the truth about brothels
A survey into London's off-street sex
industry has exposed just how widespread
it is - and documents in disturbing detail
the plight of the women trapped in it.
Julie Bindel
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/10/women.socialexclusion

24. Friday 3 October 2008
Big Brothel research 'seriously
flawed'
Poppy Project research into sex workers
quot;was based on flawed dataquot; and quot;cannot
be substantiated“
Anthea Lipsett
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/oct/03/research.women

25. AN ACADEMIC RESPONSE TO
“BIG BROTHEL”
Dr Teela Sanders, University of Leeds , Jane Pitcher, Independent
Researcher, Rosie Campbell, Chair, UK Network of Sex Work Projects &
Loughborough University , Dr Belinda Brooks-Gordon, Birbeck
College, University of London , Dr Maggie O’Neill, Loughborough University, Dr
Jo Phoenix, Durham University,
Professor Phil Hubbard, Loughborough University, Mary Whowell, Loughborough
University, Dr Nick Mai, London Metropolitan University, Dr Linda
Cusick, University of the West of Scotland ,Dr Tracey Sagar, Swansea University
, Kate Hardy, Queen Mary, University of London , Dr Ron Roberts, Kingston
University, Jane Scoular, Strathclyde University, Professor Graham
Scambler, University College London , Hilary Kinnell, Author, “Violence & Sex
Work in Britain” (2008), Dr Petra Boynton, University College London , Justin
Gaffney, Clinical Specialist, Sohoboyz , Dr Elizabeth Wood, Nassau Community
College , Dr Michael Goodyear, Dalhousie University, Professor Ron
Weitzer, George Washington University, Dr Jackie West, Bristol University, Dr
Helen Self, Author “Prostitution, Women & Misuse of the Law” (2003), Dr Hera
Cook, University of Birmingham, Dr Sophie Day, Goldsmiths College, London, Dr
Helen Ward, Imperial College, London, Tiggey May, Institute for Criminal Policy
Research, King's College, London

26. Researchers’ responsibilities
Ethical principle III
• Beneficence
– Research must benefit the subjects of
research
Mill JS: Utilitarianism (1863)

27. Issues in Research Design
• Participation of the community is key
Nothing About Us
Without Us

28. International Conference on Prostitution
Los Angeles, 1997
Recommendations on Research Ethics
South Australian Sex Industry Network*
1. Collaboration
2. Equality
3. Dissemination
4. Independence
*Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

29. 1. Collaboration
Researchers must collaborate with
the sex workers they seek to
study
This collaboration must include all
aspects of research
design, theoretical
framework, methods, and
dissemination
As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

30. 2. Equality
Researchers must be cognisant of issues of
social, political, economic and personal power and
seek to equalise power relationships with the sex
workers they study
This can be accomplished by acknowledging that
sex workers are the experts on their own lives;
researchers are the experts on research
methods, and we all stand to learn from one
another
As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

31. 3. Dissemination
Researchers must bring the results back
to the sex workers they study to ensure
that the researchers‟ interpretation of
the data is accurate
As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

32. 4. Independence
Sex workers and sex work organisations are
encouraged to hire their own researchers to
conduct research of relevance to sex
workers.
Or, sex workers and sex work organisations
are encouraged to obtain training or
consultation that would enable them to
conduct their own research.
As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

33. Collaboration requires trust
• Work with community based organizations
– Learn their needs
– Demonstrate your own commitment
– Be willing to commit significant time and
effort
– (NOTE: This is not simply about entrée)

34. Collaboration requires trust
• Read sex worker blogs and comment
where appropriate.
– By listening you learn the language and the
issues
– By commenting
• reveal your perspective and your willingness to
learn
• reveal what you have to offer

35. Collaborative Models

36. Participatory Action Research
WALSALL PROSTITUTION CONSULTATION RESEARCH
(UK)
O‟Neill and Campbell 2004 http://www.safetysoapbox.co.uk/full_report.htm

37. MAKA Project
(Vancouver, BC)
In the fall of 2004, the MAKA Project, a partnership
with the BC Centre for Excellence in
HIV/AIDS, undertook a study to assess the health
needs of the women who use the Drop-In Centre at
WISH.
http://www.wish-vancouver.net/index.cfm?go=site.index&section=programs&page=maka

38. Non-malevolence
(do no harm)
Ethical principle IV
• Anticipating potential harm (“Think harm”)
– Stigmatisation
– Outing
– Use of research for other purposes
(Utilitarianism)

39. Taxonomy –
Avoiding conflation
• Highly stratified activity
• Overlapping categories
• Generalisations
• Terminology e.g. Sex Worker
– Definitions
– Categories
– Identity

40. • Using an umbrella term to refer to a
subcategory
• Conflating iv drug use and sex work
-Unintended results of research : McInnes et al 2009
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/1354034/story.html

41. HIV/AIDS in
Vancouver, British Columbia:
a growing epidemic
McInnes CW, Druyts E, Harvard SS, Gilbert
M, Tyndall MW, Lima VD, Wood E, Montaner
JS, Hogg RS.
Harm Reduct J. 2009 Mar 5;6:5
The study referred to in previous alarming headline – the
focus was NOT sex work
- see also: Readers‟ Comments, for example of responding
to potentially misleading research
http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/6/1/5

42. Essentialism (Ontology)
• Confusing behaviour with identity
– “I am not my job”
• Evidence vs Belief
• Defining subject of research

43. Barriers to research
How do barriers shape nature of research?
• Funding
• Research ethics oversight
– Confidentiality
– Safety
– Consent
– Bringing issues to IRBs
– Alternative models: community-academic
partnership (eg CARAS)
• Attacks on researchers

44. Dissemination
• Who owns the data?
• Community rights to access
– Data
– Interpretation
– Communication strategy
• Whose interests?
– Subjects
– Broader community
Necessary a priori design elements, addressed by
collaborative model

45. Media
• Media training
– Journalistic ethics
– Media agenda
– Soundbites
– Avoiding nuance
– Clear message
– Getting feedback

46. Learning from Sex Workers:
Media Training
Sex Work Awareness
designed a media
training
workshop, Speak
Up!, for sex workers
and has made those
materials available
online
http://www.sexworkawareness.org/speak-up-media-training-materials

47. Responsiveness
Researchers build trust when they actively
respond to other people‟s research:
• Positioning studies and reports
• Critical appraisal
• Addressing implications for community
• Responding at multiple levels:
academic, mainstream
press, blogs/websites, social media.

48. Sex In The Public Square post about the feminist academic response to Big Brothel

49. Questions for Discussion I
• Researchers agenda & responsibilities
• Community agenda & responsibilities
• Considerations
• Beneficence
• Engagement
• Collaboration

50. Questions for Discussion II
• Managing conflicting values
– Duty to subjects v society
– Researchers v Subjects interests
– Applied v Theoretical research
– Concept of expert (researcher, subject)

51. Questions for Discussion III
• Epistemology (Ways of Knowing)
– Theoretical, Empirical, Experiential
– Privileging of positions
– Blurring of occupations:
• Sex worker researchers
• Degrees of outness, subjectivity

52. Questions for Discussion IV
• Funding and the agenda
– Whose responsibility to shift priorities
– Resistance
– Organisation
• Political agenda
– Lessons from infiltration of State and Justice
Departments – eg PEPFAR
– Working with the new Administration

53. Questions for Discussion V
• Framing and re-framing the agenda
– Health
– Women and Girls
– Rights and Discrimination
• Human, Civil, Women, Labour
– Constitutionality
– Sexual expression
– Global responsibilities

54. Questions for Discussion VI
• Framing and reframing the agenda cont‟d
– Crime, Violence
• Prohibition
• War on Drugs

55. New Directions for Research I
• Balancing Micro, Meso and Macro factors
– Political, Social and Economic factors
• Emphasising structural factors
• Push and Pull drivers
• Social citizenship and responsibilisation
– Social inclusion and exclusion

56. New Directions for Research II
• Organisation factors
– Moral panic and moral crusades
• Holistic examination of sex work in
relation to sexuality and commerce
– Balanced examination of actors and sectors
– How controls are applied discriminately

57. New Directions for Research III
• Societal benefits
– Economic
– Sexual needs of specific groups
– Health promotion
– Therapists
• Vulnerability and the disadvantaged
– Societal effects of discrimination against
groups

58. Summary I
• Historically sex work research has made a
number of false steps through failure to
engage the sex work community
• Collaborative research provides
opportunities to produce more meaningful
results that benefit both sex workers and
society

59. Summary II
• Principles of Good Sex Work Research
– To benefit sex workers
– To influence the research agenda
– To engage the sex work community
– To ensure responsible collaborative
dissemination of results
– To apply results constructively
– To critically respond to studies and reports that
are harmful , misrepresented or misleading

60. Additional resources
Bound not Gagged, the blog for Desiree
Alliance
http://deepthroated.wordpress.com
Community Academic Consortium for Research
on Alternative Sexualities (CARAS)
http://caras.ws
Desiree Alliance
http://desireealliance.org

61. Additional Resources II
Michael Goodyear‟s sex work research
resource page
http://myweb.dal.ca/mgoodyea/researchsex.htm
Research for Sex Work, an annual journal
http://www.researchforsexwork.org/

62. Contact Information
• Elizabeth Anne Wood
– elizabeth.wood@ncc.edu
– http://sexinthepublicsquare.org
• Michael Goodyear
– mgoodyear@dal.ca
– http://myweb.dal.ca/mgoodyea/goodyear.html