How Adult Women Who Trade Sex Navigate Social Services: A Grounded Theory Study

Author: Gerassi, Lara

Abstract: Access to and engagement with social services among women who trade sex is essential to address issues including substance use, posttraumatic stress disorder, and housing instability. This grounded theory study aims to understand how adult women who trade sex accessed and engaged with social services. Drawing from semistructured, in-depth interviews with 30 mostly Black and White women, results suggest that women’s differing viewpoints of sex trading and experiences of racial prejudice impacted their access and engagement with services. Women’s experiences ranged from affirmed to disrespected, which influenced whether and how they chose to continue seeking services. Implications are discussed.

Keywords: qualitative research, race, trafficking, prostitution, theory, women