Vice Careers: The Changing Contours of Sex Work in New York City

In the mid-1990s, changes to law enforcement strategies in New York City pushed many women working in the sex trade off of the streets & into the indoors. Increasing numbers of women began advertising sexual services in bars, over the Internet, & in print media, & conducting their work i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Qualitative sociology 2006-07, Vol.29 (2), p.129-154
Main Authors: Murphy, Alexandra K, Venkatesh, Sudhir Alladi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Careers
Law Enforcement
New York City, New York
Occupational Mobility
Occupational Roles
Prostitution
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Summary:In the mid-1990s, changes to law enforcement strategies in New York City pushed many women working in the sex trade off of the streets & into the indoors. Increasing numbers of women began advertising sexual services in bars, over the Internet, & in print media, & conducting their work in their homes, hotels, & brothels. This study uses in-depth interviews & participant observation to examine the impact of this change on the life & work of women working in New York's indoor sex trade. A critical finding is that as women move their work indoors, they begin to conceive of sex work as a profession & a career, rather than just a short-term means of employment. This "professional & careerist orientation" may have significant implications for the length of women's tenure in sex work & ultimately, for their ability to exit the trade completely. Figures, References. Adapted from the source document.
ISSN:0162-0436
DOI:10.1177/s11133-006-9012-2