Not only on the streets

HERE are different classes of sex workers, in Barbados and across the region.

This reminder from Professor Kamala Kempadoo who stated that not only can sex workers be found in well-known spots, but many women from higher echelons of society are exchanging sexual favours for material gains.

Her comments came during the question and answer segment of Sir Arthur Lewis distinguished lecture entitled “Who Trafficking What? The Caribbean & Human Trafficking Discourse” at the Frank Collymore Hall on Wednesday night.

Alluding to CARICOM-wide research on the Sex industry for UNAIDS she said: “We found sex workers throughout classes. A lot of escort work is going on; exotic dancing is going on. It is not just in Bush Hill or around the Garrison, that is just a small minority of who is engaged in sex work. And so there is already a lot of variation in there.”

“Women within higher echelons, they may not call themselves sex workers but may be very deliberately using their sexuality to gain some kind of economic advantages and privileges, travel abroad, getting a house. These are all things in which sexuality works, and we don’t want to call it sex work but it looks very similar,” she opined.

The professor, who in her lecture made a case for the decriminalisation of prostitution further explained how this would be beneficial. “If sex workers are legalised the customer is no longer a criminal and if he is perpetuating some kind of sexual violence then that should be addressed as sexual violence towards a worker. But sex work in itself does not automatically constitute violence. And that’s a difference I think we need to think about.”

Professor Kempadoo who acknowledged that some of her views might be controversial, also looked at the types of women getting into sex work and suggested that not all poor women can actually make a living in sex work.

“It is a myth. I discovered in my early research in Curacao there was a certain colour and type who actually made money in sex work and certain women who were seen to be too dark and were not in sex work. So racial hierarchies and colourism plays a huge role in who can actually make a living in the sex trade. So there are a lot of variations around that.”

The professor also acknowledged that while the focus of the lecture was placed on women, there are men involved in sex work in different ways and are also experiencing abuse and violence. (JH)