Developing an occupational perspective of women involved in sex work: A discussion paper

Sex work is a commonplace form of work that is variably tolerated, or not, worldwide. Perceived by many to be a complex social issue, sex work is interpreted and performed differently, depending on the political, religious, cultural, and legal context; all of which shape the dominant cultural narrative of stigmatising perceptions of sex workers. The aim of this discussion paper is to outline our reflections and offer some arguments on the challenges and opportunities of addressing sex work from an occupational perspective. We focus on three issues: the push and pull factors of sex work, a critical consideration of the common assumption that health can be promoted through occupation, and the contribution that occupational science can make to sex workers.