Personal impact of sex work study

55 women working in the indoor sex industry in Melbourne, Australia, were surveyed about various aspects of their work, including the impact of sex work on their personal relationships.

Most women (78%) reported that, overall, sex work affected their personal romantic relationships in negative ways, mainly relating to issues stemming from lying, trust, guilt and jealousy. A small number of women reported positive impacts from sex work including improved sexual self-esteem and confidence. Just under half of women were in a relationship at the time of the study and 51% reported their partner was aware of the nature of their work. 77% of single women chose to remain single due to the nature of their work. Many women used mental separation as a coping mechanism to manage the tensions between sex work and their personal relationships.