Why Recognising Sex Work as Work is Key to Ending Violence

Violence against sex workers doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s not random. It’s systemic — shaped by laws, stigma, and a culture that refuses to recognise sex work as real work. If we want to stop the violence, we have to start with recognition. Because when sex work is dismissed, so is the safety, dignity and humanity of those who do it.

What “Sex Work is Work” Really Means

The phrase might sound like a slogan, but it’s more than that. “Sex work is work” is a political statement and a demand for basic rights. It recognises that providing companionship, intimacy, emotional support and sexual services is labour — and that like all labour, it deserves protection.

Just like teachers, carers, or service workers, sex workers:

• Use physical and emotional skills
• Manage complex interpersonal dynamics
• Take on risk to meet others’ needs
• Deserve safe working conditions, fair pay and legal protection

Without that recognition, sex workers are left exposed — both to violence and to systems that fail to protect them.

How Stigma Fuels Violence

When sex work isn’t seen as legitimate, sex workers become easy targets. The public sees them as disposable. Police treat them as criminals, not victims. Media outlets sensationalise their deaths. And perpetrators know they’re less likely to be held accountable.

Stigma creates a culture of silence — where violence is normalised, underreported, and often ignored. Victims are blamed. Communities are shamed. And support systems disappear.

Recognising sex work as labour challenges the stigma at its root. It reframes sex workers not as deviants or victims, but as professionals who deserve rights, respect, and recourse.

The Legal Impact: Why Recognition Must Be Backed by Decriminalisation

Recognition alone isn’t enough — it has to be backed by legal change. Decriminalisation is the first step. This means removing criminal penalties for consensual adult sex work and creating a legal environment where sex workers can operate without fear of arrest, eviction, or deportation.

When sex work is criminalised or heavily restricted (such as under “Nordic model” laws), sex workers are pushed into more dangerous situations. They may:

• Avoid calling the police when in danger
• Rush client screening to avoid arrest
• Work in isolated areas or move frequently
• Lose access to housing, banking or childcare due to stigma

Decriminalisation allows sex workers to negotiate boundaries, work with others, and report abuse without fear — all of which dramatically reduce the risk of violence.

From the Courts to the Clinics: The Everyday Impact of Recognition

Recognition isn’t just a legal issue — it shapes every interaction sex workers have. In healthcare, it determines whether a provider will offer compassionate care or judgment. In housing, it decides whether a landlord will rent to them or evict them. In parenting, it influences whether someone can keep custody of their children.

The absence of recognition turns every part of daily life into a risk. But when sex work is accepted as work, those risks start to fade.

That’s why organisations like Amnesty International, UNAIDS, WHO and Human Rights Watch all support the decriminalisation and recognition of sex work. It’s not just a human rights issue — it’s a public health, safety and social justice imperative.

Recognition Supports Peer-Led Safety

When sex work is recognised, it’s easier to support peer-led solutions to violence. Sex worker organisations often:

• Share bad client lists and safety alerts
• Provide crisis support and counselling
• Train workers on boundary-setting and self-defence
• Push for policy change based on lived experience

But these efforts are often underfunded, undermined, or ignored — precisely because sex work isn’t taken seriously as labour. Recognition means giving these efforts the respect and resources they deserve.

Whose Work Counts?

It’s important to note that many sex workers exist at the intersections of other marginalised identities — and are doubly impacted by a lack of recognition. Trans women, migrants, disabled people, and people of colour often face compounded discrimination, which increases their vulnerability to violence.

When we talk about recognising sex work, we must also ask: whose labour is acknowledged? Whose safety is prioritised? A truly inclusive recognition of sex work means centring those who are most at risk and ensuring that all sex workers — not just the most socially acceptable — are protected.

The Takeaway

Recognising sex work as real work isn’t radical — it’s necessary. Without legal and social recognition, sex workers are left vulnerable to violence, discrimination and exclusion. But when we treat sex workers as workers, we open the door to safety, dignity and justice.

For more on how to support sex worker rights and end violence, visit the Vivastreet blog.