Exploring Clients’ Expectations of the Physical and Procedural Aspects of Sex Workers’ Services and the Resulting Impact on Sex Workers

Abstract

Background: Currently in Canada, sex work is criminalized under Bill C-36. Since sex work is not considered legal work, it has been underresearched as a form of labour. Researching sex work as a form of labour would further the understanding sex workers’ work environments and needs within a labour context.

Aims: The aim of this study was to uncover what clients’ expectations of the physical and procedural aspects of sex workers’ services are, how these expectations are formed, and how these expectations impact sex workers.

Methods: Data was collected from an online discussion/review board called TERB (Toronto Escort Review Board) and was analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis method.

Results: The findings suggested that clients and sex workers tended to have conflicting expectations of the physical and procedural aspects of sex workers’ services and that clients in the TERB community often relied on client reviews to form their expectations. Clients also formed their expectations based on the expectations they had of other non-sex work services, their own desires, and their knowledge of the law. Client expectations tended to have various negative impacts on sex workers and this highlighted the importance of having formal established rules, boundaries, and procedures in place in order to manage these expectations.