Conditions for Safer Migrant Sex Work

Interview and Network Interpretation

Abstract

This study considers both migrant sex work and trafficking in persons into the sex industry, proposing to go beyond a dichotomous approach and to understand them as one continuum. It enquires which conditions and resources would avoid trafficking and make migrant sex work safer. To do this, we explored relational networks of migrants in the sex trade, in which social resources are said to be embedded. We conducted participatory observations and interviews in France and Japan, created sociograms and interpreted them.

The interpretations revealed the following striking points: 1）conditions of the migrants are significantly impacted by the legal and social settings in the receiving country; 2）in one receiving country, nationality, ethnicity, and residential status in particular impact differently on each of the migrantsʼ conditions; 3）whether they have multiple or scarce nexuses within their networks has a strong impact on their vulnerability; 4）only small numbers of cases clearly indicated the means and purposes of trafficking defined by the Anti-trafficking Palermo Protocol.

The study concludes with answers regarding conditions and social resources to make migrant sex trade safer. Furthermore, it highlights that the state sanctions on migration and prostitution including anti-trafficking measures have not offered any effective protection for migrants in the sex trade and the study gives recommendations to change this.