Don women involved in the sex industry find it sexually liberating and a glamorous career choice?
Mainstream media outlets glamorise the “porn star” life and focus on the media friendly story of the “Belle du Jour” fantasy of a successful and glamorous call girl. Instead of showing the realities of lap dancing, page 3 or prostitution, the media focuses on discussions on women’s choice to participate in the sex industry. More focus must be placed on the actual harm experienced by individual women as well as the broader cultural harm of normalising an industry which thrives on gender inequality and the objectification of women. Empowered sex “workers” represent the minority of women involved in the sex industry. Most of those involved in the industry are struggling with addiction issues, poverty, mental health issues, abuse from a partner or childhood abuse. It is survival behaviour. It is these women who form the true invisible majority.
