Abstract
Various researchers have used different lenses to frame the social reality and everyday experiences of sex workers. More often, the language and lens used to describe sex workers may not necessarily accurately reflect their subjective experiences as workers. Consequently, there is a lack of understanding and knowledge about the subjective experiences of sex workers. Therefore, this study explored the lived experiences of sex workers in Pretoria central, South Africa. The primary purpose of this study was to acquire an in-depth understanding of the experiences of sex workers who ply their trade in the Pretoria central area by exploring their daily experiences as they reflect on their own reality and subjectivity to give meaning to their experiences.
This study took a phenomenological approach within the broader qualitative paradigm. A purposive sampling method was employed, and six women aged 18 and older and currently working as sex workers in the central Pretoria area and attached to Lerato House were interviewed regarding their lived experiences of sex work. Interviews were conducted at Lerato House, situated in the central area of Pretoria in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Semi-structured interviews facilitated by open-ended questions were used. The transcripts were then analyzed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework suggested by Smith, Flowers, and Larkin. Each participant's transcripts' analysis revealed seven master themes, most supported by superordinate themes. The master themes are as follows: 1) Life as a sex worker, (2) The experiences of pervasive violence associated with sex work, (3) The experiences of being disregarded or not taken seriously as a sex worker, (4) The experiences of being treated as an outcast by society, (5) The impact of sex work on personal relationships, (6) The impact of sex work on personal relationships, and (7) Coping mechanisms.
The participants in this study reported that their caregivers were physically and emotionally absent, leaving them feeling neglected and prone to abuse. As a result of the lack of support, the participants described experiencing financial deprivation, which prompted them to enter and remain in the sex work industry. While working in the sex industry, they were subjected to pervasive violence in the form of physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse from their clients, police officers, colleagues, pimps, and other community members. The financial benefit that sex work provided them and the ability to provide for their families were among the positive experiences recounted by the participants.
Keywords: Sex workers; Lerato House; Pretoria Central; South Africa; Lived Experiences; Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA); Phenomenology.