In the early twentieth century, abolitionists sought to stamp out sex work by penalizing all involved. In the generation that followed, neo-abolitionists looked at the sex industry from a feminist perspective, claiming that workers were victims caught in a patriarchal matrix. Yet both agreed that sex work was a destructive and corrupting force that should be eliminated.

In this lucid and fearless volume, five academics and activists convey their vision of prostitution as work, albeit stigmatized and marginalized labour. In chapters that consider the nature of sex work, the legal framework that seeks to control the sex industry, the historical debates over its existence, the spectre of human trafficking, and community-based activism from within the industry, the authors assert the central place of sex workers in discussions about their lives and work. This book opposes discourses that position sex workers as victims without agency.

Translated by: Käthe Roth