A report authored by Spanish anthropologist Irene Adán has just been released by the Organization of Sex Workers (Organización de Trabajadoras Sexuales). It surveyed 1068 sex workers in Madrid about their experiences with “sexual violence” broadly construed: over 70% of those surveyed had clients attempting to remove condoms without their consent, and over 40% encountered clients photographing them without consent, and a similar number reported clients paying less than the negotiated price for services. Although sex work is generally decriminalized and unregulated in Spain, local ordinances often restrict street-level work and occasion police harassment; 30% said they experienced inadequate assistance by authorities after reporting acts of violence. Migrant women with an irregular legal status are especially vulnerable. This population already faces serious challenges with equal access to social services and health care. Given the indifference or hostility of police, community networks that share information about bad clients appear to be the best support sex workers have.
Violence Against Sex Workers
