“Please Describe a Person who Sells Sex”: (De)humanizing Prototypic Perceptions in the USA
Abstract
Introduction: People who trade sex face violence and discrimination across individual, community, and systemic levels. The goal of the current study is to examine the impact of the terms used for people who trade sex (e.g., sex worker, prostitute, individual who sells sex, whore, escort) on people’s perceptions of individuals who trade sex within the United States. Methods: The current study used a prototype methodology to understand the impact of these terms. Data were collected in 2022 and participants were asked to provide 5 characteristics of each term describing a person who trades sex and designate these characteristics as positive, negative, or neutral. Results: Participants attributed more negative than positive characteristics to people who trade sex, broadly. When describing a Prostitute, an Individual who Sells Sex (ISS), and a whore, participants reported markedly more negative characteristics than when describing a Sex Worker or an Escort. Conclusion: Greater attention to the language used to describe people who trade sex is needed. Policy Implications: At present, the term prostitute and/or prostitution is used consistently in legal statutes and literature. Given the markedly negative perceptions associated with these terms, reforming social and legal policies utilizing this and other stigmatizing terms is warranted.
Publication Title
Sexuality Research and Social Policy
Recommended Citation
Stenersen, M., Pederson, A., Domínguez, S., & Bridges, S. (2023). “Please Describe a Person who Sells Sex”: (De)humanizing Prototypic Perceptions in the USA. Sexuality Research and Social Policy https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-023-00845-9
