Bellhouse Clare, Crebbin Susan, Fairley Christopher K, Bilardi Jade E
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Health Science and Psychology, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
School of Health Science and Psychology, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia; Nexus Primary Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
PLoS One. 2015 Oct 30;10(10):e0141575. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141575. eCollection 2015.
Very limited research has been undertaken on sex workers' personal romantic relationships and the impact the nature of their work has on their relationships. This exploratory study aimed to explore the impact sex work has on women's personal romantic relationships and the use of mental separation as a coping mechanism to balance the two aspects of their lives.
Fifty-five women working in the indoor sex industry in Melbourne, Australia, were recruited to complete a self-report questionnaire about various aspects of their work, including the impact of sex work on their personal relationships. Questionnaires were completed anonymously and included both closed and open-ended questions. A further six women were interviewed to 'member check' the accuracy of the questionnaire findings.
Most women (78%) reported that, overall, sex work affected their personal romantic relationships in predominantly negative ways, mainly relating to issues stemming from lying, trust, guilt and jealousy. A small number of women reported positive impacts from sex work including improved sexual self-esteem and confidence. Just under half of women were in a relationship at the time of the study and, of these, 51% reported their partner was aware of the nature of their work. Seventy-seven percent of single women chose to remain single due to the nature of their work. Many women used mental separation as a coping mechanism to manage the tensions between sex work and their personal relationships. Member checking validated the accuracy of the questionnaire data.
This exploratory study identified a number of ways in which sex work impacts negatively on women's personal romantic relationships. The findings of this study support the need for further studies to be undertaken to determine if the findings are reflected in a larger, more representative sample of Australian sex workers and should be considered in the context of any future intervention and support programs aimed at addressing the tensions sex workers experience between their work and personal relationships. Greater public awareness and education programs aimed at addressing the negative stigma associated with the sex industry may go some way towards easing the issues faced by women in their personal relationships.
关于性工作者的个人恋爱关系以及她们工作的性质对其恋爱关系的影响，所开展的研究非常有限。这项探索性研究旨在探讨性工作对女性个人恋爱关系的影响，以及运用心理隔离作为一种应对机制来平衡她们生活的两个方面。
招募了55名在澳大利亚墨尔本从事室内性产业的女性，让她们完成一份关于其工作各个方面的自我报告问卷，包括性工作对其个人关系的影响。问卷是匿名填写的，包括封闭式和开放式问题。另外对6名女性进行了访谈，以“验证”问卷结果的准确性。
大多数女性（78%）报告称，总体而言，性工作对她们的个人恋爱关系产生了主要为负面的影响，主要涉及源于说谎、信任、内疚和嫉妒的问题。少数女性报告称性工作有积极影响，包括性自尊和自信心的提升。在研究进行时，略少于一半的女性处于恋爱关系中，其中51%报告称其伴侣知晓她们工作的性质。77%的单身女性因工作性质选择保持单身。许多女性运用心理隔离作为一种应对机制来处理性工作与其个人关系之间的紧张关系。验证访谈证实了问卷数据的准确性。
这项探索性研究确定了性工作对女性个人恋爱关系产生负面影响的多种方式。本研究的结果支持有必要开展进一步研究，以确定这些结果是否在澳大利亚性工作者的更大、更具代表性的样本中得到体现，并且在任何旨在解决性工作者在工作和个人关系中所经历的紧张关系的未来干预和支持项目中都应予以考虑。旨在消除与性产业相关的负面污名的更高的公众意识和教育项目，可能在一定程度上缓解女性在个人关系中所面临的问题。
