Leaving the Sex Industry : Obstacles and Incentives

Practiced Activities and Time Spent in the Sex Industry

Accordion Content

The majority of women and girls are active in the sex industry for 2 to 5 years. A minority practice occasional prostitution or are active less than a year.

Here are the numbers concerning the ones that are still in it.

The majority of women and girls are active in the sex industry for 2 to 5 years. A minority practice occasional prostitution or are active less than a year.

Here are the numbers concerning the ones that have left.

The most practiced activity is escorting, at over 50%. The second most practiced is strip dancing.

Activités dans l'industrie du sexe

Excluding those who refused to disclose their situation, 55 % of the respondents who participated in this study were in the sex industry at the time of completing the questionnaire while 45% were no longer involved.

The majority of respondents practice (90%) or have practiced (84%) one to (a maximum of) three prostitution activities.

Figure 5 - Nombre d'activités pratiquées

Incentives For Entry Into The Sex Industry

Accordion Content

Of all those who responded, the two most common reasons for getting into the sex industry were the need for money (70%) and housing (46%).

 

Table-11 - Incitatif contribuant à l'entrée dans l'industrie du sexe

Women and Girls that Have Thought About Leaving the Sex Industry

Accordion Content

Women and girls who have considered leaving the sex industry were dissuaded at the thought of their need for money (64%), their debt (51%), the cost of their basic needs (45%) and housing (34%).

Figure 6 - Obstacles à la sortie de l'industrie du sexe

Women and Girls that Have Tried Leaving the Sex Industry

Accordion Content

Women and girls who have unsuccessfully tried leaving the sex industry identified the need for money (70%) and housing (53%) as the two primary obstacles in leaving.

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Figure 7 - Obstacles à la sortie de l'industrie du sexe

 

Women and Girls that Have Permanently Left the Sex Industry After One or Multiple Attempts

Accordion Content

Incentive to exiting: Concerning the ROSI (first attempt), moving away or leaving the sex industry (57%) is in the first position before the need to be heard, to be believed, not to feel judged ( 48%).

Figure 8 - Leviers de sortie de l'industrie du sexe

Incentive to exiting: Concerning the ROSI (several attempts), to be heard, to be believed, not to feel judged (56%) is in the first position before moving away (51%). Figure 9 - Leviers de sortie

Moving away/leaving the prostitutional milieu(53%), not wanting to feel judged and wanting to be believed and heard (53%), wanting to feel safe (45%), having access and support for obtaining housing or shelter (42%) and having access and support for basic needs (40%) are the five most cited incentives for respondents who permanently left the sex industry.

Figure 10 - Leviers de sortie de l'industrie du sexe

Lack of self-esteem and self-confidence, was an obstacle cited by 38% of respondents who managed to conclusively leave the sex industry after multiple attempts but is only cited by 17% of those who unsuccessfully tried leaving.

Figure 11 - Obstacles à la sortie de l'industrie du sexe

Women and Girls that Have Taken a Break, but Consider Returning

Accordion Content

Among respondents who say they have taken a break from prostitution, 42% report the need to feel safe as one of the reasons for leaving and 38% mention having moved and left the prostitutional environment.

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Figure 12 - Leviers de sorte

Two thirds of women who claim to have taken a break from the sex industry (67%) mentioned the need for money as being the motivating factor in wanting to go back. Debt was the second most common reason at 39%.

Figure 13 - Incitatifs à retourner dans l'industrie du sexe

RISI = Respondents Inside the Sex Industry
ROSI =Respondents Outside the Sex Industry