Third Sector Organizations in Sex Work and Prostitution

"Focusing on the interventions of sex work and prostitution third sector organizations in Africa, the Americas and Europe, this worthwhile scholarly contribution challenges and transforms third sector and civil society scholarship, development studies and the more critical work on humanitarianism. Going far beyond considering how the “rescue industry” affects sex workers, this volume offers an innovative perspective analyzing the factors that shape the interventions of organizations assembled around different understandings of sex for sale. It is an invaluable resource in order to critically reflect about these organizations’ contribution to global circulation of discourses surrounding sex work and prostitution."

Adriana Piscitelli, State University of Campinas

"An eye-opening account and refreshing acknowledgment of the complexities of sex work – even for institutions on the frontlines. This book surfaces the politics of survival in the industry and its impact on both sex workers and the institutions that care for them. In an industry that is often construed as being about survival for sex workers, survival is shown to be equally primal for TSOs. The book outlines the blindsiding challenges of self-reflection and personal truth-telling on the part of TSOs – challenges which must be embraced to effectively mediate the ideological ‘messiness’ of the field. In the current era of radical global change, this book is bound to propel the sex industry toward facing these challenges head-on, and becoming even more attentive to the voices of sex workers."

Chi-Chi Undie, Population Council

"Most research on the sex industry focuses on workers and their customers or on state policies and law enforcement practices. Much less is known about non-governmental organizations and service providers that have routine contact with sex workers. This remarkable book provides a unique comparative analysis of the diverse ways in which these organizations engage with individuals who work in the sex industry. Drawing from cases in Europe, Africa, and the Americas, the authors identify a host of contrasting approaches: in the groups’ overall stance toward sex work, the resources available to them, relations with state agents, and engagement with sex workers on the ground. A terrific contribution to our understanding of third-party interventions in prostitution."

Ronald Weitzer, George Washington University