Social Construction of Sex Work

The book presents the social organization of escort agencies in Poland. The author focuses on analyzing the actions of female sex workers who are seen as active entities co-creating their working conditions. The author discusses the relationships between employees of the premises, namely the women providing sex services, the managers of the agencies and the security workers. Furthermore, she analyses the interactions between sex workers and their clients. The book is addressed to people who are interested in qualitative sociology, and those who would like to understand contemporary escort agencies in Poland. It will be also interesting for employees of organizations which work with people who provide sex services.

PREFACE 9 Chapter 1. RESEARCH PROJECT – ASSUMPTIONS, METHODS, CONTEXTS 15 1.1. Context of the research – indoor sex work in contemporary Poland 15 1.1.1 Escort agencies in Poland 15 1.1.2. The provision of sex services in Poland and legal regulations 19 1.2. Theoretical inspirations for the research 20 1.2.1. Prostitution versus sex work 20 1.2.2. The theoretical perspective of the research 24 1.3. Methodology of the research 28 1.3.1. Ethnographic research and grounded theory methodology – a synergy of methods 28 1.3.2. Data collection techniques 31 1.3.2.1. Observation in escort agencies 32 1.3.2.2. Interviews with sex workers and other agency workers 35 1.3.3. Ethical issues 38 Chapter 2. MANAGING AN ESCORT AGENCY 43 2.1. The organizational framework 43 2.2. Strategies for selecting female workers for escort agencies 45 2.3. Recruitment of female sex workers for escort agencies 49 2.3.1. Additional actions by the bosses 58 2.4. Management styles 62 2.4.1. Oppressive management style 62 2.4.2. A style based on excessive fraternization 68 2.4.3. A style based on distanced professionalism 70 2.4.4. A style based on kind professionalism 71 2.4.5. Management styles – summary 74 2.5. Strategies adopted by female workers in various management styles 74 2.6. Summary 79 Chapter 3. RELATIONS BETWEEN CO-WORKERS – RIVALRY VERSUS COOPERATION 81 3.1. The process of reconstructing a hierarchy in a group of co-workers 81 3.2. The development of relationships between co-workers 88 3.2.1. The positioning of a new female worker 90 3.2.1.1. Reconstruction of the biography of a new worker 90 3.2.1.2. Evaluation of the attitude adopted by the new towards the other female workers 93 3.2.1.3. Estimation of the erotic capital of a new female worker 95 3.2.2. Minimum involvement strategy 96 3.2.3. Hostile actions 100 3.2.3.1. Conditions influencing the course of hostile actions 104 3.2.3.2. Strategies of the new female workers towards hostile actions 106 3.2.4. Pragmatic acceptance 109 3.2.4.1. Rivalry control strategies 110 3.2.4.2. Pragmatic alliances 112 3.2.4.3. Maintaining polite neutrality 113 3.2.4.4. The management of negative emotions 114 3.2.4.5. Professional solidarity 116 3.2.5. Peer groups, emotional relationships and friendships 116 3.3. Teamwork and socialization for sex work 118 3.4. Between rivalry and cooperation – a summary 122 Chapter 4. WORK WITH THE CLIENT IN THE LOUNGE 125 4.1. Strategies for choosing clients in the lounge 125 4.1.1. Selective choice of clients 126 4.1.2. The non-selective approach 135 4.2. Techniques for choosing clients in the lounge 139 4.2.1. Strategic seduction 139 4.2.2. Working to discourage the client 147 4.2.3. Strategic seduction as a group action 148 4.2.4. Strategic seduction and groups of clients 150 4.2.5. Incidents in the lounge – the breakdown of the strategic seduction 153 4.3. Summary 157 Chapter 5. WORK WITH THE CLIENT IN THE ROOM 159 5.1. Dimensions of work with the client 159 5.1.1. Scope of the work with the client 159 5.1.1.1. Working (with/on) the client’s body 159 5.1.1.2. Parapsychological work 161 5.1.1.3. Negotiating the scope of work with the client 165 5.1.2. Negotiating the level of earnings 167 5.1.3. Negotiating the duration of the meeting 173 5.1.4. Work on the relationship 177 5.2. Feeling the client 183 5.3. Scenarios of relations with the client in the room 184 5.3.1. Romance 185 5.3.2. Erotic adventure 188 5.3.3. Sexual service 189 5.3.4. Mechanical sex 190 5.3.5. Scenarios of relations with the client in the room – final remarks 191 5.4. Summary 192 Chapter 6. SECURITY AND SAFETY WORK 195 6.1. Agency managers and the matter of safety 195 6.2. Security guards and work safety 198 6.3. Female workers and work safety 203 6.3.1. Experiencing violence by sex workers in escort agencies 203 6.3.2. Preventive and defensive actions undertaken by female workers 206 6.4. Strategies of female workers towards aggressive behaviors of clients 210 6.4.1. Passive strategy 210 6.4.2. Strategy of active actions 213 6.4.2.1. Gentle persuasion 213 6.4.2.2. Confrontation actions 215 6.4.2.3. Ultimatum 217 6.4.2.4. Degradation of the client 218 6.4.2.5. Emotion for emotion 221 6.4.3. The strategies of female workers towards aggressive behaviors of clients – final remarks 221 6.5. How to deal with difficult experiences 222 6.6. Summary 224 CONCLUSION 225 REFERENCES 231 A LIST OF FIGURES 243 ANNEX 245