ABSTRACT
As is the case throughout virtually all of Africa, sex work is criminalized in South Africa under the Sexual Offences Act this criminalization means that all forms of sex work, including the purchasing of sexual services and living off the proceeds of sex work, are illegal. Criminalization and the intense stigma attached to sex work shapes interactions between sex workers and their clients, family, fellow community members, and societal structures such as the police and social services. A resilience-based model of sex work can accordingly provide alternative ways for researchers, advocates, and clinical practitioners to more holistically and accurately conceptualize the challenges that sex workers face. The development and strengthening of relationships among community members, including sex workers, fosters resilience through feelings of connectedness, cohesion, and the development of social capital. Sex workers also described the safety precautions they take in their work, which exemplifies the strengthening effects associated with resilience.
