Conclusion

This concluding chapter elaborates on some of the continuities, differences, themes, and issues that emerged from our analysis of sex work and prostitution third sector organizations (TSOs) in the three regions. First, it discusses how TSOs have variously mobilized the enduring political capital of prostitution. It then illustrates disconnects between abstract debates regarding the sex trade’s essential nature and the on-the-ground realities facing TSOs. Next, it examines how interactions between dominant and oppositional groups mutually shape encounters between one another as well as each group’s understanding of its own identity. The chapter then explores the credibility deficit that has historically faced sex worker rights TSOs and continues to shape their activism. It concludes with an exploration of future directions for sex work and prostitution TSOs and the researchers interested in their work.