ABSTRACT
Laura Agustín has argued that “research is often used as a weapon … as researchers insist that their local results can be generalized to enormously diverse contexts” (2007: 59). Given the ways in which research is used to support a variety of policies and programs that impact sex workers around the world, it is crucial that research remains both accurate and sensitive to the complexities of a broad range of sex work experiences. One of the primary diffi culties in obtaining accurate and context-sensitive empirical data on sex work experiences is that most researchers approach the fi eld with preconceived notions (and well-meaning intentions) about sex workers and migrants as victims of abuse and exploitation. It is certainly true that sex workers face a variety of occupational hazards and that some deal with human rights abuses as a result of their sex work activities. It is also true that some individuals are forced to work against their will. However, empirical data on sex industries throughout the world illustrate that there is a broad continuum of work experiences and that the vast majority of those who engage in sex work activities do so as a result of poverty and a lack of viable alternatives.
