Thread by @EllyArrow

Since we're once again comparing #prostitution to retail jobs, it doesn't hurt to have a list of disproportionate physical risks of being in the sex trade. This is not to shame women in it or to suggest women's bodies are "broken", but to highlight why these comparisons lag.

Since the recent comparison has centred on cashiers who get arthritis, it's helpful to know that women in the sex trade are at significant risk of chronic joint, back, jaw and wrist pain. The cause of which we don't want to talk about: Sex buyers heavy bodies & aggressive motions

Sex buyers know about this physical damage, btw and talk about it - or rather "complain". "She couldn't do xy cause she's got x pain, so annoying." Trigger warning: Rape and dehumanization.

Disproportionate risk of bruises contusions, wounds, head & facial injuries, pulled muscles, fractures, internal injuries, miscarriages. According to the German family ministry 1 in 5 prostituted women sustains intermediate to heavy physical injury in connection with prostitution

Not so well known may be the reality of oral problems for women in the sex trade: Negative effects on teeth, mouth and jawbone. Some women self-anaesthetize, e.g. using dental numbing sprays to endure painful oral sex. Delayed care for oral health issues can lead to abscesses.

The sex trade is the only "work environment" that can give you vaginal inuries, harm your vaginal ph level and fluid, increasing the risk for inflammation and infection, esp chronic bladder infections. As well as vaginal tears, fissures and an increased risk for cervical cancer.

What is done to women in #prostitution increases their risk for kidney and bladder problems, as well as urine and stool incontinence. Add to that pelvic floor weakness, heavy period pain, irregular menstruation and infertility. The entire abdominal area is at significant risk.

The sex trade is the only industry where you're at risk of injury to your anus and rectum. Add gastrointestinal issues, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, eating disorders, inflamed digestive tracks and destroyed bowel environments. Caused by violent anal sex and frequent enemas.

The gastrointestinal issues and other factors women in the sex trade often suffer affect the effectiveness of contraception. So not only can they suffer side-effects of hormonal contraceptives, including thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, the "job" can cause unwanted pregnancies.

I'm sorry no cashier or office worker or firefighter or soldier or any other thing people do to earn a living will result in an unwanted pregnancy. Breathe and think for a moment what unbelievable pain we're allowing men to cause to women in the sex trade.

Women who are pregnant in the sex trade may or may not live in an environment where they are prepared to bring up the child, may or may not have access to safe abortion, but even if they do how cruel that your "work" would be what forces you to make such a personal decision.

There is a specific demand among buyers of #prostitution for pregnant women, so of course, the market provides. You don't have to be a medical professional to comprehend that the sex trade puts her at disproportionate risk of pregnancy complications and miscarriage.

On to STIs: Many claims exist that women in the sex trade do not have a disproportional risk and I understand the desire to not label women “disease carriers”. Instead look at the person who pays extra, pulls off or refuses to use a condom + passes it on to non-prostituted women.

Women who can lower their risk of STI infection, but there are those who lack access to STI education and/or funds to turn down buyers who push for no condom. Entire forums exist where men look for these women. They're also most likely the ones excluded from scientific studies.

Some STIs are: Gonorrhoea, chlamydia, trichomonads, genital wards, syphilis, hepatitis and of course HIV. If women in the sex trade weren’t at disproportionate risk there wouldn’t be endless campaigns around the issue. These can cause pain and some can very much end in death.

This is not even getting into the psychological symptoms of living in the likely high-stress environment which is the sex trade - the only "work environment" where you are at significant risk of battery, robbery, rape and/or murder at the hands of "customers" and "bosses".

Women in the sex trade are also at disproportionate risk of violence from strangers and police - even when it's legal. And yes, stigma and isolation contribute to mental and physical problems. Still, the biggest group of perpetrators e.g. when it comes to murders are sex buyers.

Unsurprisingly the high risk and high-stress environment of the sex trade (which does not change much when its legalized) can lead to: Chronic exhaustion, memory problems, hair loss, skin eczemas, insomnia, nightmares, depression, panic attacks, PTSD, self-harm and suicide.

It's not a stereotype sadly, but brutal statistical fact that women in the sex trade consume above average amounts of cigarettes, alcohol, pain killers, illegal drugs ranging from hashish to heroin, antidepressants, and more. Yes, some stay clean, but they are few and far between

Sources: prostitutionresearch.com/wp-content/upl…; dieunsichtbarenmaenner.wordpress.com/statistics/ and ellyarrow.wordpress.com/2021/03/29/who…. Read medical sections of “Sex Work Guides”. They include a lot of this & how women should cope. The pro-prostitution movement knows exactly what sex buyers do to women’s bodies and minds.

If you still feel that comparing cashiers to women in #prostitution or pornography is fair, then I don't know how to help you. We should absolutely decriminalize and destigmatize women in the sex trade, but not the system or the (mostly) men who cause this unbelievable harm.

Example of a pro-prostitution source highlighting just how dangerous the sex trade is in terms of additional intentional violence and dehumanization by sex buyers:

https://twitter.com/EllyArrow/status/1431011645845905415

Forgot to mention women being pushed to get plastic surgeries, which carry a myriad of risks, to be able to compete, e.g. as they age or cause a certain body type is popular. This isn't unique to the sex trade, but the rate of surgeries on genitalia is likely disproportionate.

This thread on disproportionate and unique health risks in #prostitution is now available as a blog post: ellyarrow.wordpress.com/2021/11/06/dis… It's a grim read but should be mandatory for anyone who makes the comparison with retail work or otherwise portrays the sex trade as inconsequential.