Spiritual Journeys: Navigating desistance from street prostitution and substance use with help from a higher power

• In Event: Impact of Criminal Legal System Involvement on Drug Use and Other Health Outcomes

Abstract

Women who engage in street prostitution and substance use are highly marginalized. When they exit prostitution, they have few resources available to them. One resource, which has been little explored, is support from a higher power. The current research addressed this gap by interviewing 29 women formerly engaged in street prostitution and substance use about their views on God and spirituality. Women were recruited from five agencies, both religious and secular, for women with substance use disorder. The results demonstrate that women receive support from a higher power in the form of love, hope, and a sense of purpose; advice via prayer; and divine inspiration. The direct connection with a benevolent God, regardless of participants’ denomination, was more helpful than social religious practices such as going to Church. I argue that leaning on spirituality can help women exiting street prostitution practice positive religious coping. This study makes a contribution to the role and importance of individual religious practices apart from communal religious practices and social ties formed with a religious community. The implications are that programs assisting women exiting street prostitution should encourage women to find and engage with spirituality in their exiting journeys.

Author

• Nili Gesser, Drexel University