Desired Social Distance from College Students Engaged in Sex Work or 'Dirty Work'

• In Event: Navigating Sex Work: Stigma, Identity Formation, and Crime Policy

Abstract

There is not an abundance of literature that empirically validates assumed variations in the degree of stigmatization across stigmatized statuses. This analysis uses Likert scale measures to determine the extent to which there is variation in the stigma associated with involvement in sexualized work. In this study we investigate college students’ desired social distance from a classmate who works in various forms of sex work and another occupation that could be deemed “dirty work.” Students taking Social Deviance, a required course for all students with majors in Criminology, were presented short vignettes describing a 22-year-old, full-time college student who has supported herself over the last two years by working as an online escort, a stripper, an actor in adult films, or a server at Hooters. Comparisons are made according to whether subjects had a major in Criminology (and, if so, whether they are pursuing corrections or law enforcement careers vs other career paths in the CJS) and sex.

Authors

• Carrie M. Trojan, Western Kentucky University

• Matt Pruitt, Western Kentucky University