Navigating Violence and Stigma: Exploring Victimization and Its Consequences in Male Sex Work

• In Event: Transactional Sex and Victimization in Spain: Risk Factors, Experiences, and Public Perceptions

Abstract

This research project delves into the understudied area of victimization among male sex workers (both cis and transgender), aiming to understand the various challenges faced by this group. While academic literature predominantly focuses on female sex workers, this study addresses the scarcity of information on their male counterparts, who account for only 10% of relevant publications. Moreover, the few existing studies in this field often rely on stereotypical assumptions and lack empirical grounding in the research context. For instance, the notion that potential violence between men is equal, and therefore victimization is unlikely, remains largely unexamined.
Focusing on the city of Barcelona and collaborating with various social organizations working in this field from different perspectives, this project seeks to unravel the complexities of male sex work. Using a qualitative methodology through in-depth, open-ended interviews, the study aims to investigate the social, health, lifestyle, and risk-related challenges that male sex workers face in Barcelona.

Authors

• Marc Balcells, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

• Pablo Romero-Seseña, Universitat de Barcelona

• Patricia Hernández-Hidalgo, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya