Conducting Criminological Practitioner Research with Sex Workers in Switzerland

Abstract

AbstractResearch with sex workers presents a series of methodological and ethical challenges that need careful consideration. Sex workers are a heterogenous group that has been studied by criminologists mostly in countries where sex work is illegal. Here, we address the methodological and ethical considerations of conducting research as an early career researcher and research practitioner in Switzerland, a country where sex work is legal. Based on three studies between 2017 and 2021 with roughly 140 sex workers, we discuss the need for pragmatism and adaptation to the study’s population. We argue that the researcher or research team needs to cover linguistic and ethnic requirements to access the participants and the figure of researcher–practitioner might allow both the deep understanding of the context and the higher acceptance of the research by the sex workers. Observations, interviews, and surveys are complementary, and they need adaptation. The safety of the researcher and the participants, flexibility, and emotional intelligence are vital topics to be discussed in protocols that address the research with sex workers.