Sex Workers' Lifestyle Sex Workers' Lifestyle_Final (1) | Page 37

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Low education levels.
Sex workers quite often plunge themselves into the sex industry at a very
early age, mostly driven by their instable financial situation. Henceforth, they
tend to neglect their education, and in many cases they have absolutely
no education at all. The low education levels are frequently related to
risky behavior in sex workers and contribute to a serious lack of obtaining
information regarding their health. Nevertheless, the low education levels
in sex workers could, but does not necessarily influence their behavior or
lifestyle.
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Unsafe living and working conditions.
Sex workers, especially those who work on the outdoor scene, face numerous
issues and difficulties while working, mainly because of the unsafe and insecure
working conditions. The lack of protection which should be guaranteed by
the state institutions, results in serious risk and exposure to violence and
abuse by both clients and the police. There are numerous reasons why sex
workers do this kind of a job – mainly due to finances, livelihood provisions, or
additional income. Regardless of the reasons, the lack of regulated legislature
pertaining to sex work in the Republic of Macedonia, considerably hinders
sex workers’ access to legal, healthcare and social services, and exponentially
expands the risk of exposure to violence and discrimination, which in turn
violates their right to work and safety.
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Exposure to violence by clients.
Sex workers are constantly exposed to violence, extortion and increased
risk of contracting STIs, which in turn results in not having the freedom to
negotiate the use of condoms with their clients. Sex workers live and work
in poor conditions and are afraid to publically fight for their rights. Most
commonly, sexual violence and abuse occur when the client crosses the
boundaries during the sexual act, which were previously determined by
the sex worker. Upon rejection, sometimes clients become violent. This also
happens in occasions when clients either refuse or for any other reason do
not pay for the provided services.
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Stigma and discrimination by mainstream society.
Sex workers are a particularly vulnerable group, which is continually discriminated
and rejected by society. In Macedonia, which is still predominantly conservative,
discrimination is the direct result of ignorance and stigma within the frames of
mainstream society. All of this results in serious negative consequences on sex workers’
life and health.
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