Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Susana Verdinelli
Abstract
Exiting sex work is extremely difficult. Women trying to exit sex work experience cycles of exit and reentry until they finally succeed. Spirituality has been identified as one of the factors that contribute to the exiting process or that help in the decision of not returning to sex work. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore former female sex workers’ perceptions of spirituality during the process of exiting sex work. The integrated model for exiting sex work constituted the theoretical basis for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 15 adult former female sex workers who experienced spirituality as a major force for exiting sex work. Results of coding and thematic analysis indicated that former female sex workers entered sex work because of experiencing several vulnerabilities early in life, which led them to involuntary sex work. Engaging in sex work was traumatic. Spirituality was one of the supportive factors that helped participants consider a different life with a renewed sense of self. Spirituality provided hope, meaning, and a sense of peace with how participants saw themselves. It is hoped that the results can be used for positive social change in the creation and implementation of spiritually based prevention and intervention programs for this population.
Recommended Citation
Hall, Lisa Diane, "Former Female Sex Workers’ Perceptions of Spirituality in Exiting Sex Work" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12700.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12700
