We are pleased to invite you to the public defence of CRiS-researcher Pia Struyf's doctoral thesis in Criminological Sciences 'High heels, high risks? Qualitative research on occupational risk and police relations among female escorts in Belgium and the Netherlands.'
Practical information
The defence will take place on the 18th of November at 10:00 AM in the Promotiezaal D 2.01.
Following the defence, you are warmly invited to join us for a reception to celebrate Pia's achievement.
Register here before the 6th of November for the reception.
Abstract
In recent decades, escort work has developed into an increasingly significant yet comparatively under-studied segment of the sex industry. Due to the individualized and largely hidden nature of this sector, there has been little academic analysis of escorts’ experiences with occupational risks and escorts’ relationship with law enforcement. This dissertation therefore begins with an extensive reflection on the challenges associated with recruiting and motivating escorts to participate in scientific research. Ultimately, 28 in-depth interviews were conducted with cisgender female escorts working in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The findings of this study indicate that escorts encounter a range of occupational risks, including harassment, discrimination, and physical or sexual violence. At the same time, most escorts perceive these risks as inherent to the occupation, and rarely consider them to outweigh the positive aspects associated with their work. From a feminist edgework perspective, escort work emerges as a form of voluntary risk-taking in which escorts actively navigate multiple boundaries, such as those between control and loss of control, and safety and vulnerability. To manage these risks, escorts employ a variety of safety mechanisms developed through experience, including client screening, maintaining personal boundaries, and emotional management. These practices highlight escorts’ agency and professionalism, while also illustrating the complexities of working within a stigmatized context.
When occupational risks escalate into victimization, however, escorts’ willingness to report incidents to the police remains low. Based on both the international literature and the empirical findings, four fears were identified that shape this reluctance: fear of punishment, fear of maltreatment, fear of exposure, and fear of impunity of the offender. These fears are shaped by both personal experiences with law enforcement and broader perceptions of the police, with negative experiences outweighing positive interactions. This contributes to low levels of trust in the police, even in Belgium and the Netherlands where the sex industry is, respectively, decriminalized and legalized. The findings suggest that, even within comparatively permissive legal contexts, structural and perceptual barriers to reporting persist.
This dissertation demonstrates that, although escorts actively manage occupational risks and develop strategies to mitigate them, structural barriers, stigma, and limited trust in law enforcement continue to undermine their willingness to report victimization, thereby reinforcing their vulnerability within an individualized and largely hidden work environment.