Critically evaluate why sex workers are vulnerable to violence

This essay will critically evaluate why sex workers are vulnerable to violence. It will examine sex workers in the UK in comparison to other countries such as Europe and USA. This essay shall define what prostitution is in the eyes of law and it will look at whether or not prostitution is a form of `work`. Statistics on the amount of sex workers in the uk  shall be discussed in this essay also highlighting the risks on this type of work. Moving on from this, outdoor sex work and indoor sex work will also be defined, risks shall be taken into account whilst discussing indoor and outdoor sex work. Roles of pimps and boyfrineds shall be discussed in relation to the risks they have on sex workers. The case of Yorkshire Ripper and the Ipswich will also be investigated within this essay. Furthermore, the role of male clientes and the community will be looked at when involved in sex work and explore whether or not the indiviusual who is involved in the sex work has `culpability` or not. Whilst dissucsing `culpability`, the pharse shall be defined in general and shall be defined refered to sex workers. Labelling theory and stigmatisation will be analaysed in this essay.  Finally, the essay shall analyse sex workers as `victims` and sex workers as `workers` which will be supported by the views of feminist`s, radical and marxit theories.

Before exploring the reasons why sex workers are vulnerable to violence, the word prositution needs to be defined in order to get a greater understanding of what prositution actually is.  The Sexual Offences Act 2003 defines prositution as,“it is an offence for a person in a street or public place to solicit another (B) for the purpose of obtaining B`s sexual services as a prostitute. The reference to a person in a street or public place includes a person in a vehicle in a street or public place” (Sexual Offences Act, 2003).