Childhood Sexual Abuse as a Risk Factor for Subsequent Involvement in Sex Work

Abstract The following paper is a review of research studies examining the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and subsequent involvement in sex work. The vast majority of research studies in this area are conducted on primarily female street-based prostitutes; however, there has been a recent emergence of studies focused on male, predominantly gay/bisexual, participants. Also, more studies have begun to include mixed gender samples and non-sex worker comparison groups. Highlights of the paper include a critique of studies reporting a prevalence of CSA, the intervening effects of family environment, runaway behavior, and abuse characteristics, and a brief overview of research on other sex worker populations. Limitations as well as contributions of current studies are underscored and directions for future research are indicated.