Understanding Sex Work: Staying Safe and Finding Support

Posted on April 14, 2025

In recent years, the rising cost of living has driven more university students to seek part-time jobs to help cover their expenses. Among the various types of work students take on, some engage in sex work—a choice that is often misunderstood, stigmatized, and rarely included in broader conversations about student employment.

The reality is that sex work has always been a part of society, and it continues to be a reality for many people today. Whether or not we engage in it ourselves, we all have a role to play in making sure that sex workers are treated with dignity, respect, and safety, and that begins with learning more. That means understanding the issues faced, challenging harmful stereotypes, and supporting policies that protect everyone’s rights. We never know when someone we care about might be involved in sex work—or when we ourselves might consider it as a form of employment—so creating a culture of non-judgment, empathy, and safety benefits everyone.

Keep reading to learn: what sex work is, and some statistics and thoughts around who is engaging in it and why. This article will also explore some important considerations before engaging in sex work, and how harm reduction principles can help to keep sex workers safe.

What is sex work?

Pace Society, a Vancouver-based organization that provides education, support and advocacy for sex workers, defines sex work as “the exchange of intimacy, affection, emotional or physical labour, fetishistic or sexual acts for material goods.” This could include those who engage in outdoor street-level sex work, and those who do so more privately either at home, at a commercial venue, or online through sites such as OnlyFans and Seeking.

Who is doing sex work?

There is a very diverse representation within the field of sex work. In Canada, the people who are choosing to engage in sex work come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, “encompassing a range of ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, education and income levels” (Benoit, 2021). Research has shown that the majority of people engaging in sex work identify as women (both cis and trans), although cis and trans men also participate. Additionally, there is overrepresentation of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and Indigenous people, highlighting the intersectional factors at play.

There is limited data when it comes to sex work in the post-secondary context, however, studies have suggested that 2-7% of post-secondary students across the globe participate in various kinds of sex work. While some may engage in prostitution, it is estimated that more students engage in other forms of sex work such as webcamming, phone lines, dancing in clubs, online dating, etc. In Canada, a University of Alberta survey found that in 2020, 2.1% of their students had done remote and/or in-person sex work while studying at the university. Another 2.1% of students selected that they were unsure due to the grey area around what constitutes sex work.

Why do some students participate in sex work?

While researchers do not know exactly why Canadian students participate in sex work, there are many potential reasons why some people are choosing sex work to support their income. For example, sex work may be chosen for a variety of reasons such as a flexible work schedule, potentially higher wages than service industries like retail or food, the experience of financial stress and difficulties, not having to report to a supervisor, or due to enjoyment.

However, sex work is less of a choice for some students. Factors such as the lack of employment opportunities, negative work experiences, chronic illness, or past exploitation, abuse, or abandonment can make sex work feel like the only option. Even though sex workers do not receive benefits such as employer-provided health care, vacation or retirement packages, it can still seem like a useful part-time job for university students facing a high amount of debt. For international students who pay much higher tuition fees and have less options for off-campus work, sex work may seem like a lucrative form of employment. However, sex work can be a dangerous job if students feel forced into it- otherwise known as “survival sex”. The pressure of student debt can play a significant role in maintaining this cycle, leaving students vulnerable to dangerous situations in their efforts to make ends meet.

Considerations of Sex Work

In recent years, sex work has been glorified by many influencers who flaunt their unrealistically high income from engaging in part-time sex work. However, many of these influencers do not give the full story or address the negative or difficult aspects of the job along with their perceived benefits. Not all experiences within the sex work industry are those of success, wealth, and fame. Some considerations to think about before engaging with sex work include:

Comfort: Consider how comfortable you are with the work and how it may affect your personal comfort and safety. Whether online or in-person, managing your identity and personal boundaries is essential for your well-being.

Legality / Ethics: Understand the legal complexities surrounding sex work, including how it may be viewed by society, the criminal justice system, and those close to you. Ethical concerns also play a significant role, particularly regarding empowerment versus exploitation debates.

Pay: Consider how much money you realistically expect to make and the challenges of building a platform, such as on OnlyFans, which often requires significant publicity to succeed.

Workload: Think about how many hours you will need to work to earn money and how this fits into your overall schedule, especially if you’re balancing university work.

Future Employment: Be aware that engaging in sex work may impact future employment opportunities, especially if you’re pursuing a professional career that could be influenced by the stigma associated with sex work.

Health: Reflect on the health risks involved, both physically and emotionally, and whether you have access to necessary healthcare, support services, and safety precautions. The criminalization of sex work may increase the risk of violence and sexually transmitted and blood borne illnesses. For more information on risks, check out this article: A Public Health Approach to Sex Work | Canadian Public Health Association

Safety: Understand the safety risks associated with sex work, whether online or in-person. Ensure you have a plan to stay safe, protect your privacy, and establish boundaries.

Current & Future Relationships: Consider how your relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners may be impacted by your engagement in sex work, and how to navigate conversations about your work with those close to you.

Recommendations and Harm Reduction

Some harm reduction practices that might be helpful to those choosing to engage in sex work include:

Always using barrier protection (such as condoms).

Ensure you bring your own barrier protection and don’t rely on the customer to provide it.

Ensure you get routine health tests such as STBBI (sexually transmitted and blood borne infections) tests and physicals (including pap smears for those with a vagina/front hole).

Always share your location with someone who cares about you.

Have them check in on you if they haven’t heard from you in a certain time period.

Never share information about (or photos of) your address, school, or class schedule.

If possible, don’t share your face in any sexually explicit images to protect your identity.

Keeping an open dialogue around sex work is an amazing way to support ourselves and those around us who want to learn about the industry and those with lived experience who may be struggling with stigma.

Student sex workers and allies who are looking for support or more information are encouraged to reach out to Maggie’s Toronto, Sex Workers’ Action Program (SWAP) Hamilton, or Butterfly Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network.

The Student Wellness Centre also provides sexual health education, information on testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and confidential counselling. Call 905-525-9140 ext. 27700 to book an appointment.