The role of social location in shaping johns' perceptions and reported treatment of female sex workers

Western Feminists have long debated the circumstances under which sex work can either be empowering or detrimental for sex workers. It has been argued that prostitution studies often lacked feminist theory, while theoretical work has failed to engage with the empirical. Recently, more comprehensive studies have emerged, but many still do not take into account the demand for sex. This research considers johns' perceptions and reported treatment of sex workers. Rather than regarding johns as a unitary group, I use Connell's masculinities theory and Collins' concept of the matrix of domination, to draw on semi-structured interviews with johns. The analysis takes into account how a john's location within the matrix may influence his perception and treatment of a sex worker based on her perceived social location. I suggest implications of the research as well as new areas for future research.