Survival sex work: vulnerable, violent and hidden lifescapes in the North East of England

This chapter looks at survival sex work and is based on research in the North East1 of England (along with findings from a peer-led project, Voices Heard, 2007). Survival sex is the practice of exchanging sex not only for money but also for a range of essential resources such as accommodation, drugs, food, laundry and tobacco. From our research (Hartworth 2009), we would estimate that over a thousand people are involved in survival sex work within the study area, either full-time or occasionally, both male and female (although predominantly the latter). Here we explore the lifescapes where people exist, why they came to exist there and the reasons why they remain there. Although this study is focused on the North East of England, there are similar populations living in cities across the United Kingdom who share this lifescape.