Hello,
Do you know students who are involved in lap dancing/stripping/porn/escort services to support their studies?

I am MA student from the University of Westminster and I am working on a project about the financial problems current students have, and how many need to work in the sex industry to earn money towards  their tuition fees and subsistence.
It may be that you are aware of students in the sex industry and can make an introduction or perhaps point me in the right direction.
It is an important story that needs telling and telling in the right way.
I hope you can help.

Best wishes, Maria
kapajeva@yahoo.com

p.s. It is a very delicate area, I know, and I am keen to preserve the dignity of any students who come forward for participation. It goes without saying that students' anonymity will be maintained and any recordings will be discussed with each of the volunteers in advance.

It's true that the tuition fees have risen unless you're a Scottish student in Scotland, but students starting now can be better off than those who started between Labour introducing fees and 2011. If anyone considering university now is being put off, have a read of http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-loans-tuition-fees-changes.

That still leaves day-to-day expenses, and there were people going into sex work to help with those even in the days of no fees and much more generous maintenance grants. I wasn't the only one doing it when I was at university in the 80s. The

why

was obvious. It pays a lot more per hour than a McJob, so you can work many fewer hours for the same income. Nothing has changed about that.

I am doing MA Photographic Studies at University of Westminster.
Doing photography doesn't mean I want to photograph portraits of these people. I do clearly understand the sensitivity of the subject and first of all I would like to meet with people. I can find the ways to present my ideas and your thoughts visually without bringing your faces onto public.

Who is your supervisor, and has your project passed through ethics?

What do you mean about ethics?

Maria: Silly question. What do we gain by doing that?

'doing that'  - do you mean working in escort or participating in my project?

Dear Daisy and Ana,

i can see your point and I understand that you need something back. Unfortunately, i am similar to other poor students and i cannot offer participants money. but I can offer my photography service if somebody needs promotion photos to be taken etc.

I am totally with you in an idea that its not just about the students and it's about the living costs level which makes people to find ways to earn money. that was my absolute start point in research as i personally tired of constant thoughts if i earm enough money in this month to survive etc. when i read about students going in escorting, it arised lots of questions in my head. and they are not about "how dare you are?" - never like that! but the questions about pchychological moment of making that desicion, combination the work with studies and ability to talk about it. i do respect any sort of job and i do respect any person who works! and it doesnt' matter for me what sort of job because all jobs have own market and need. but i do understand that the so-called 'developed society' still cannot accept all sort of jobs its people do! i know that most of people in escort/sex infdustry hide what they do. they never can put their skills or experience in their CVs. and i am not sure how would people react if they would know....for instance.... that their dantist earned his/her degree by working as escort? will they come to him/her again? i don't know! but all these questions make me feel to speak up about them and ask them.
i never work on a projects on which i have all answers with me. actually its all way around - i always start any project with questions and i am trying to keep these questions open during the project. i try to leave for viewers or people who see my project what THEIR answers can be. as an artist/photographer/researcher (call me whatever you want) - i am interested in using my skills and ability to visualize the questions or topics on behalf of someone or try to present the objective sides of the topic. i like to break stereotypes because we live in life full of them and i personally quite suffer from being stereotyped often  for who i am not. So, that is why it is essential and important for me to meet up with peole who involved in this business and talk to them and understand what it means exactly for them. i do not believe that you can do some great project out of the theory only with no evidence.
so, i am not sure if I answer on your question, but what you will gain by participating in it - maybe to help someone who wants to speak up on their behalf and give a chance other people to understand the situation better. besides, i can always offer you a cuppa or lunch

to Strawberry: this is part of my questions nad research as you are right, more and more..lets called "middle class" students are going into escorting to earn extra money. but as well as talking about poor or rich, i don't want to make any conclusion without getting proof of it. i am trying to avoid the generalisation of ideas.

To casey_kisses: I do use the primary academic research which has been done by some other people and they shared their results and publications with me. Talking about "an art project" I wouldn't agree with you on a  statement that art project cannot arise social or political debates. I do believe that art in one of the ways to speak up  about social/political/etc issues  and I can give you lots of samples when the artwork provoked such kind of debates. Moreover, I do believe in my own art and my personal interst in photography and art is not just to do it for its sake but to arise the questions which our society have, to open debates.
Anyway, it is your choice, thank you!
Best wishes