Dear SAAFE users,
My name is Esme Webb, I am a final year undergraduate student at the University of Bristol. I am writing to you regarding my final year dissertation research. For my dissertation I want to explore why and how escorts are using online communities to socialise, particularly in relation to creating a ?workplace culture?.
I would first like to make clear that I firmly believe that sex work is work and that decriminalisation of sex work is essential. I believe that the ways in which escorts and their clients are using the internet to mediate the exchange of services and as a marketing tool is well researched. However, it appears that the internet is serving a much bigger function, it is being used a place for people to socialise in a similar way to how they might in a more traditional office job. It has been said that for escorts ?online communities replace the office water-cooler? and I hope to further explore this idea. By showing the similarities I hope to show the ways in which sex workers could benefit from having a decriminalized, non-stigmatised and legitimate labour market.
Participants will be asked to complete a short questionnaire about their use of online communities, their motivations, how they are using the internet and what they benefit as well as what they think could be improved. Following this, participants will be asked whether they would like to participate in a follow up phone or skype interview. I have not been allowed by the ethics committee to reimburse participants for their time individually but I will make a donation to SAAFE for every participant that is recruited through the site.
This research is not about prying into the private lives of escorts but about recognizing the ways that the internet is being utilised by escorts and its importance. I hope that participants will find the findings interesting, thought-provoking and useful.
The research has met the requirements of the University of Bristol Ethics Committee including the Data Protection Act 2000. All responses will be anonymous and confidential - participants will not be identified. Participants will be required to give informed consent and can drop out at any time.
I really hope that participants feels that this research will be beneficial to them and the community. If you have any questions or comments about this research, I am very open to them and look forward to your feedback. You can contact me by email: ew12047@my.bristol.ac.uk
The link to the questionnaire is here and should take no longer than 10 minutes https://getfoureyes.com/s/81ncf/
Thank you again and I look forward to hearing from you!
Topic: Survey for Research on Sex Workers use of internet forums. (Read 4977 times)