Mental health of college sex workers

This study explored the impact of developmental and recent traumas on PTSD, anxiety, and depression among a sample of university students ( N = 410), including students who engaged in sex work during college. Using linear and hierarchical regressions, the study examined whether gender-based violence and potentially exploitative activities in college, specifically sexual assault (SA), sex work, sex trafficking, and intimate partner violence (IPV) contributed to mental health outcomes when controlling for childhood history. Post-traumatic stress ( n = 153) was primarily predicted by more recent SA. In contrast, anxiety symptoms ( n = 410) were more closely tied to child sex abuse (CSA). In a hierarchical model for depression, childhood peer sexual abuse ( p = 0.021), college-era SA ( p = 0.032), and sex work involvement ( p = 0.042) emerged as significant independent predictors. The results underscore the need for holistic, trauma-informed clinical interventions on campuses that address both historical and current stressors, including the specific psychological needs of students involved in sex work.