Labour Trajectories and Working Conditions of Sex Workers in Spain

This study examines the labor trajectories and working conditions of sex workers in Spain. Drawing on survey data from 210 participants—primarily women and trans women with prior experience in the formal labor market—the research explores motivations for entering the sex industry, the comparative evaluation of working conditions, and the role of structural inequalities. Findings reveal that participants’ previous employment was often marked by low wages, informal contracts, gender discrimination, and exposure to harassment and violence. In contrast, sex work was frequently described as providing greater income, autonomy, flexibility, and personal agency, despite persistent stigma and legal precariousness. Notably, 87 percent of respondents expressed willingness to formalize their occupation through social security registration if permitted by law. The findings challenge dominant narratives of victimhood, foregrounding the strategic dimension of occupational choice under structural constraint, and advocate for rights-based policy frameworks that recognize sex work as legitimate labor.