It’s still common to refer to sex workers through the direct or indirect use of terms connected to human trafficking or sexual exploitation.
However, when misinformation or stereotypes about the industry spread, including through bad headlines, unjust and unsafe conditions for sex workers continue.
How do bad headlines hurt sex workers?
Poorly thought out headlines can harm im/migrants engaged in sex work in multiple ways:
- Dehumanization and risk to sex workers’ safety
- Proliferation of negative stereotypes
- Contribution to societal stigma
When writing headlines about im/migrant sex work, journalists should think about the following:
- Context – how might this headline be interpreted?
- The sex worker’s voice – is this how the person engaged in sex work would want to be represented?
- Does this headline perpetuate debunked myths or stereotypes about the sex industry and/or im/migrant sex work?
Click the full resource to see some examples of bad headlines and why they don’t work.
for the full list of resources