The Lady Classified Project

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Lady Classified Project

Principal Investigator: Juline Koken , Ph.D.
Advisor: Jeffrey T. Parsons, Ph.D.

While the majority of research on female escorts has focused on the mental and physical health risk factors associated with street based or trafficked sex workers, the Lady Classified Project sought to identify the ways in which independent (freelance) female escorts who advertise on the Internet work to maintain their health, safety, and happiness while maximizing their profit in this business.

Specifically, this study used a mixed-methods approach (qualitative interviews as well as a survey) to identify the ways in independent female escorts cope with the stressors associated with performing sex work, manage the impact of sex work related stigma on their personal lives, negotiate safer sex with clients, and the linkages between demographic factors, coping styles, and level of work-related burnout. Data collection was completed in 2008; data analyses are ongoing.

This project was conceived and carried out as Juline Koken’s dissertation research. Dr. Koken successfully defended her dissertation in Social-Personality Psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center in December of 2008. This study was funded through the Pilot Grant Program of the Hunter College Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST).