Health policies for sex workers: Health, safety, and the sex industry

Authors

  • Matheus Madson Lima Avelino Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) – Natal (RN), Brasil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1795-0403
  • Matheus Oliveira Lacerda Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) – Natal (RN), Brasil.
  • Eliana Costa Guerra Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) – Natal (RN), Brasil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8368-488X
  • Maria Ângela Fernandes Ferreira niversidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) – Natal (RN), Brasil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6142-948X

Keywords:

sex work, worker health policy, social determination of health

Abstract

This theoretical essay examines sex work and its intersections with occupational health policies, framed by the thematic axes of the 5th National Conference on Workers’ Health. It aims to discuss how contemporary sex work impacts the health-disease process and healthcare access for sex workers, while analyzing how sexual market dynamics generate political, social, and health demands for these individuals. The study advocates for addressing sex work through an expanded perspective that incorporates labor relations of production and social markers of difference, arguing for its cross-cutting integration into health policies as a strategy to legitimize sex work while ensuring rights and citizenship.

Saúde em Debate v. 48, n. especial 2, ago, - Saúde do Trabalhador e da Trabalhadora como Direito Humano: rumo à 5ª CNSTT2025

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Published

2025-08-14

How to Cite

1.
Avelino MML, Lacerda MO, Guerra EC, Ferreira M Ângela F. Health policies for sex workers: Health, safety, and the sex industry. Saúde Debate [Internet]. 2025 Aug. 14 [cited 2026 May 9];49(especial 2 ago). Available from: https://www.saudeemdebate.org.br/sed/article/view/10528

Issue

Vol. 49 No. especial 2 ago (2025): Workers’ Health as a Human Right: towards the 5th CNSTT

Section

Essay

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Saúde em Debate

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Data statement

  • The research data is contained in the manuscript