Protecting Whom, Why, and from What? The Dutch Government’s Politics of Abjection of Sex Workers in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Sex workers in the Netherlands experienced severe financial and social distress during the COVID-19 health crisis. Notwithstanding them paying taxes over the earnings, they were excluded from government financial support, faced discriminatory treatment concerning safe reopening, and experienced increased repression and stigmatization. In this contribution, I explore whether the concept of “vulnerability” contributes to understanding (and addressing) that situation. Data acquired through participatory action research, partly taking place online during lock-down measures, and literature and content analysis show that labeling sex workers “vulnerable” deflects attention away from the (in)actions of Dutch authorities responsible for sex workers’ precarious conditions during the pandemic. Government denial and strategies of abjection explain these conditions better than “vulnerability” does, as they return the gaze to actors and processes accountable for sex workers’ exclusion and criminalization during the COVID-19 health crisis and thereby put responsibility where it belongs.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)217-239
Number of pages23
JournalHuman Rights Review
Volume24
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Jun 2023
EventWorkshop on Approaches to Vulnerability in Times of Crisis
- Institute for Human Rights, Åbo Akademi University (online), Turku, Finland
Duration: 19 Feb 202119 Feb 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).

Keywords

  • Netherlands
  • Pandemic crisis
  • Prostitution policy
  • Sex work
  • Strategies of abjection
  • Vulnerability

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