Impact of Social Work with Sex Workers on the Private Sexual Life of the Social Workers

Although occupational influences on the wellbeing of social workers have been recognized, influences on the private sexuality or intimate relationship(s) remain unknown. This research addresses how social workers that specialize in offering support to people working in the sex industry, experience impact on their own private sexual lives. The author is a social work practitioner, working with sex workers and victims of human trafficking at NGO Stichting Humanitas in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Furthermore, she works as a social work teacher and coach at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. After having experienced sexual occupational influences herself, but at the same time having observed a taboo on the topic among colleagues within and outside of the organization, this research topic was chosen. Literature study (presented at SWSexuality16) was followed by interactive model building, an anonymous survey and a focus group. Analysis was largely inductive qualitative with quantitative elements.

Results indicate a high prevalence of both positive and negative sexual occupational influences - respectively 87% and 85% - among the practitioners. Regarding positive influences at the intrapersonal level, most commonly the social workers describe that they have become more broad-minded in exploring their own sexuality or sexual behaviour. At interpersonal level the positive influence that was indicated most often was that they are communicating more easily about sexuality with their partner(s). In the area of negative influences at intrapersonal level, the most common influence is the experience that due to the work they occasionally are not in the mood for sexuality or intimacy when they would want to be. At interpersonal level, most often it is described that the social workers feel more distrust towards (the loyalty of) their (future) partner(s).

Attention for the topic is considered important for maintaining and improving sustainable employability of the social worker and indirectly the quality of the offered social work services. Although self-care methods are applied, most practitioners do not experience sufficient organizational support to cope with negative sexual occupational influences. They would appreciate acknowledgement for the intensity of this particular type of work and possible sexual occupational influences. Considering the taboo nature of the topic, outreach information and compulsory periodical checks with an external specialist were recommended as possible helpful methods of care for the social worker. The existence of similar impact on the private sexual life is assumed for social workers working in other areas and with other user groups.