Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2026

Treatment Model for Young Patients with Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction and Resultant Infertility
Published on: May 30, 2025
The motivation and mental health of sex workers
Bella Chudakov1, Keren Ilan, R H Belmaker
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Abstract:
Commercial sex work presents specific mental health concerns. We aimed to study motivation for sex work and mental health issues in a sample of such women. We contacted 55 consenting women through organized brothels and interviewed them using the Farley questionnaire and screening items for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Eighty-two percent of the women had arrived illegally and had been "trafficked." All but 2 were engaged voluntarily in sex work. Seventeen percent met criteria for PTSD, and 19% were likely to be clinically depressed. We present representative case histories. Availability of mental health treatment for workers in the sex industry could improve compliance with HIV prevention programs and enlarge options for women to leave the sex industry. We observed that stereotypes of sex workers as either always having histories of childhood abuse or as being always "happy hookers" were incorrect.
Related Concept Videos
Primary Motives: Sleep, Sex, and Pain Avoidance
Sleep is a fundamental physiological drive that fosters a state of restfulness crucial for several bodily functions. It facilitates body restoration, the process by which the body repairs, rejuvenates, and maintains itself during sleep, including memory...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Social Relationships and Well-Being
Ryan and Deci's Self-Determination Theory
Autonomy is the need to feel in control of one's actions and decisions. For example, a student who chooses their research topic is likely to be more engaged and motivated than one who is...
Self-Help Support Groups
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...