Editing Sex worker (section)

=== Motivations ===
Sex workers may be any gender and exchange sexual services or favors for money or other gifts.<ref name="Eichert-2022">{{Cite journal |last=Eichert |first=David |title='It Ruined My Life: FOSTA, Male Escorts, and the Construction of Sexual Victimhood in American Politics |url=http://vjspl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/12.2-FOSTA.pdf |journal=Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law |date=12 March 2022 |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=201–245 |access-date=27 July 2020 |archive-date=27 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727191658/http://vjspl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/12.2-FOSTA.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The motives of sex workers vary widely and can include debt, coercion, survival, or simply as a way to earn a living.<ref name="The many faces of sex work">{{Cite journal |last1=Harcourt |first1=C |last2=B Donovan |date=2005 |title=The many faces of sex work |journal=Sexually Transmitted Infections |volume=81 |issue=3 |pages=201–206 |doi=10.1136/sti.2004.012468 |pmc=1744977 |pmid=15923285}}</ref> Sexual empowerment is another possible reason why people engage in sex work. One Canadian study found that a quarter of the sex workers interviewed started sex work because they found it "appealing".<ref name="Givetash">{{Cite news |last=Givetash |first=Linda |date=14 April 2017 |title=Some Sex Workers Choose Industry Due to Benefits of Occupation: Study |work=The Globe and Mail |publisher=Phillip Crawley |location=Toronto |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/some-sex-workers-choose-industry-due-to-benefits-of-occupation-study/article33965010/}}</ref> The flexibility to choose hours of work and the ability to select one's own client base may also contribute to the appeal of sex work when compared to other service industry jobs.<ref name="Givetash" /> Sex work may also be a way to fund addiction.<ref name="Breslin">{{Cite news |last=Breslin |first=Susannah |date=5 August 2011 |title=Why Do Women Become Sex Workers, and Why Do Men Go to Them? |work=The Guardian |location=UK |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/aug/05/payoff-sex-workers-clients-stories}}</ref> This line of work can be fueled by an individual's addiction to illegal substances before entering the industry or being introduced to these substances after entering the industry.<ref name="Breslin" />

For [[Webcam model|camming services]], motivations can vary when engaging in sex with real-life versus virtual partners. A 2023 study found that sex workers providing camming services were more likely to engage in sex with virtual partners for resources and specific types of sexual experiences (e.g., [[Kink (sexuality)|kink]]). In contrast, they engaged in sex more often with real-life partners for physical pleasure, motivated by the physical desirability of their partner, and to express love and commitment. However, for many other motivations, such as stress reduction, self-esteem boost, emotional expression, or utilitarian reasons, there were no significant differences in frequency of engagement with real-life versus virtual partners.<ref name="Kelberga">{{Cite journal |last1=Kelberga |first1=Anna |last2=Martinsone |first2=Baiba |title=Motivation of sex workers who provide camming services to engage in sex with their real-life and virtual partners |journal=Frontiers in Psychology |volume=14 |date=2023 |doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1173902 |doi-access=free |pmid=37469897 |pmc=10352917}}
</ref>

These motives also align with varying climates surrounding sex work in different communities and cultures. In some cases, sex work is linked to tourism. {{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}