Research

2016 »

Sex workers who provide services to clients with disability in New South Wales, Australia 2016.
Sydney University, Masters by Research by Rachel Wotton

Aims: Sexuality and sexual needs/desires of people with disability have historically been overlooked amongst the general public. Long standing social attitudes and stereotypes have fundamentally dictated that people with disabilities cannot and should not express their sexual agency. In particular, when people with disability have sought to express their sexual needs via the services of a sex worker, this has tended to provoke much social and political ire. This research is an exploratory study about sex workers who provide services to clients with disability. The aim of this research is to identify the nature and extent of such activities to produce empirical data to support anecdotal evidence and recent emerging research in this field.

Follow this link to access the abstract and a PDF of the full research via Sydney Digital Theses (Open Access).


2015 »

The Subversion of Progressive Intent: The Realities of Sex Work Policy: When and How It Is Enforced

Touching Base commissioned the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) to conduct a 2 phase research project investigating how Metropolitan Sydney Councils regulate their local sex industry premises.

Phase 1 covered restrictions in zoning options for commercial Sex Services Premises and Home Occupation (Sex Services) areas. See the important findings in the Phase One Fact-Sheet

Phase 2 investigated complaints and enforcement actions. Here is a link to the Phase Two Fact-Sheet and a link to the Full Report and Appendices covering Phases One & Two

Below is Australian research that examines attitudes, barriers and training needs of service providers to people with disability here in NSW as well as  research examining the sexual behavior, sexual esteem and sexual satisfaction of people with a broad range of physical disability with varying levels of both severity and duration.

 

2003 » Sexual Esteem, Sexual Satisfaction, and Sexual Behavior Among People With Physical Disability (PDF 59kb) – Marita P. McCabe, Ph.D. and George Taleporos, B.A.(Hons.), G.Dip.(Ed. Psych., Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 32, No. 4, August 2003, pp. 359–369. The aim of this study was to examine the sexual behavior, sexual esteem, and sexual satisfaction of people with a broad range of physical disability with varying levels of both severity and duration. This study investigated the association between the severity and duration of physical disability and sexual esteem, sexual depression, sexual satisfaction and the frequency of sexual behavior. A total of 1,196 participants completed the study.

2002 » Touching Base Survey
Touching Base Survey of service providers to people with a disability – exploring the barriers to delivering and accessing sex work services. The Touching Base Committee initiated this ground-breaking research that examines attitudes, barriers and training needs of service providers to people with disability here in NSW.

Touching Base endorses The Uluru Statement from the Heart and acknowledges First Nations as the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge, and their continuing connections to land and community. As Australians all, we respect our nation’s First Peoples, their cultures, and Elders of past, present and future generations.