This paper contrasts dominant feminist representations of prostitution - often characterized by disembodiment and disengagement - with the lived, embodied experiences of fifty-three street-based sex workers in San José, Costa Rica. Drawing on their testimonies, the author emphasizes the need to situate sex work within both global and local contexts, highlighting how prostitute sexuality is shaped by intersecting forces such as patriarchy, global inequality, and community dynamics. The findings challenge reductive feminist narratives and call for more nuanced, context-sensitive understandings of sex work. This publication may be useful to anti-trafficking practitioners in Costa Rica seeking to better understand the agency, constraints, and socio-political contexts shaping the experiences of women in the street-based sex trade.
Year of Publication: 1998
Author(s): Pamela Downe
