Conducting Fieldwork with Outreach Groups on Female Commercial Sex Workers in a Metropolitan Area in the United Kingdom: Ethical Challenges

摘要

Drawing upon previous work on female commercial sex workers in the United Kingdom as well as interviews with 144 female commercial sex workers in a metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, this paper has three core aims. First, to explore how ethical considerations that are inevitably encountered in research on female commercial sex workers (FCSWs) are addressed. Second, to review possible strategies concerning research ethics challenges that have been employed during the process of fieldwork. Third, to document possible strategies that can be used to overcome these ethical challenges. Specified guidelines for ethical considerations are embedded in the strategies provided. This paper links ethical challenges and strategies discussed with debates which have highlighted possible myths, stereotypes or misunderstanding on FCSWs.