Sexual activity is usually considered an intimate activity between partners that is carried out to express their love, affection, passion, and attraction towards each other. Sexual acts are also used for procreation, recreational purposes, and therapy.
Some people consider it a form of employment whereby they sell their body to earn money. These individuals are known as sex workers or prostitutes who have been practicing this job since ancient times. In most countries, sex work is illegal but tolerated or legalized under strict conditions such as licensing and regular medical checkups. There has been significant research done on how emergency events affect different industries globally, including sex work. Emergencies could be natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc., or man-made disasters like warfare, terrorism, epidemics, and pandemics. While these calamities may not directly cause destruction in the sex industry, they have indirect effects that cause sexual workers to lose clients or experience unstable working hours.
The effect of emergencies on sex work is evident during epidemic situations when governments impose restrictions on movement and social distancing measures. People avoid physical interactions with others since they fear catching diseases and spreading them further. This negatively impacts the income of sex workers who rely on physical contact with their customers to make money.
Some prostitutes can still conduct online sex work through video chats and phone calls. The COVID-19 outbreak is an excellent example whereby the government imposed lockdowns causing reduced demand for commercial sex services.
Sex workers reported that during the initial weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, there was a drop of up to 75% in business, leading to financial difficulties.
Natural disasters also have adverse impacts on sex work due to loss of property and homelessness among citizens.
After a major earthquake in Haiti, there were reports of many people losing their homes and shelters, which resulted in increased poverty levels in the country. As a result, more men opted to visit brothels to seek solace from the trauma caused by natural disasters. In addition, displaced persons are forced to engage in sex work as they struggle to find alternative ways to earn a living. Sex workers operating in such conditions have limited sources of revenue because of economic instability, violence, and disease outbreaks that discourage potential clients from seeking their services.
Terrorism and warfare affect the sexual industry in several ways, including rape cases and violence against women. Women may be abducted or subjected to human trafficking when terrorists take over an area. According to researchers, most victims suffer psychological trauma due to these incidents, hence reducing their interest in having intimate relationships with anyone, let alone accepting money for doing it. Terrorism can cause displacement, killing loved ones, and creating a hostile environment where sex workers cannot offer their services safely. It is challenging for them to continue working since terrorist groups kill both buyers and sellers of commercial sex.
Emergencies like epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters, and man-made disasters greatly impact the sexual industry.
Sex workers can adapt to the new situation by changing their business models to include online activities through social media platforms and phone calls. This strategy enables them to reach out to clients remotely without necessarily meeting them physically. The government should support the affected individuals by offering them loans or grants to start other ventures if this option fails to work effectively.