Themes

Human Rights and Law

PLRI is committed to examining the strengths and weaknesses of international human rights and domestic legal frameworks as they apply to sex work. We aim to evaluate the impact of various international and domestic laws and policies on the human rights of female, male and transgender sex workers and their communities.

Economics and Development

PLRI aims to establish broader understandings of the economics of the sex sector and how they relate to development, human rights and public health.

Migration and Mobility

We seek to understand and articulate the dynamics of economic migration, slavery, people smuggling, debt bondage, unregulated work in informal economies and other factors linked to mobility.

Health and HIV

For the last 25 years the focus of attention on sex workers health has been HIV. However transgender, female and male sex workers and their families are frequently affected by a range of issues that directly and indirectly affect their wellbeing and impact on public health.

Gender and Sexuality

We explore commercial sex as enmeshed in power relationships and economies of desire that are inherent within all sexualities.

Research Ethics and Methods

New research methodologies, standardised language and new systems of ethics are needed to enable better research of sex workers and sex work.