How Does Auto conception Affects Sex

Workers’ Self Esteem ?

Luis Figueroa, Nancy Padilla, Veronica Lugo,& Myr yeth Rico

Social Problem: Public Health Issue

Sex Workers are vulnerable to STDs /STIs due to the nature of

their work. A sex worker does not exist in a vacuum; it arises
from the interaction between social structures, cultural norms,
and individual and collective perceptions. Its recognition as such
depends on public awareness, social mobilization, and often on
political and academic debate. In the context of sex work in this
study we are interested in discovering how self-imposed stigmas
might impact sex workers’ self esteem.
 Stigma is defi ned:

Stigma is an attribute that conveys devalued stereotypes. Er vin

Goff man classically defi ned stigma as an attribute that is deeply
discrediting. Goff man's broad defi nition of stigma defi nes
incorporates many cotemporar y discredited attributes such as:

• Physical deformities (e.g., race, ethnicity, and religion)

• Blemishes of character (e.g., deafness, blindness, and leprosy)

• Tribal stigmas (e.g., homosexuality, addiction, and mental

illness).
 Erving Goff man’s Stigma Theory

• St ig mas have been demonst rat ed t o have a neg at ive eff ect on sex
wor ke r s' self-concep t and id ent ity for mat ion, accor ding t o Link & Phelan
( 2006). I t led t o var y ing d eg r ees of social isolat ion, fr om d iffi culty
p ar t ak ing in ty pical social int eract io ns d ue t o shame and concealment t o
out r ig ht discr edit ing or exclusion b y ot her s.

• St ig mat izat ion has a det r iment al imp act on sex wor ker s' quality of life,
incl ud ing social isolat ion, employ ment op por t unit ies and fi nancial security.
The social int eract ion descr ibed as "cour t esy st ig ma‖ (st ig ma by
associat i on) places sex wor ker s in t he p ub lic eye. Social r ig ht s aff or ded by
ot her p eop le ar e r out inely denied t o sex worker s, who are also fr equent ly
p or t raye d as ab nor mal "ot her s" (Vanwesenb e
 Conclusion

The stigmatized person, can discover that they feel insecure

about the way they are perceived by others. There is
discrepancy between the virtual identity and the reality of the
individual. When the discrepancy is known or manifested, it
tarnishes their social identity by isolating them; thus, creating
mental barriers making the individual susceptible to a negative
self-image. Thereby, prone to an array of mental health
disorders.