Straight: Debate sheds light on students in sex work

…To Ada Sinacore, an associate professor of counselling psychology at McGill University, the issue is much more complex than students wanting to make money. Over the past two years, she’s been doing research on students who pay for their education through sex work. According to her, engaging in this line of work is a last resort. “It’s not to say that all women think it has a negative impact in their life,” Sinacore told the Straight in a phone interview from California. “But it’s not something they are choosing because they think it’s a great way to make a living.” Sinacore added that women who fund their schooling this way face consequences both during their studies and after they finish. Her research indicates that this could include everything from not developing their résumé in their area of study to having a fear of being discovered and stigmatized by potential employers to possible legal ramifications. The above were cited as reasons why women were reluctant to speak openly about their participation in the industry.