Public Perceptions of Deviance: Stereotypes and Predispositions of Sexual Assault Against Sex Workers

Chantal Davage

This thesis investigates how education and awareness can transform societal and institutional perceptions of sex workers as legitimate victims of sexual violence. Despite legislative progress toward decriminalisation in several Australian jurisdictions, enduring stigma continues to marginalise sex workers within legal, health and social systems. Drawing on critical social theory, intersectionality and feminist epistemology, the study situates sex work within broader sociological discussions of deviance, moral regulation and gendered labour. Through qualitative content and discourse analysis of media texts, policy documents, court judgments and public reports, the research examines how language and representation sustain moral hierarchies and credibility bias. A comparative jurisdictional analysis explores how differing political and legal frameworks influence public and institutional responses to sex work. The study argues that law reform alone cannot dismantle the ideological and historical structures that perpetuate stigma. Instead, it positions education as a transformative tool for cultural change, capable of disrupting inherited moral frameworks and fostering institutional reflexivity. By evaluating existing awareness models and identifying evidence-based strategies for stigma reduction, the research proposes an integrated approach to reform that centres intersectionality, participatory design and ethical reflexivity. Ultimately, the thesis contributes to the growing field of critical sex work studies by reimagining education as a framework for social justice, cultural renewal and epistemic redress. Its findings hold implications for policymakers, educators and advocacy organisations seeking to advance equitable, evidence-informed frameworks for the recognition and protection of sex workers’ rights.

Public Perceptions of Deviance: Stereotypes and Predispositions of Sexual Assault Against Sex Workers

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