Understanding Webcam Sex Work Seminar 7 PDF

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Course run by Amanda Matravers
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CR3028 GENDER, SEXUALITY & CRIME

Understanding Webcam Sex Work: Camgirls & Camboys

Camgirls Essential Reading: Jones (2016) “I Get Paid to Have Orgasms” What do Camgirls say about their work? How does it differ from other (in-person) forms of sex work?  Receive tokens and rewards that will get them to do other things, different to pornography as it is all in real time. Consequence of this is that someone seeing the money coming in might be persuaded to do more sexual acts they wish they never did.  Differs – often there’s not a mutuality in pleasure, usually just client getting pleasured, but cam work is duality of pleasure. Not carried away enough  Differs – safety aspect, in person is a lot more dangerous and can be aggressive and hard to escape whereas online you can hide your identity and turn it off whenever. What do the Camgirls say about the role of pleasure in their work?  Jones identifies two types – sexual pleasure and effectual. Regular customers, start a relationship with them and become more comfortable with the people, become more comfortable with their bodies and able to achieve orgasm What about the role of danger?  Might experience stalking, through IP addresses, could put family at risk, blackmailing.  Exposure of your body desensitises you from yourself and might become disgusted by themselves, emotional harm. Lack intimacy they would gain from a partner What is ‘feminist neoliberalism’ & what does it mean for Camgirls? What are the arguments for & against more regulation of ‘camming’?

Camboys (please watch/read at least one of the following) Recommended Watching: “Webcam Boys” (BBC 3, 2016) Recommended Reading: Goldring et al. (2016) An Exploratory Study of the Growth of Male Online Sex Work in Manchester. How should we understand the involvement of men in the world of ‘camming’? What are the differences & similarities in the pleasures & dangers they experience, & how do these differ from or reflect those of Camgirls?  With personal numbers online, they get multiple calls and don’t know who genuine clients are and who are spam callers.  Differences – usually straight males doing stuff for homosexual males online, element of pleasure is less there for cam boys because they’re acting and aren’t actually aroused. Less need to prolong it for money, they just had to wait until the client orgasmed.

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One guy used to do physical sex work and was on drugs but now does cam work which has saved him from that and allowed him to experiment in a safer environment.

More men involved in webcam sex than women. Socio economic factors – self funding yourself and would need to be able to afford camera etc. Neo-liberalism – seeing everything in market terms, competition, and individualism. Feminist neoliberal view – being a cam girl might be an empowering thing, intrapreneurs, sex work is like any other work with rewards. Problem with this is that if the problems are individualised, we get rid of any group solidarity and any social protection, what happens when someone put these young women’s pictures on porn sites....