Morally controversial consumption: The case of sex workers and their clients

This study examines the moral emotions of shame and guilt, as well as moral disengagement, in illegal sexual consumption among sex workers and their clients in Thailand. Prostitution in Thailand has legal ambiguity, creating complex moral and psychological dynamics. Thirty existential-phenomenological interviews were conducted with sixteen sex workers and fourteen clients across multiple settings in Thailand. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis, the findings indicate that sex workers experience moral shame followed by moral guilt, whereas clients primarily experience moral guilt. Both sex workers and their clients utilize moral disengagement mechanisms to justify their actions in illegal sexual consumption. These findings provide insights into the literature on moral emotions of shame, guilt, and moral disengagement in unlawful sexual services. The study offers evidence that supports public policy implications, challenging the current stage of efforts to improve the dignity and morale of those working in this profession.