Behind the webcam: women, work and stigma

This study explores the career motivations, work experiences, and stigma management strategies of women engaged in adult webcam modelling in Türkiye. Based on qualitative interviews with twelve participants, the research situates webcam modelling within broader socio-cultural, economic, and moral frameworks that shape both opportunities and constraints. The study adopted a multi-theoretical approach, drawing on deviant leisure, social learning, stigma, and sexuality labour intersectional frameworks. Key findings reveal that webcam modelling is often driven by a mix of financial necessity and emotional need, and that participants develop adaptive strategies to navigate platform demands, gendered expectations, and societal stigma. The study contributes to the literature on digital labour and sex work by highlighting the complex, context-specific negotiations involved in performing sexual labour online, particularly within a morally conservative, legally ambiguous setting such as Türkiye. It calls for nuanced theoretical engagement and culturally informed policy responses that acknowledge the agency, vulnerabilities, and rights of webcam workers.