Exotic Dance in Baltimore: From Entry to @entity2953 / XXXX Risk.

@entity1 @entity645 @entity2953
UNASSIGNED: Research has documented health risks associated with sex work, but few U.S. studies have focused on the exotic dance industry. We undertook this study to describe the factors that influenced @entity1 's entry into exotic dance and explored the relation of these forces to their subsequent @entity2953 ( @entity2953 )/ @entity645 risk trajectory. Qualitative interviews (N = 25) were conducted with female exotic dancers from June through August 2009. Data were analyzed through Atlas-ti using an inductive approach. Economic vulnerability was the primary force behind @entity1 's initiation into the profession. Drug use, physical abuse, and enjoyment of dancing were often concurrent with economic need and provided a further push toward exotic dance. Social networks facilitated entry by normalizing the profession and presenting it as a solution to financial hardship. Characteristics of exotic dance clubs, such as immediate hire and daily pay, attracted @entity1 in a state of financial vulnerability. @entity1 's motivations for dancing, including economic vulnerability and drug use practices, shaped their @entity2953 / @entity645 risk once immersed in the club environment, with social networks often facilitating sexual risk behavior. Understanding the factors that drive @entity1 to exotic dance and influence risk behavior in the club may assist in the development of targeted harm reduction interventions for exotic dancers.
