Who's really vulnerable here? Gender, risk, and exotic dance clubs in Portland, Ore. neighborhoods

Background: The location of sexually oriented businesses in residential and commercial neighborhoods often provokes controversy about danger to women and children. Objective: This study explores the health impacts of strip clubs – one type of sexually oriented businesses – on both neighborhoods and women working as exotic dancers through studying one U.S. city where the sex industry is large and diverse. Methods: Situational analysis of strip clubs in Portland, Oregon including in-depth interviews and review of historical documents and newspaper coverage from 2005-2012. Results: While the presence of strip clubs may displease neighborhood residents, there is little evidence that women or children experience any significant threat from their presence. The neighborhood impacts of strip clubs are mainly the noise and disorder associated with alcohol service. By contrast, women who work as exotic dancers experience many physical and psychological hazards in the workplace. Their vulnerability to these hazards is exacerbated by the fact that they receive no wage and are not entitled to fringe benefits or labor protections. The stigma associated with their job also exposes them to discrimination outside of the workplace. Conclusions: Strip clubs are a greater health threat to women working as exotic dancers than they are to neighborhood residents and passersby. The rhetoric of protecting women and children from sexually oriented businesses is used as a cover for concerns about property values. Assuring women's health requires attention to working conditions and shifting the discourse of the debate about the problem of sexually oriented businesses.