Studiens syfte var att ta reda på mer om kvinnor i prostitution, främst om processen in och ut ur prostitution. Detta gjordes genom att läsa fyra böcker innehållande biografiskt material, tre böcker var skrivna av författarna själva och den fjärde av två författare som intervjuat prostituerade kvinnor. Empirin analyserades med tematisk analys och genus och stigma användes som teoretiska perspektiv och tolkningsramar. Resultaten visade att faktorer som ekonomi, traumatiska händelser och självhat utgjorde de största anledningarna till att man började prostituera sig och att utträdet ur prostitution var avhängigt faktorer såsom tiden, relationer och samhällets bemötande. Slutsatserna är att det inte är någon särskild personlighetstyp som blir prostituerad utan att det beror på flera samverkande omständigheter, därför är förebyggande insatser viktiga. Det är också lättare att sluta med hjälp av någon, exempelvis professionella aktörer. / The aim of the study was to learn more about women in prostitution, mainly about the process in and out of prostitution. Four books containing biographical material were read, three were written by the authors themselves and the fourth by two authors who interviewed female prostitutes. The empirical study was analyzed with thematic analysis and gender and stigma was used as theoretical perspectives and interpretation frames. The results showed that factors such as economics, traumatic events and self-hatred were the main reasons for entering prostitution, and that exiting prostitution was dependent on factors such as time, relationships and the treatment of society. The conclusion is that it is not a particular personality type that enters prostitution but it being due to several collaborative circumstances, therefore preventive efforts are important. It is also easier to quit with the help of someone, such as professional helpers.

Former studies show that the break-up from prostitution can be seen as a process with several stages which the person has to go through and that there are several factors which can affect the break-up. The aim of this study is to create an understanding for and illustrate how a break-up from prostitution can look like. We have interviewed three ex-prostitutes about their own break-up and three social workers who work with helping individuals to exit prostitution. We have analyzed the material through the theory of exit process by Helen Fuch Ebaugh (1988) and through former studies. All the ex-prostitutes and the social workers in our study described the break-up from prostitution as a process. All our respondents agreed on that there are several different factors affecting a break-up from prostitution, whereof close relationships and the own motivation to make a change are the most significant ones. Formal support from professionals is also considered having an impact on the exit process as well as during the period after the break-up. In summary, the break-up process from prostitution is very complex, can be emotionally exhausting and may vary to a great extent between individuals.