Sex work and substance use disorder: the role of personality and trauma

Objective: Substance use disorders (SUDs) and sex work often co-occur. Possibly, this relationship can be understood by studying personality dimensions and psychological traumas. The aim of this research is to study the role of personality and traumas in sex work and co-occurring SUD. Method: In the present study, focusing on females, drugs use disorder patients not active as sex workers (DUD+/SW−), sex workers not suffering from drug use disorders (DUD−/SW+), sex workers with a drug use disorder (DUD+/SW+) and controls (DUD−/SW−) were compared regarding the personality dimensions Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, and the psychological trauma variable “total level of experienced trauma,” and several specific trauma variables. Results: Although Harm Avoidance turned out to be related to DUD, neither Novelty Seeking nor Harm Avoidance could explain the co-occurrence of DUD and sex work. Experienced trauma was more straightforwardly associated with both DUD and sex work. Both DUD and sex work were associated with trauma, with the DUD+/SW+ group showing the highest levels of experienced trauma. Conclusions: Trauma plays an important role in not only DUD and sex work separately, but also in the co-occurrence of DUD and sex work.