Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2022

Sex Work and Professional Risk Communication: Keeping Safe on the Streets

Cana Uluak Itchuaqiyaq Virginia Tech ; Avery C. Edenfield Utah State University ; Keith Grant-Davie Utah State University

Abstract

Risk communication is traditionally authored by institutions and addressed to the potentially affected publics for whom they are responsible. This study expands the scope of risk communication by analyzing safety guides produced by a hypermarginalized group for whom institutions show no responsibility: full-contact, street-level sex workers. Using corpus-assisted discourse analysis and keyword analysis to reveal patterns of word choices, the authors argue that the safety guides exhibit characteristics and qualities of professional communication: audience adaptation, social responsibility, and ethical awareness. This area of inquiry—the DIY, peer-to-peer, extrainstitutional risk communication produced by marginalized people—widens technical and professional communication's approach to risk communication.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2022-01-01
DOI
10.1177/10506519211044190
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
discourse analysis professional writing
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (13)

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