As this topic features certain terminology that is charged with several meanings and associations, I think it necessary and productive to outline my utilization of these terms more clearly.
For vocabulary related to migration, I will be guided by Amnesty International’s (2022, 2019) definitions: A “refugee” can be understood as someone who has left their country due to the occurrence or risk of human rights violations and/or persecution based on, for example, their religious or political opinions, identity, or membership of a particular (social) group. Those fleeing or resettling to another area of their country of residence can be labelled as “internally displaced refugees or people”. “Refugee” is also a legal status accredited by the government of the receiving country. “Asylum seekers” are those still awaiting their decision of being legally recognized as refugees and therefore being awarded certain measures of protection.
➤ In my project, I will be referring to all those as “refugees”, who have fled their countries of origin and come to be in Malta as a result of fear of potential or imminent danger to them, regardless of their legal status.
There is no universal definition for “migrant”, but it can generally be understood as someone who has left their country in order to relocate somewhere else. The reasons for moving can differ widely but are usually linked to the aim of increasing the quality of life, for example in association with personal relationships, economic incentives, education, or safety (UNHCR 2018). Some definitions highlight the aspect of voluntarily leaving their home country as well as being able to return to it should they wish to (Bradby et al. 2015).
➤ I will be using the term “migrant” as an umbrella term encompassing everyone who is currently residing in Malta but has spent the majority of their life in another country, thereby including refugees, international students, and seasonal workers, among others.
Another area of disputed definitions is sex work. I will not go into too much detail about the ongoing debate surrounding the terminology here but will briefly outline my understanding and utilization of important terms. “Sex work” and “prostitution”, just like “sex worker” and “prostitute”, are often used interchangeably when talking about offering sexual services for remuneration in the form of money, goods, or services. “Prostitution” is generally perceived to have a more negative connotation, even though it is sometimes reclaimed and used by sex workers themselves (Stella 2013).
➤ I am opting to use the term “sex work”, which was introduced in the 1970s and has played an important role in the sex workers’ rights movement by highlighting aspects of agency, consent, and collectivity (Jeffreys 2015). Additionally, “sex work” should not be equated with “sexual exploitation” as not all commercial sexual activities are a product of exploitation and/or trafficking but can and should be consensual and allow for agency and bodily autonomy (NSWP 2019). That said, sex workers can still experience unsafe working conditions, coercion or exploitation. Consequently, I define “sex work” as the following: Transactional sexual services offered by consenting adult persons of all genders at different levels of formality and frequency.
One last clarification concerns the focus on women and female sex workers. For me, they encompass people who identify as female regardless of their biological sex, thereby including transwomen.