10 Steps To Get Out Of Sex Work And Start A New Career

If you’re an OnlyFans model, stripper, or escort, no one’s here to judge you.

How you decide to earn a living is between you and your bank account. 

Now if you’re ready to leave that life behind, that’s where we can help. 

This article will offer a step-by-step guide on leaving the sex industry based on information gathered from former sex workers.

Now if you’re looking for motivation alone, this isn’t the place. Instead, we’ll share exactly how to exit the sex industry for those ready to take that step.

Before getting started, let’s cover some key questions that are likely on your mind.

What Is Considered Sex Work?

Sex work is considered any voluntary exchange of sexual services, either physically or online, between consenting adults. 

Human trafficking and other nonconsensual sexual transactions are not considered sex work.

Is OnlyFans Considered Sex Work?

Yes, OnlyFans is considered sex work if you voluntarily use the platform to offer sexually explicit content to your audience in exchange for their subscription fee or other forms of compensation.

In other words, OnlyFans models are considered sex workers if they offer sexual services, either online or IRL, in exchange for a fee. 

Why Is It So Hard to Leave Sex Work?

Leaving sex work can be hard for many reasons including…

1) the lack of a support system

2) the perceived lack of other career options

3) and a lack of access to the right resources

The good news is that leaving sex work is possible with a good plan in place. We’ll discuss this in detail later in this article.

What Can We Do For Sex Workers?

You can support sex workers by not judging them. Victim blaming isn’t helpful here. Instead, educate sex workers on their options. 

Share career opportunities with sex workers in your network. Invite them to workshops and seminars that can expose them to other routes. 

While you may not understand or approve of their lifestyle, it’s important to focus on offering helpful resources rather than your two cents. 

10 Steps To Get Out Of Sex Work 

1. Commit to the Decision 

The desire to get out of sex work can be scary. You should be mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for the obstacles you could face by leaving.

Ultimately, the decision to leave sex work should be yours alone. None of the other steps here will work unless you’re fully committed to the journey ahead.

2. Move in Silence  

Once you’ve committed to the decision to get out of sex work. Your next step is carefully planning your actions while moving in silence. 

Unfortunately, everyone won’t be happy to see you leveling up and wanting more for yourself.

If your circle consists of other sex workers who are still about that life, it’s better to keep your plan to leave the sex industry to yourself. 

But if you have friends, family, or a community organization that will support your transition, seek their support.

3. Build Up a Savings 

You’re likely used to being paid upfront for your services and dealing with cash. Unfortunately, many industries won’t work like this.

Therefore, you’ll want to set aside some savings to make your transition out of sex work smoother.

Being short on funds will make you vulnerable to reverting to your fast money ways. 

To help with this, you can download our Budget Tracker Template from our Free Career Center after subscribing. 

4. Plan for a Wardrobe Makeover 

Your new career will require a new look. As a next step, you’ll want to plan for a wardrobe makeover.

If you’re worried about finances, don’t sweat it. 

Organizations like Dress For Success can provide you with professional attire at no cost.

5. Understand Your Transferrable Skills 

Transferrable skills are experiences and competencies that can be transferred from one career opportunity to another.

As a sex worker, some of your transferable skills may include — sales, marketing, social media management, customer service, and problem-solving.

Jincey Lumpkin left the porn industry by tapping into her creativity and leveraging her marketing experience to become a copywriter.

Today she is a senior copywriter and creative director in the beauty industry.

Her advice for sex workers is to “see if there are ways for you to leverage your creativity that you haven’t considered.”

To help you identify your transferable skills, download our Transferrable Skills List from our Free Career Center after subscribing. 

6. Seek Out Support 

As a soon-to-be former sex worker, you’ll wanna address any trauma you experienced in the sex industry.

The key people you’ll need to get out of sex work and into a new career are a therapist, mentor, and career coach.

Your family, friends, and community can also be a great source of support.

If you’re unsure where to start, check out our list of 15 Free Women’s Mentorship Programs. 

7. Join a Networking Organization 

Next, you’ll need to upgrade your social circle with people that can introduce you to your next career opportunity.

This step will help you say goodbye to sex work for good.  

Joining a networking organization can help you build relationships with people across different industries.

You can start by contacting local support groups, churches, or non-profits.

8. Rebrand Your Online Presence 

A key step to getting out of sex work is to rebrand your online presence. When launching your rebrand, use a name different than the one you used as a sex worker if possible.

Do a search of yourself and see what you find. If the results are problematic, there are steps you can take to fix that.

Many search engines allow you to request images be taken down (especially if they’re sexually explicit). 

Take a week or two to clean up your digital footprint. You can begin your online transformation once you’re satisfied with the results.

Set up new social media accounts or a website for your new career path. Take a headshot that better represents the new you.

Then create a resume based on your transferable skills and not your history as a sex worker.

Don’t let this step overwhelm you. Many community organizations have resources to support you with this step. 

And to help you get started, you can download our Resume template and other helpful job search resources from our Free Career Center. 

9. Cut Ties with The Sex Industry 

You’ll need to create distance between you and anything that aligns you with sex work if you’re serious about leaving the sex industry behind.

This could mean cutting ties with fellow sex workers, former clients, and scenes associated with sex work like strip clubs.

Leaving these things behind doesn’t mean that you think you’re better than them. It simply means you want more for yourself. And that’s perfectly fine.

10. Invest in your Professional Development 

Pivoting to a new career will mean learning new skills. The good news is there are many resources out there that can help you get started.

NetWerk is one of them. Check out our online shop for career coaching bundles to help with your transition out of sex work and into a six-figure career path.

And best of all, you can get started with 20+ free career development resources. 

Leaving the Sex Industry for Good

Deciding to leave the world’s oldest profession is a major step in the right direction. So be proud of yourself for taking the first step. 

Your bravery will be an inspiration to those around you. We hope this article serves as a roadmap to your next career path. 

If you’re new here, subscribe and follow us on social media @netwerkmovement! 

Remember being a sex worker is part of your history, not your destiny!

Over To You

Have you successfully left the sex industry and pivoted to a new career? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Let us know in the comments section on social @netwerkmovement.

Now help us share this with someone in the sex industry who would benefit from this.