Nélson Ramalho has recently published a research article in collaboration with Bárbara Moreno, a master’s student in Risks and Violence in Contemporary Societies: Analysis and Social Intervention. The study addresses an under-researched social group in Portugal by analysing the experiences of clients of commercial sex.
Based on a netnographic approach, the research draws on empirical material collected from the GP-PT.net online forum. The findings challenge homogeneous or reductive portrayals of clients of commercial sex, showing that their motivations and experiences extend beyond immediate physical satisfaction.
The study reveals that many participants value affective involvement, simulated intimacy such as the Girlfriend Experience, and broader relational and communicational dimensions. These results point to the complexity of commercial sex consumption, which is shaped by social meanings, emotional expectations, and symbolic interactions.
By bringing visibility to clients’ perspectives, the article contributes to a more nuanced and contextualised understanding of sex work in Portugal, with implications for academic research, social intervention, and public debate.
Accessible link: https://doi.org/10.46661/relies.11875