Reflections on a research process: Exploring violence against sex workers from a feminist perspective.

Undertaking feminist research with marginalised groups of women requires the careful negotiation of challenges in the research process. This paper explores the research process in relation to fieldwork undertaken on the management of violence related risks with street-based sex workers in New Zealand. This paper provides an insight into the strategies used to make connections with a relatively hard to reach group of women, and the complexities of managing the fieldwork process. Demonstrating the importance of self-reflection, challenges encountered in the research process are explored highlighting the emotional impacts of fieldwork on the researcher and the balancing of power dynamics in qualitative interviewing. The discussion of these challenges highlights critical issues to consider when undertaking qualitative research on sensitive issues with stigmatised or marginalised groups of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]