As far as I understand the term sex work it is a wide umbrella term for all kinds of labour involving sexual gratification but I'm also aware that it is often used to speak of prostitution.

I will not claim to know a whole lot about it but I do think it would be a good idea to recognize that it covers many different types of labour, even when you're just talking about prostitution. Obviously, there is an enormous difference between the trafficking victim and the woman who actively chooses to become an independent sex worker because she likes the money and prefers it over a regular job.

There is coercion involved as with all labour under capitalism but the materialist thing to do is to ask what the alternative is. As long as capitalism is in place, the alternative to coercive sex work is not no coercion, the alternative is coercive non-sexual work.

I think the best way to bring material improvements to sex workers is to build a society that doesn't make people so desperate that they will subject themselves to rape just to survive. I also think sex workers should have the same protections afforded to other workers by the law, like pensions, vacations, unemployment benefits, workplace safety etc.

I don't think bans and cops are the right way forward. They might be effective in scaring away the sex workers who have tolerable alternatives but the most vulnerable who doesn't have an alternative will become even more vulnerable as they will have to hide from authorities.