Who holds the key? Negotiating gatekeepers, community politics, and the "right" to research in Indigenous spaces

This article considers key methodological and ethical issues for qualitative research with Aboriginal sex workers based on the author's experiences conducting research with this diverse group of people. Issues gaining access to this group through Indigenous community organisations and sex worker community organisations are considered. The aim is to share critical reflections about some of the assumptions underpinning the research process, ethical engagement with Indigenous communities, and research participants and to outline researcher responsibilities. In navigating these factors, it was found that working with and for community‐based organisations requires considerable attention to power and the dynamics of representation.