Feminist Issues in Prostitution - Case Study Example

Criminology: Sex Work: Theory, Practice, Policy Prostitution is simply an act of engaging in sexual relations with an end intention of achieving an economic gain. Participants have an agreement, which for one of them is financial value in exchange of pleasure delivered. It is a lifestyle, and a way to earn a living for some individuals in places where it is legalized but a crime in illegal countries. Edlund & Korn (2001, p.182)mention that, “ it is well paid despite being low- skill, labor intensive and, one might add, female dominated.” A prostitute can either be a woman or a man with an interest of monetary gain. In the past, it had been associated with money, but recently, research has proven that it is also carried out for the purpose of acquiring other precious substances like jewellery, precious stones, vehicle and anything else with value in the market. Sociological theory in prostitution: Right from the beginning, sexual adultery was associated with women and sexual work that later followed was perceived in the same manner. Communities continued to put blame on women and as children were brought up, similar mentality seemed to exist. According to Flowers (2001, p. 66), “William Thomas attributed female prostitution to a need for excitement and response”; a move that currently seem gender biased with the past professional assumptions. However, today philosophers bring another perception around moral character, family establishments, social organization and sexual pathology. Socially, the participants do not live in a secluded location but they are among the societies that have defined, or rather implied ethical values and conduct governing their people. Prostitution affects the social organization, and family units in their moral, health and stability aspects. Young children and teenagers learn to talk, act and behave through listening and watching. According to Warner (2009, p.51), “Childhood is confirmed in the public consciousness as a passive state in need of protection.” Internet and technology has made it easier for them to explore the adulthood sexuality world. When they have guardians that practice commercial sex, they want to experience what their guardians do irrespective of their gender. Most sadists and criminals take advantage of their fear to introduce them to sex industry. Most women prostitutes can trace their history from such young episodes. Both men and women in marriage have a role to keep their family together, and in the right moral status. Infidelity is currently at the pick and as it appears, it’s probably the norm of marriage life, followed by common separations and divorces. Radical feminism “have identified prostitution as violence against women” (Jeffreys, 2009, p.316). Prostitute women are physically insulted, suffering injuries in or on their health nature, and most of the times end up psychologically affected in their mind performance. They are subject to domestic harm, through their husbands or other male relatives and externally through street male idlers, security agents and police in undefined arrests and raping beside the common paid for prostitution. Prostitution in families leads to domestic violence and rape cases due to lack of satisfaction. Both single and married prostitutes have been reported to rape young kids leaving them morally and mentally disturbed. They should put their efforts to raise their kids to better understand the law and distinguish right from wrong; failure to which it will result to increase in juvenile students that can only perform under strict supervision. Commercial sex has negative social influence in the community and is contributed somehow by every member in it. As brothers, sisters, guardians and relatives of teenagers, male and female adults who practice it, we will always feel the pressure they exert. Families in large are part of social organizations and when it is damaged, the moral value and community life style has to change. From a world wide view, prostitution is one amongst many channels of sexual transmitted diseases. Sex workers may practice it without protection, not out of knowledge or ignorance but as a requirement in brothels to keep and give their customers pleasure. The circulating STDs within a social structure have its roots, partially from prostitution and they come claiming lives at a pre-mature age. Many children are left orphaned, old people without care and support and finally an age-gapped society that may not support itself properly in future. The CPS state that, “There are strong links between street prostitution and the drug markets…Those involved in street prostitution make significant customers for drug dealers”(Prostitution and Exploitation, n.d). Drugs enter in the community in such a crawling manner, by the time the leadership is getting informed, it becomes too difficult to get in control as the users and dealers will have coined methods to transport and conceal them. According to Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (2012), in Iraq, the government has to deal with cases of women and young girls’ abductions and trafficking that see women suffering in shame and slavery. In connection to this, there are reported cases in the U.K. government on human trafficking, especially women for prostitution. New immigrants into the towns come innocently not knowing the danger in the streets. They are lured into residential flats and brothels, drugged and exploited for financial gain. These are criminal conducts in the social environment that go in hand with prostitution. Sexual differences in lifestyles have brought prejudicial judgments on gender. Men with pierced ears and women with additional, attractive piercing and beauty are viewed as sex workers. Jeffreys (Wordpress, 2005) wrote that, severe beauty practices are carried out on women’s bodies such as amputation of body parts and skin breaking. Why then should women be victimized in the event of expressing their beauty while men go free in praise? They are the same men we meet in fashion houses, entertainment and beauty industries and for the same, there is simply nothing wrong with wanting to look beautiful. Hence, associating beauty with female prostitution is a lie. For one to buy sex, it is due to immoral conduct and inability to control his or her flesh desires, but not the prostitute’s beauty. Female prostitution oppresses women and perpetuates their social hegemonic belief, which keeps down general women in their lives domain. Situations have happened where prostitutes are caught in the act; the female prostitutes are arrested while other participants are going untouched. In custody, they are harassed and mistreated, which corrupts their image in the social life. Farley and Kelly (2000) demonstrate an arrest of both, 1210 women and 228 men in Seattle, where the 62 percent of women were charged and 42 percent convicted while 98 percent of men were charged but only 8 percent convicted (p.24). This serves as discrimination on the female gender in the event of a crime. Men have taken women to be sex objects, and even not shameful to introduce young teenage girls to further their agenda, dehumanizing and striping them of their personality. Crime is immoral and should not be over or under weighed by whoever practices it. Checkley (Procon, 2009) describes Prostitution as an evil institution and “It doesn't matter if it is the 'world's oldest profession', it is still wrong.” From a sociological theory discussion, it is right that, harmful impact of prostitution in the social organization could reduce with the sex’s equality. When harmony exists among all committed and married couples, then seeking outside sex and satisfactions would not be an option. Radical feminists uphold a woman’s body sanctity, and that it should be protected from all form of violence and oppression. They argue that the female gender should be in control of their bodies as the core function and be given an equal opportunity as men. Otherwise, they remain to be victims. “Sexual harassment, men's sex rights in marriage, pornography and prostitution, all turn women's bodies into instruments that men may enter at will or through payment, so that women have to disassociate, and separate themselves from their own bodies for survival” (Jeffreys, 2009, p.317). Radical feminists condemn the whole construction of sexuality under male dominance as tending to arouse sexual desires on women’s submissiveness. Economic theory of prostitution: Women join commercial sex because of different reasons. Though knowing it is harmful in the long run, reasons behind their dark brutal lives, family needs and drug effects, all have a relation from the imbalanced work force in the society. Fayemi (2009) describes the challenges of prostitution in Africa, women move into foreign countries in search of commercial sex jobs, as others are trafficked with empty promises of better life and fortune. It is certainly not entirely out of desperation, since some learned women have been identified in the market. The economic value exist in two dimensions; high quality category that works through the internet and low quality market in brothels and streetwalkers. In many countries, commercial sex is illegal and the penalty of the act is quite heavy. However, western states have moved a step ahead to legalize it, while in most African countries, it remains a taboo. Even been prohibited, it remains a reality in major urban centres especially by young unemployed, and continuing college students. In Nevada, prostitution is legalized and serves to earn a living for the women in society, and revenue generation for the state. Even with an economic value and women having better pays, there still remain problems since legalization is not the solution. One of the existing fact states that, increase in hidden, illegal and street prostitution in Germany, Nevada, Netherlands and Australia has resulted from legalization of prostitution in these countries (‘Myths and facts about Nevada,’ n.d). Prostitution in England and Wales is not illegal but in the recent time, there have been effort to regulate the act through the church and government effort. Coercion and force have been discovered to be reasons for entering into commercial sex work. Prostitution is controlled through the criminal and civic government determined by the Scottish government which places boundaries, and protects children against sexual harassment. Some rules put down in England have raised controversy in the sex industry, forcing the workers to appeal for their rights in the government. The Kerb-crawling act has been designed to provide equality in treatment for both soliciting women and men in streets. According to Hubbard, Matthews & Scoular, the policing and crime act of 2009 has assisted the U.K government, with police previously containing prostitution in specific areas away from citizens who protest it as they monitor the sex market from the confined location (Esrc, n.d). Radical feminists have expressed concern to the global economic prostitution, where huge profits are made from exploitation. It is definite that they agree to prostitution as an immoral act, and believe any act degrading women should be criminalized despite the value it brings. According to Weisberg (1996, p.194), “for many radical feminist, the solution is not legal; …. Believe that male monopoly of economic power must be abolished”. Their concern does not relate prostitution with the wage labour reason been centred on the violation and oppression of women. The concern of economic value and capitalism for radical feminism does not apply. As long as women are viewed as objects, prostitution will take a relation to rape. Just like Marxist feminist the, radical feminist believe that the socio-economic influences superseding capitalism will dictate that women retain their image as objects, hence denying them the right to transform, and take complete charge of their lives. Both the prostitute and the client should face complete wrath of the law where not legalized. The financial condition of the female gender is bound to remain poor, if women are not employed. Bias of women to certain jobs and not others make them inferior before men, and will strive to better their social needs and economic stability so as to provide a fair competition. In ethical issues, Soifer (2009, p.365) suggests that “sex is a fine thing when it is the free choice of the individual involved- free of economic coercion.” Psychological theory of prostitution: it focuses on mental disorder of prostitutes early in life, as they progress with their activities and later in life. Many reported cases have concluded that women suffer post traumatic disorders. It is common that many prostitutes suffer depression and anxiety, apart from psychological distress. According to Yonsei University College of Medicine (2008), the research on prostitutes’ psychological disorder indicated higher stress response, smoking and alcohol problems, fatigue, serious PTSD symptoms and frustration as the results. With an understanding of how prostitution system works, the industry consists of users, sadists, necrophiles and other barbaric criminal leaders. Users are selfish customers who simply want their needs met though may have a conscience. Sadists vary in their range of act; some been severe than others. They are individuals who achieve pleasure in other human’s humiliations, hurting and trepidation. They depend on their control nature to lure young girls and female prostitutes into their environment. Sadists are believed to be high offenders of children sexual and emotional abuse. While dealing with young prostitutes women, there exists a course of brutal physical abuse. Necrophiles are users of most degraded and destroyed people in their health, age and mental status even if the state of the victim is not accommodative. According to Stark & Whisnant (2004, p.3), “People used in sex industry often need medical care as a result of ever-present violence….Survivors frequently need mental health care for post-traumatic mental stress disorders, psychotic episodes and suicide attempts. About a third end up chronically disabled and on social security.” Human trafficking has raised controversies among debaters in prostitution discussion. Some writers are known to express prostitution as other normal jobs, introducing human trafficking especially involving women like labour movement. It is condemned by radical feminist who move forward to anti-trafficking. They hold that women trafficked into prostitution are taken against their will, under coercive directions which cause women to disassociate, and subject to sufferings. Past and existing facts indicate that women are “penetrated orally, anally, and vaginally with body parts, animals, bottles, brushes, guns and objects; they are bound and choked, tied up with ropes and/or chains like slaves, beaten with hosepipes besides been burnt with cigarettes” (The Aurora Center for Advocany & Education, n.d). In debate, Jeffreys (2009) view radical feminist to affirm their decisions to support moral and social order. They perceive prostitution to deny the women their rights to choose their own path, decide on which type, and how they want to have pleasure with their bodies. Argument continues to whether legalizing prostitution will stop it or lower its impact. Radical feminism does not support legalization, but it regards the act to control it, with a hope that such a trend will curtail it. Feminist work with organization like CARE and Beyond the street in the UK, to bring revolution and freedom in prostitution (Commercial sex exploitation, n.d). In many countries, sex workers have formed unions to protect and fight for their right. Union legislatures seek to uphold freedom from violence just as radicals, decriminalization, social protection, rights and voice to sex workers. Internationally, programs have been established to assist women and girls from the humiliating prostitution. Women federations, anti-rape centres, rehabilitations, educational programs and training in the society have been recommended to reduce their gender vulnerability in sex industry. Through the Canadian debate, Taylor (2010) recommends the collaboration of the social, economic and legal framework in the proposed reform work. Radical feminists’ discussions point to the division of power in political and economic grounds which give men dominance over women. This is viewed to increase men tendency to influence the women social structure and politicize the act, as they try to demand and legalize their sexual rights from women. Radicals rely on the biological belief that men can change their behavior and attitude towards women, since human’s conduct are not necessarily inherited, but is attributed to human cultures. The conclusion is that, “where there is unfairness there is often immorality at work” (Bromberg, Feministissues, 1997). 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