Introduction
Traditionally prostitution was viewed as a consensual act, one person selling sexual favors to a willing buyer. Used in many classes as an example of “Mala Prohibita” when differentiating between “Mala Prohibita” and “Mala in Se” (conduct that is illegal because it is prohibited vs. conduct that is illegal because it is inherently wrong or evil). This is perhaps true about prostitution in its simplest form (an independent adult seller deciding with their own free will to perform sexual acts with another adult individual in exchange for money or other compensation).
However this conceptual understanding is far from the reality of many street level prostitutes who work under a pimp. Indeed as discussed below, working under a pimp is relatively commonplace and the experience is far from consensual and mutually beneficial; between 40%-80 of adult prostitutes (Barry, 1995; Norton-Hawk, 2004; Silbert & Pines, 1983b; Williamson & Cluse-Tolar, 2002; all as seen in Kennedy, Klein, Bristowe, Cooper, & Yuille 2007) and 75% of sexually exploited minors have been involved with pimps (Hughes, Raymond, & Gomez, 2001). This arrangement is more accurately conceptualized as sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation. In fact, pimps controlled most if not all money, as well as other aspects of the worker’s life (Williamson & Cluse-Tolar, 2002).
Based on the available literature, pimps appear to be a heterogeneous population. Pimps target their victims and use a variety of techniques the gain their compliance and submission in what can accurately be described as a parasitic relationship. These offenders have a variety of behaviors, motivations, and backgrounds. Unfortunately, while the research discusses differences, it rar...
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Hughes, D., Raymond, J., & Gomez, C. (2001). Sex Trafficking of Women in the United States. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.
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Kennedy, M. A., Klein, C., Bristowe, J. T., Cooper, B. S., & Yuille, J. C. (2007). Routes of recruitment: Pimps' techniques and other circumstances that lead to street prostitution. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 15(2), 1-19.
Kotrla, K. (2010). Domestic minor sex trafficking in the United States. Social work, 55(2), 181-187.
Williamson, C., & Cluse-Tolar, T. (2002). Pimp-Controlled Prostitution Still an Integral Part of Street Life. Violence Against Women, 8(9), 1074-1092.
Over a ten-year span Sterk, immerses herself in the lifestyle of prostitution in the New York City and Atlanta area: she walked the streets with the prostitutes and observed their interactions with the various customers, and ‘pimps’ in order to gather the majority of her data. In order to gain their trust, Sterk had to go through a number of tests, and it was essential for her to have the right connections to experience the full und...
Quinet, K. (2011). Prostitutes as victims of serial homicide: Trends and case characteristics, 1970-2009. Homicide Studies, 15(1), 74-100.
In the United States of America, prostitution is illegal in all of its 50 states with the exception of the state of Nevada. Nevada is the only U.S. state with allows legal prostitution in some of its rural counties. Occupational health and safety laws are applied to the brothels in these counties but the sex workers elsewhere in the country still remain exposed to the threat of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and violence from pimps and customers. Prostitution exists in various forms in the States: street prostitution, escort prostitution, and brothel prostitution (Harcourt). It has been estimated that the sum total of the revenue generated by the underground prostitution industry in the U.S. is about $14.6 billion (“Prostitution Revenue”), the fifth highest in the world (about 8% of the total annual worldwide revenue). If prostitution were made legal, it would increase the U...
Mcclain, N. M., & Garrity, S. E. (2011). Sex Trafficking and the Exploitation of Adolescents. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 40(2), 243-252.
Kotrla, K., & Wommack, B. A. (2011). Sex Trafficking of Minors in the U.S.: Implications for Policy, Prevention and Research. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk: Vol. 2 (Iss. 1), article 5.
According to Van Wormer & Bartollas (2014), sex trafficking, “encompasses the organized movement of people, usually women, between countries and within countries for sex work” (p. 289). Sex trafficking is also a very lucrative business, it is estimated to make $31. 6 billion annually. This amount is estimated from the 2.5 million people who a trafficked each year. The exact number of people who are victims of the sex industry cannot be predicted accurately for all over the world. In the United States alone there is about 14,500-17,500 people trafficked each year. Human trafficking it the third biggest organized crime after drug and arms trafficking (Hodge, 2014). Young men make up about 44% of people being trafficked, while women and girls
Domestic sex trafficking is the vile new innovative business model used in the sex industry to promote prostitution. The myth about sex trafficking is that it is a foreign not a domestic problem. Sex trafficking is a very lucrative business. The “John’s” create a demand and the “pimps” provide the supply. Child abuse, child neglect, pornography, pedophilia and prostitution are all links in the chains that enslaves America’s children for the pleasure of adults.
Hodge, D. R. (2008). Sexual trafficking in the United States: A domestic problem with transnational dimensions. Social Work, 53(2), 143-152.
To begin, prostitution is known as one of the oldest professions, and it dates as far back as 2400 BCE (Sexton and Cushman, Web). No one can pinpoint the origin, but is it really expected? Obviously, people have been sexually active for all of our existence. This is known because we are sitting here right now. Prostitution is treated differently everywhere in the world, and it continues to change as the times change. As more and more time passes, people become reluctant to the idea of prostitution, but back in the day they were all for it. For example, Greek literature references prostitutes continuously. One type of prostitute in the Greeks writings was called Hetaera which was an educated prostitute who was able to live dual lives. One life as a regular citizen and another as a prostitute, yet both of her lives were completely acceptable in these times. According to tradition brothels, places where prostitution was held, were “government-supported” and prostitution was an acceptable job in the the Greek era (Head, Web). In previous times sex was used as a form of payment and now sex is seen as a sign of affection.
Prostitution, as stated by Flemming, is known as a form of sexual activity, a kind of sexual style or category, and a form of economic activity, a way of making a living through the provisions of certain services, by behaving in accordance with, or falling into such a category (39). This definition, though, is controversial. While conducting research for this project, we found that most topics regarding prostitution and its affiliates were controversial. Each author gave a differing interpretation for the same data. Due to this, our project centered on the female prostitutes, even though there is evidence of male prostitutes.
Sterk enters the field with the objective of studying and attempting to understand the lives of prostitutes on the streets of Atlanta and New York City. She tries to investigate the reasons why these women are in the profession, their interactions with their ‘pimps’ and customers, their attitudes towards safe sex in light of the AIDS endemic, and above all, prostitution’s link to drug use. Her basic thesis revolves around these women’s thoughts and feelings regarding prostitution and the effect it has on their lives. Through her research, Sterk uncovers a demographic that ranges...
Walker-Rodriguez, Amanda, J.D., and Rodney Hill, J.D. "Human Sex Trafficking." Glendale Community College. N.p., Mar. 2011. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. .
All around present day pop culture, the demonstration of prostitution is regularly seen as questionable concerning many different moral issues. Prostitution could be characterized as "To offer (oneself or another) in sexual intercourse for money,” and is normally given as an underground administration. Although the practice is unlawful in most places,it has been denoted as a "suitable" occupation hotspot for some people throughout the world. Most of the people who do tend to sell themselves to others for money are, for the most part, women. However men do sometime turn the wrong way and end up in the streets confused themselves. Prostitution raises numerous moral issues coming about, because of the corrupting of one's body through offering a sexual administration that is broadly accessible. The typical discussion as to whether this form of “making money” is ethically wrong concentrates on if the corrupting of one's body could really be acknowledged as assault, and if the people who partake in prostitution might be perpetually forced into this calling, whether it be bad circumstances or them just being unwilling to find another occupation.
Sex trafficking is essentially systemic rape for profit. Force, fraud and coercion are used to control the victim’s behavior which may secure the appearance of consent to please the buyer (or john). Behind every transaction is violence or the threat of violence (Axtell par. 4). Just a decade ago, only a third of the countries studied by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had legislation against human trafficking. (Darker Side, par.1) Women, children, and even men are taken from their homes, and off of the streets and are brought into a life that is almost impossible to get out of. This life is not one of choice, it is in most times by force. UNODC estimates that the total international human trafficking is a $32-billion-per-year business, and that 79% of this activity comprises sexual exploitation. As many as 2 million children a year are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, according the the U.S. State Department.-- Cynthia G. Wagner. (Darker Side, par. 4) The words prostitute, pimp, escort, and stripper tend to be way too common in the American everyday vocabulary. People use these words in a joking manner, but sex trafficking is far from a joke. Everyday, from all different countries, people are bought and sold either by force or false promises. Some are kidnapped and others come to America with dreams of a dream life and job. The buyers involved in the trade will do anything to purchase an innocent life just to sell for their own selfish profit. Many people wouldn’t think of a human body to be something you can buy in the back room of a business or even online. But those plus the streets are where people are sold most often. There are many reasons and causes for sex trafficking. The factors behind sex traffic...
"SEX TRAFFICKING IN THE U.S." Sex Trafficking in the U.S. – July 2012 – CharitySub. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.