Factors Favoring Prostitution and Their Effects on Sex Workers
Prostitution is a business practice that involves sexual acts in exchange for money, services, goods, or any other benefits that emerge from the sexual interaction. Prostitution is regarded as the oldest profession, stretching back thousands of years, in which women participated as sex workers. Human trafficking is rife, with people providing clients with ladies and children for sex for a charge. Various countries around the world are dealing with the same threat, which has far-reaching consequences for both men and women, children, and even the health sector, resulting in a rise in disease load. The increased disease burden is evidenced by the tremendous rise in the number of sexually transmitted infections recorded. This paper will seek to answer the question; what are the effects of prostitution on the sex workers. Secondly, it will determine whether prostitution should be legalized? And who are the most affected in human trafficking?
Significance of the Study
Prostitution has an enormous impact on the disease burden today. The diseases that are emanating from prostitution range from sexually transmitted infections to psychological or mental disorders. Hence it is important that they are dealt with timely to mitigate the disease burden experienced in different parts of the world today. At the same time, there are numerous cases of human trafficking for sex following demand and the proceeds of the industry. In addition, there is slowed economic growth since most of the people involved in the activities end up engaging in drug trafficking and they are not able to establish their carriers of choice.
Methodology
The study will involve an interview of about 20 sex workers. The participants will be obtained using a simple randomly selection method and engaged after obtaining informed consent. Random selection is important since it will give all the sex workers an equal opportunity to participate. Participants must be commercial sex workers above the age of 18 years and can be either male or female. Some of the questions to be asked include; the reasons as to why they practice prostitution, some of the effects that the practice has on their emotional and psychological wellbeing and lastly the factors motivating their prolonged stay in the field. The questions will be open-ended to allow for an in-depth expression of the people on the effects and motivation for commercial sex. Open-ended questions will allow the participants to give subjective information concerning their experience in the industry which is essential for completing the purpose of the study. In general, this methodology will be useful for achieving this paper's goal of establishing factors promoting prostitution and the effects of prostitution on the psychological wellbeing of the client.
Literature Review
Roe-sepowitz et al. (40), in their study, observed that many factors are responsible for one's involvement in prostitution. From the study, it is clear that drug and alcohol abuse coupled with childhood abuse are the major factors that promote prostitution among the commercial sex workers. At the same time, separation of male from female and engaging in sex at an early age before 18 years are some of the factors that promote prostitution. This resource will help in establishing some of the risk factors for one to engage in prostitution. At the same time, it will give insight on some of the diversion programs from prostitution.
Murphy (2) establishes that prostitution has an enormous impact on the health sector. Further, various states have utilized huge amounts of money in sensitizing people on the effects of prostitution. Most women involved in prostitution are aware that indulging in the business puts them at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Despite the knowledge, they still practice prostitution. Murphy (3) asserts that economic instability is one of the major factors promoting the practice of prostitution. This resource will provide additional information on the factors promoting the practice of prostitution and some of the efforts made by several states to sensitize communities on the effects of prostitution on the health and economic sector.
Batsyukova (46) points out that prostitution has led to extreme instances of human trafficking for sex. Demand for sex has been one of the primary reasons for the continued thriving of the industry. Prostitution just like any other industry, the need for the supply of sexual workers brought about by the ongoing demand for the sex workers by sex buyers. This source will be essential while examining the issues of human trafficking and its psychological effects on the victims. At the same time, by understanding the drivers of prostitution, it will be much easier for the development of policies to tame the vice.
Munro and Giusta (775) state that prostitution is the oldest profession, however, there have been minimal efforts by various institutions to regulate the industry. However, several countries in the world today have developed some policies to control the activities. For instance, in Netherlands commercial sex had been legal since the year 2000 provided that it does not disrupt law and order (Munro and Giusta 780). Germany as well has outlined various policies that govern this industry. Today commercial sex is not viewed as a violation of proper morals. People are allowed to sell sex both on and off the streets. This article will provide information on some of the countries that have legalized prostitution and some of the effects of the regulations on the industry. Catharine (271) observes that the majority of the sex workers are introduced to prostitution as teenagers, and they fail to move out as time goes by, hence adopting the lifestyle to adulthood. While, on the other hand, traffickers are eager to grab young girls when they are most admirable within the industry. Over time, the sex traffickers are blamed for the continued practice of prostitution by the affected women.
Works Cited
Batsyukova, Svitlana. “Prostitution and Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation.” Gender Issues 24.2 (2007): 46–50.
Catharine, A. MacKinnon. “Trafficking, Prostitution, and Inequality.” Harvard Civil Rights – Civil Liberties Law Review 46.2 (2011): 271.
Munro, Vanessa E, and Marina Della Giusta. The Regulation of Prostitution: Contemporary Contexts and Comparative Perspectives. N.p., 2008.
Murphy, Lyn Stankiewicz. “Understanding the Social and Economic Contexts Surrounding Women Engaged in Street-Level Prostitution.” Issues in mental health nursing 31.12 (2010): 775–784.
Roe-sepowitz, Dominique E et al. “Adult Prostitution Recidivism : Risk Factors and Impact of a Diversion Program Adult Prostitution Recidivism : Risk Factors and Impact of a Diversion Program.” Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 50. September 2011 (2011): 37–41.
