...The problem with prostitution Over the past two decades, Canada's prostitution laws have faced a number of challenges. Soon they will face another. By The Vancouver Sun August 27, 2007 Over the past two decades, Canada's prostitution laws have faced a number of challenges. Soon they will face another. A group of Vancouver lawyers and sex workers have initiated a Charter challenge arguing that our present laws violate their right to life, liberty, security, equality and free expression. Our laws don't actually prohibit prostitution per se. They just ban any mechanism of engaging in it -- from soliciting for the purposes of prostitution to operating a common bawdy house. Those bringing the challenge argue that the laws do more harm than good. They argue that our criminal laws expose sex workers to significant harm: Physical and sexual violence, lack of access to police protection, social stigma, inequality, exploitation and murder. Their solution? Strike down the laws and institute a regulatory scheme to help make being a prostitute safer. There is something fundamentally wrong with this vision. Prostitution laws don't expose sex workers to an increased risk of physical and sexual violence, psychological injury, kidnapping and death. Prostitution does that. Should drug dealers challenge laws banning the selling of drugs because those laws force them to sell drugs in alleys and deal with shady individuals in their business? No. They should stop selling drugs...
Words: 779 - Pages: 4
...Prostitution: A Problem of Equality, Dignity and Integrity There is much argument and debate in society about the issue of prostitution. Gunilla Ekberg, co-executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women states that “in order to successfully find solutions to the problem of prostitution, it is necessary to think about and discuss among ourselves what kind of society we wish to live in.” Before this discussion, however, we need to take a step back. The first question that needs to be addressed is whether we as a society see prostitution as a problem. Do we see prostitution as an inevitable, inescapable and necessary profession - a profession that has always existed as the ‘oldest profession in the world’? Or do we acknowledge that prostitution is a violation of internationally recognised human rights: equality, dignity and integrity? Is prostitution a problem? A problem for equality It is widely recognised that violence against women is antithetical to the establishment of gender equality, and that one of the most severe and devastating practices of gender-based violence is the commercial exploitation of women and girls, which includes prostitution. The United States Department of State determines that few activities are as brutal and damaging to people as prostitution. Field research in nine countries concluded that 60-75% of women in prostitution were raped, 70-95% were physically assaulted, and 68% met the criteria for post traumatic stress disorder, in the...
Words: 1081 - Pages: 5
...Women in the Australian colonies: Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date Women in Australia colonies Port Philip grew at an amazing rate in the 1830s when free settlers and female convicts were sent to Victoria to respond to the labor shortage. Women were outnumbered by men with a ration 1 to seven respectively. Women were the small population and were the most vulnerable proportion of the whole population. Initially, the majority of women were unmarried free settlers. There was a great demand for single women to serve as house servants, and the government covered the travel expenses to Victoria with families or married couples. . However, the free female settlers were still vulnerable as they were not lucky enough to get employment and they had to meet their financial needs. If they lost their job or get pregnant, they were forced to depend on charitable organizations or move to the streets. . For the convicts that were sent to Port Philip, the place was worse, with prostitution being their unspoken sentence. Life was difficult on arrival as convict women were taken to settlers households to serve as domestic servants. Some were lucky to marry and start new lives, but the majority of them were victims of prostitution and crime. For the most women, de facto relationships or marriage ensured they were protected and provided for from the rough elements of the society, and security was given at a price. Alcohol was too common in the settlements...
Words: 979 - Pages: 4
...Prostitution Chapter I The Problem and its Background Introduction Prostitution is said to be one of the oldest profession in the world. It is the giving or receiving of the body for sexual activity for hire but excludes sexual activity between spouses. It is the performance for hire where there is an exchange of value, any of the following acts: Sexual intercourse; sodomy, or; manual or other bodily contact stimulation of the genitals of any person with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desires of the offender or another. Background of the Study Prostitution is the performance of sexual acts solely for the purpose of material gain. Persons prostitute themselves when they grant sexual favors to others in exchange for money, gifts, or other payment and in so doing use their bodies as commodities. In legal terms, the word prostitute refers only to those who engage overtly in such sexual-economic transactions, usually for a specified sum of money. Prostitutes may be of either sex, but throughout history the majorities have been women, reflecting both the traditional socioeconomic dependence of women and the tendency to exploit female sexuality. Although prostitution has often been characterized as the “world’s oldest profession,” the concept of women as property, which prevailed in most cultures until the end of the 19th century, meant that the profits of the profession most often accrued to the men who controlled it. Men have traditionally been characterized as procurers...
Words: 583 - Pages: 3
...Against Legalizing Prostitution in Country like Indonesia There is an ongoing and intense debate surrounding decriminalizing prostitution. Some countries, such as The Netherlands, Canada and Australia have legalized Prostitution. They argue that the legalization of prostitution brings more good than harm, and so far people see that good things such as an increase in country’s gross domestic product and economic output from those country is happening. But, that’s just a glance of external view out of a lot of things that really happened inside of the country that legalize prostitution itself, such as morale issue and women trafficking. This writing will boldly show and explains the arguments against legalizing prostitution and why a country like Indonesia should not legalize prostitution. Some people, whom agree to legalize prostitution, come up with arguments that from their point of view will bring more goods than bad. First, they argue that legalizing prostitution will decrease the number of sexual harassment and rape. They believe that by the legalization of prostitution, it will reduce the number of unwanted sex since it is now woman’s choice to get in to the business of prostitution or not and it will not be called as rape if both parties are willing to have sex. Second, It will be better and safer for sex-workers if prostitution was legalized and regulated. This point argue that if prostitution was legalized then there will be less crimes against (un-legalized) prostitutes...
Words: 2277 - Pages: 10
...modern-day form of slavery.” Prostitution is defined as, “The act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment.” These two entities go hand in hand, as nearly four million people are trafficked every year into some form of prostitution. Humans are trafficked for other reasons, though, such as: forced labor, domestic servitude, and farm work. However, the number one reason for human trafficking is prostitution. The more shocking reality of the situation is that some countries tolerate prostitution. It is even legal in some places. In Copenhagen, Denmark, prostitution is rampant because of such decriminalization (Shubert). This profusion of illicit activity is the birth child of one thing, human trafficking. The fact that some countries allow acts of prostitution to be legal is dubious. Anyone forced into any acts that they don’t wish to participate in is having their civil liberties violated. If such violations are to be stopped, then one must look for the root of the root of the problem. The root seems to be lawful prostitution, because it only seems to welcome the idea of trafficking unwilling individuals into positions in which they don’t want to be in. Conversely, some individuals are wholly willing to participate in acts of prostitution. However, these people shouldn’t be put at risk to get taken advantage of by human traffickers. Universal regulations should be set in place to end all forms of prostitution and levy more severe penalties...
Words: 1767 - Pages: 8
...Prostitution; An Abolitionist Perspective We can learn a great deal about women and prostitution by studying the construction of prostitution as a « Social problem ». Two dominant questions oppose each other when it comes to prostition, One of them wich advocates abolition, and the other claiming its recognition as a full time job. These two positions appear to be largely balanced despite their opposition to the extent that they mobilize the same arguments, that is to say moral. But throughout his work, his analysis shows that prostitution is a widely heterogeneous universe, crossed by numerous divisions and whose participants are located mainly in the same position in the economic and social field. The first chapter explains the construction of prostitution and claims that it only creates misery and populism, as often when it comes to socially subordinate groups. In both cases, there is a certain essentialist representation of the prostitute - because often we forget men who engage in commercial sex, and the blurred boundaries of genders that include transvestites and transsexuals. More worryingly, it shows that some sociologists use their scientific legitimacy to defend highly ideological positions (in this case abolitionists). To get out of these preconceptions of considering prostitution not in only in the terms of sexuality – just like the idea of taboo in our society, but as a means of economical “subsistence” for individuals who practice it. This is often led...
Words: 2633 - Pages: 11
...World’s Oldest Profession Prostitution is the act of offering sexual services to another person in return for money. Prostitution is often referred to as the world’s oldest profession and has existed in the sex industry for centuries occurring all over the world. Since prostitution first began the debate has raged: should prostitution be legalized or not? To protect the safety of sex trade workers, the time has come to legalize prostitution. A major argument for legalizing prostitution is the questionable logic of criminalizing an activity that occurs routinely in our society. The services of a prostitute are used regularly by many people. According to Doctor Allan Schwartz, four main reasons that men visit prostitutes are a “compulsive need for sex, an insatiable need for sexual pleasure, a fear of intimacy or relationships, and misogyny” (Schwartz). These reasons for using the services of prostitutes have existed for a long period of time and the demand for paid sex will always exist. In many segments of society paying for sex is acceptable. History has proven that eliminating prostitution is not possible. Decriminalizing the sex trade will recognize prostitutions role in our society. Prostitution is generally an act between consenting adults and different categories include street, brothels, escorts and sex tourism. According to Sherry F. Colb of Rutgers Law School, prostitution is classified as a victimless crime. She states “What makes prostitution a victimless crime in...
Words: 1553 - Pages: 7
...PROSTITUTION IS NOT A CHOICE LEARN A BOUT TH E TRA FFI CKING OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WORLDWIDE, AND FIND OUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO END THIS WID ESPR EAD PROBLEM … Soroptimist International of the Americas-1709 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 - 215 893 9000 - www.soroptimist.org SOROPTIMIST WHITE PAPER Prostitution is Not a Choice I think so much about what has happened to me. Why these men did what they did to me. Old, disgusting men. It was horrible. They knew I did not want to be there, but they paid their money. They used me. I was their property for the night. They destroyed me. (14-year-old girl at Casa Hogar, a shelter in Costa Rica for children rescued from the country’s sex trade1) OVERVIEW Prostitution has been called the world’s oldest “profession.” In reality, it is the world’s oldest “oppression” and continues to be one of the most overlooked human rights abuses of women on the planet today. 2 Prostitution of women is a particularly lethal form of violence against women, and a violation of a woman’s most basic human rights. While society attempts to normalize prostitution on a variety of levels (discussed later in this paper), prostituted women are subjected to violence and abuse at the hands of paying “clients.” For the vast majority of prostituted women, “prostitution is the experience of being hunted, dominated, harassed, assaulted and battered.” 3 It is “sexual terrorism against women at the hands of men and little is being done to stop the carnage...
Words: 12689 - Pages: 51
...Profession It is the world’s oldest profession and you’d think that at some point in time society would have accepted it. However, not only is prostitution still not legalized in the United States, but it is not even accepted as a profession worth having. Why? What are reasons so terrible that this profession shouldn’t be legalized? Let me clarify, by identifying what I mean by prostitution. By definition, prostitution is the act of performing sex and/or sexual acts in exchange for some kind of compensation, but the part that needs to be clarified is by whom this exchange is happening between. This exchange should only happen between two consenting adults. Adult meaning that under the law a person is of legal and consenting age. The way that everyone is looking at prostitution is biased to the negatives. Many argue that prostitution is morally wrong, that by legalizing prostitution you are in turn condoning sex trafficking, that rape and violence are more prone to happen, and the list goes on and on. However, the list goes on and on about why it would be a positive change to legalize it as well. Not only are there ways to refute some of the arguments made against prostitution, but there are also positive outcomes that can result from legalizing prostitution in the U.S. There is a booming business waiting to emerge from prostitution here in the U.S. You have potential business owners, plenty of employees, and a surplus of buyers in the market. The now Johns would be the owners...
Words: 1881 - Pages: 8
...Indecent Occupation (- SAY IT, The Vagina Monolouges- Eve Ensler,2008) Prostitution, pornography or sex work has been in history one of the most demeaned kinds of work. But today there is a drastic change in the way prostitution is viewed. There are demands from every corner about decriminalization of prostitution. In its draft statement ICPR (International Committee For Prostitute’s Rights) states, “Until recently, the women’s movement in most countries has not, or has only marginally, included prostitutes as spokeswoman or theorists. Historically, women’s movement (for example socialist and communist movements) has opposed the institution of prostitution, while claiming to support prostitute women. However, prostitutes reject support that requires them to leave prostitution, they object to being treated as symbols of oppression and demand recognition as workers. Due to feminist hesitation or refusal to accept prostitution as legitimate work and to accept prostitutes as working women, the majority of prostitutes have not been recognised as feminists. Nonetheless many prostitutes identify with feminist values such as independence, financial autonomy, sexual self-determination, personal strength and female bonding.’ In the new discourse demanding the legitimisation of prostitution the however, the institution and the individual is confused. It is one thing to defend the prostitute and a completely different thing...
Words: 5501 - Pages: 23
...are used as maids or in other forms of extreme labor. Even worse, are the countries that allow prostitution and trafficking. In Japan prostitution is not legal but highly tolerated. Unlike Japan, some countries, such as the Netherlands, have legalized prostitution. However, their government says it is making efforts to regulate it. The girls undergo regular health exams and pay taxes. They are taken to fenced-in parking lots where they are put on display for men to pick one of their likings. All of it is courtesy of the government. While many national and international organizations are making efforts to fight human trafficking, it is still booming in much of Europe. The U.S. has also taken a stand against it by encouraging other countries to take steps towards improvement. However, the fight can not be won easily. Discussion In our “fairytale” lives we rarely take the time to acknowledge the injustices taking place in our world today. Human trafficking is just one of many. We cannot begin to comprehend its impact on the lives of those involved. Stealing the humanity of millions of people, human trafficking destroys lives and continues to do so. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that is present in every country, including the United States. (Children for Sale, 2005) Everyday women and children are kidnapped, bought, sold, and forced into prostitution and other forms of extreme labor. They are given little food and no...
Words: 1604 - Pages: 7
...ID: 5681093 EC2 Section 15 Instructor: Nicholas Ferriman Argumentation Paper Thailand: from the outside Thai Sex Tourism: Are the Prostitutes to be blamed? “Unseen Paradise”, the promotion slogan entitled by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in 2004, intended to promote the resorts that are not spoiled by tourism. Entering to its website, finds the picture of Thai women -- whose back is smeared with mud -- looking over her shoulders at the painting of the topless Thai dancers (Johnson, 2007). This is where the heated debate arises, the caption beneath it says: “Heaven is now possible and right here within your grasp”. Because of the displaying picture that was supposed to be promoting Thai tourism, is rather seen as a provocative image. Foreign travellers view and perceive it as a selling of the commercialized sex, and see Thailand as the sex-offer country. The picture even increases the international reputation of Thailand as a “Brothel of the world”. A number of international tourists -- especially male -- visiting Thailand as they are , apart from other reasons, motivated by sexual services that are available at their hand in bargained-price (Hall, 1996). Normally, sex workers are the most focused medium in this industry. Many people condemn and marginalise them. They also claim that prostitutes are solely responsible for the worldwide fame -- or rather shame -- for the sex industry establishment of Thailand. However, the opposition asserts that, for the sex...
Words: 2063 - Pages: 9
...What Is Cultural Anthropology? When a person thinks about cultural anthropology, they should not limit themselves by thinking of one particular thing. Their mind should be racing with countless subjects. ‘Cultural anthropology’ is a pretty broad title for a discipline that covers such a wide range of topics. Anthropology studies all that is human and all that makes us human (Malloy, 2011). To narrow it down a bit, anthropology studies culture. One can define culture as “those relationships whereby, one and one’s community establish identity; knowledge of self and others, knowledge of the world and how we are to be in the world, and what various versions of those worlds mean to ‘us’ and ‘them’” (Malloy, 2011). Every individual person represents a culture of their own within the society they live in. Jack Weatherford estimates that “the globe stands divided into roughly two hundred independent countries or states, but these contain somewhere around five thousand different nations or ethnic groups” (1994, p.226). With so many different cultures out there, people of a particular society cling to their culture and hold to it with extreme importance. Even through times of modernity that pushed for a world culture, the number of different cultures did not homogenize and mesh together. On the contrary “ethnic and cultural identities grew stronger…and accentuated differences to become more varied than ever” (Weatherford, 1994, p.8). Cultural anthropology studies that behavior and the...
Words: 1413 - Pages: 6
...Exploitation of Women in Prostitution Submitted by: 9 Nadine Bo 27 Isabella Manuel III-Katarungan Submitted to: Miss Josel Cruz March 11, 2013 I. Introduction Many of today’s social issues have been around for hundreds of years. Social issues can be likened to a cancer; a cancer that grows inside but can be fully removed with proper treatment. This includes corruption, poverty, war crimes, racism and human trafficking. Human trafficking has gone far from being unnoticed in its many forms such as prostitution of women and even children. As early as 18th century BC, prostitution has been recognized as a profession. It was a sign of hospitality for the ancient Sumerians, for others it was obligatory for their beliefs and religion. However, man has gone far from the ways of the old. Now, the world is at that point in history where everyone should have learned from ancestors’ accomplishments and failures alike. Prostitution, commonly referred to as “the world’s oldest profession”, must have been solved as a social issue long ago, but similar to other issues it hasn’t been fully eliminated because it is a social problem. Social problems are deeply rooted in the nature of humans and society. As long as there are people willing to understand and work with these women towards social equity, there is a solution. There are efforts to remove prostitution and most of all the exploitation, harassment and abuse of those involved such as legal measures and private organizations...
Words: 3102 - Pages: 13
