The Criminalization of Sex Work as Structural Violence by Audrey Renson and Grace Sembajwe

555 Words2 Pages

I chose to attend a poster session on the Criminalization of Sex Work as Structural Violence. This research was presented by Audrey Renson and Grace Sembajwe about how the criminalization of sex work, such as prostitution, actually increases risks of sexually transmitted diseases and the risk of violence. I chose to write my reflective paper on this presentation because it connects with what I am learning in Sociology class right now. Criminalization means the process of turning behaviors and certain individuals into crimes and criminals. Structural violence is a term ascribed to sociologist Johan Galtung, which refers to a form of violence where the social structure, location, or an institution can actually harm their citizens by preventing them from receiving their basic needs. In Sociology, we are discussing whether criminalizing something actually improves the situation or makes it worse. We also point out that oftentimes, a negative stigma usually makes matters worse because of the imprint that it leaves on the minds of most people. In order to make this observation, one must fo...

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