Claire E. Sterk in her article, Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of AIDS, highlights the experiences of women engaged in a centuries-old profession in metropolitan Atlanta and New York City that is now plagued by the onslaught of a cureless disease. Whereas, in Doing Fieldwork among the Ya̧nomamö, Napoleon A. Chagnon immerses himself into the society of a Venezuelan tribe, which has a complex set of customs that he must understand first in order to document a comprehensive genealogy of the tribe. Through a critical study of both accounts, we can draw similarities in the anthropologists’ experiences, such as certain obstacles that kept them from effectively implementing research methodologies, as well as differences like …show more content…
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 from 18-59 years in age, is largely African-American, and that most have completed high school. As these women reveal more about themselves, it becomes apparent that there is a spectrum of opinion regarding controversial topics such as drug use and safe sex. Many women admitted to not having used a condom with a partner who they were aware had HIV/AIDS. Moreover, there is an array of cases regarding drug use: those who do not use drugs; those who became addicted after entering prostitution; those who resort to prostitution to support the habit; and those who are primarily addicts and exchange sexual favors for cocaine. The society is largely male-dominated, with pimps and fixers controlling the women and who they interact with; there are also numerous cases of violence perpetrated by pimps as well as customers. Another theme that is revealed is the dynamic of escaping prostitution and how these …show more content…
In addition to collecting a comprehensive genealogy, he attempts to learn some vast aspects of the Ya̧nomamö culture such as their social organization, kinship and relationship-building practices (such as sharing food), internal politics, marriage system, and settlement patterns among others. As Chagnon learned through his research, the Ya̧nomamö have a relatively simple way of life that some might describe as ‘primitive’ or ‘tribal.’ However, even this easy lifestyle holds a complex set of traditions and social nuances that are only peculiar to an outsider. Despite their traditional lifestyle, the Ya̧nomamö usually work three hours a day to earn a living that may sustain their families, perhaps due to a shift towards urban settings and the acquisition of material possessions in tribal societies. They tend to be self-sustaining and are somewhat of an agrarian culture that is largely dependent on farming plantains and hunting animals. Situated in the Venezuelan jungle, Ya̧nomamö villages range from 50-300 people, most of whom are children due to short life expectancies. The Ya̧nomamö, therefore, tend to be a form of open society with only a limited concept of privacy and individual space. Moreover, on a more surface-level evaluation, they occupy themselves with producing crafts such as baskets, hammocks, masks, etc; they also dress
Patty Kelly’s article, “Enough already, it’s time we decriminalize prostitution”, takes the reader into a fascinating behind the scene look into one of Mexico’s legalized brothels. Although it is apparent that her research and investigation into this social experiment are well defined, it is too narrow a focus to gather all the required information to support her argument. Kelly begins with a half hazard analysis of Elliot Spitzer infidelity, then continues down the path that is far too laser like to see the overall effect on these women; failing to see these prostitutes as real people with hearts and souls. Instead, she produces an impression that the prostitutes are just commodity, bought and sold on the open market, lacking feeling for their plight. In Kelly’s investigation, she neglects to create an entire picture of what decriminalizing prostitution will cost humanity due to the fact that her investigation ignores society’s accepted understanding of what problems are produced by, or result from prostitution. There was absolutely no research cited that relating to sexual addiction, the effects on the prostitutes’ emotional and physical wellbeing, or even the acknowledgment of the organized criminal element behind prostitution.
With prostitution still arising and thriving in present day America the Argument and war waged on it by media has changed from an advocated perspective, to being seen as present day slavery among women. Especially with modern practices of forced trafficking and drugged prostitution. the views have changed from one of a women's private and personal freedom of choice, to one of "the ones who weren't lucky enough to get away from being drugged, kidnapped and forced into slaved prostitution."
== == Throughout the UK and internationally, the issue of prostitution is seen as an ever-increasing problem. For the purpose of this assignment I will concentrate on the issue of prostitution within the United Kingdom. There has been a marked rise in the incidence of street prostitution since the 1980s and a growth in the proportion of intravenous drug users involved in street prostitution. In Glasgow, police estimate that ar... ...
The article focuses on the experiences of two women who work as escorts within the sex industry, throughout this interview the women disclose the pros and cons of their jobs, why they chose to work as escorts, how their job has affected their family and friends around them, how they consider and approach their careers from a business point of view and how the women believe society and the media have inspired people to create a negative stigma of the sex industry as if it was a folk devil. Nagle (1997, p.250) states that “our culture uses sexual shame and ignorance for purposes of social control”. (Nagle, J. (1997), Whores and Other Feminists, London and New York: Routledge)
A common misconception about human trafficking is that it only happens abroad, in reality it is happening here, in the United States and in states such as New York, Florida and California. The United States plays a major role in the human trafficking crisis, which offers those who wish to eliminate the occurrence of sex trafficking with an opportunity to consider solutions that can decrease the appalling rates of victimization that happen right here in America. Many cases of sex trafficking are mistaken for prostitution due to the way drugs impact the victims’ behaviors. Victims of sex trafficking often become addicted and dependent upon drugs, and in order to attain the drugs they will perform sexual acts or exploit themselves resulting with drugs as their reward for their behaviors. What is left untold to many is, what is the relationship amongst sex trafficking, prostitution, and drug use? It is proposed that in cities such as Miami, New York City, and Los Angeles there is a relationship between prostitution, sex trafficking, and drug
Many women became prostitutes as a result of their skills no longer being needed, and they needed a way to provide for themselves. So, women found one aspect of themselves that society told them they could sell. Unfortunately, prostitution was a bleak affair. Occasionally, a woman got lucky and bought her way out of the profession, but she was the exception. Most lived and died in poverty. Furthermore, because of the destructive nature of the profession, most prostitutes grew to be disheartened and disillusioned, many even diseased. Prostitutes were socially ostracized, victims of the gender roles that were placed upon them. Women who lived the life of a prostitute often faced harsh realities, far from the promised lure and attraction of the American
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...
Murphy, L. S. (2010). Understanding the Social and Economic Contexts Surrounding Women Engaged In Street-Level Prostitution. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31(12), 775-784.
Weitzer, Ronald. "Prostitution: Facts and Fiction." Gwu.edu. George Washington University, 2007. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
Sanders, Teela, Maggie O’Neil, and Jane Pitcher. Prostitution: Sex Work, Policy, and Politics. London: SAGE, 2009. eBook Collection. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.
Throughout America and the entire world, prostitution flourishes. Prostitution is another never ending war like abortion, which society feels is immoral. This immorality leads functionalists, who apply functionalism to this social problem, on a chase to figure out why prostitution is what it is today. Functionalism is the best theory for looking at prostitution. It allows us to see how prostitution changes along with other aspects of society.
In conclusion, prostitution is said to be the world’s oldest profession. Prostitution has evolved throughout the years and it has caused much controversy cross-culturally and historically and which has many individuals reexamining the logistics of it. It has affected our society in many ways, for it could be looked at as a harmful threat just as a way to get by and pay the bills.
The exploitation of prostitution is considered to be one of a serious global issue in most of the countries around the world. Also, the number of prostitution is increasing tremendously each year and seems to be more serious than the past centuries. However, yet very few to none of the countries have completely solved this problem. Saudi Arabia and Netherlands are two examples of the countries that prostitution is still considered to be a problem that the government of both countries cannot ignore. There are different solutions that Saudi Arabia and Netherlands have come up with to solve the problem.
Prostitution is becoming a very popular trade in America. Because the practice is illegal, it’s difficult to estimate the current number of prostitutes in work; however, there is believed to be 1 to 2 million in the US alone. Prostitution is one of the most dangerous professions in the world. In today’s society, sexually transmitted diseases are much too common among the American people. Prostitutes face a huge risk of catching an STD since they have sex with so many different people. Physical abuse toward these women is almost certain in this industry. Often women will turn to drugs and alcohol to help ease their pain. Most of the prostitutes have been abused as a child or suffers from depression. Many people believe that prostitution should
Yanomamo people lived by a combination of horticulture, fishing, and foraging. Horticulturist who raises plantains and bananas, the Yanomamo diet consists of things hunted and gathering of palm fruit. Only about three to four hours in a day were spent working on the food supply. This allows time to enjoy the day by relaxing and having fun. This somewhat ...