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Prostitution and the ethical issue in it
Negative implications of prostitution
Prostitution and the ethical issue in it
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The norm of prostitution, or rather, its lack of normalization, is problematic. Prostitution has been deemed as an unacceptable career for women, therefore, it is typically shunned from ever becoming customary. As the oldest ongoing profession in the world, one would think that prostitution will be close to being acceptable, just how homosexuality and marijuana is today. Yet, prostitution is far from being a norm of society, and the “whore stigma” remains attached. By analyzing statistics and testimonies of sex workers, the evidence ties back to the effect that the whore stigma has upon the industry.
The “whore stigma” is the notion that prostitutes are nothing but low-life, uneducated outcasts that uses her body for money. Not only is this stigma persistent, but it is highly dangerous. The whore stigma is not just a label; it is a permanent brand that oppresses women who work in the sex industry. Being labelled a whore restricts a woman from pursuing other careers and from being respected. Statistics show a disproportionate rate of crime against sex workers, due to their status
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If a prostitute chooses this career with consent, society should not deem her as a felon. Only 15% of sex workers consider their career a need, while a majority claim it’s an easy way to make money. In one case, a worker from Moonlight Bunny Ranch made over $500,000 a year. She is not incompetent in anyway, (she was in the Air Force) but knew that sex work made more money than any office job. If anything, prostitution encourages fiscal independence, control over their own bodies, and equal or even more pay in comparison to males (which is still a problem in the workforce). Without the stigma, prostitution practically embodies feminism- and bonus that tax revenue from brothels can contribute to the
The 1990 romantic comedy, Pretty Woman, is a popular film that represents several aspects of feminism through the character of Vivian Ward, a prostitute who experiences a change in social class when she meets corporate businessman, Edward Lewis. The film demonstrates society's placement of sex workers and the inequalities they face in everyday life due to the stigma and generalizations of the whole sex industry. I argue that the film Pretty Woman addresses the issues in society of the marginalization of sex workers and the high stigmatization that is associated with acts of sex work. In addition, through the character of Vivian, it is emphasized that sex workers have agency and empowerment of their own desires. I believe Vivian’s strong sense
Kelly’s article has raised valid points regarding safety to the prostitute within a brothel, but there is so much evidence that proves the ill effects of this experiment in other countries that the evidence cannot be ignored. Although, parts of the sex trade industry may initially see positive results for some of the workers, the majority would end up worse off than before. Due to the illegal nature of this industry and the control exuded by the pimp, the physical and psychological risk to the prostitute, the highly addictive nature of sex, and the organized crime behind the scenes orchestrating and controlling ever aspect of the industry, it is clear that decriminalizing prostitution would result in significant negative affects on society, prostitutes and those with sexual addictions.
“There is no difference in work in which a women sells her hands, such as a typist, and a work in which a women sells her vagina, as in sex work.” Claims author Lacy Sloan. In today’s society, many people believe that prostitution is an immoral act. It is the world’s oldest profession and because it has been long condemned, sex workers are stigmatized from mainstream society (ProQuest Staff). However, the act of purchasing sex between consenting adults should not be prohibited by the government, but regulated for society's overall best interests. Prostitution is illegal and as a consequence prostitutes are often victims of violence and sexual assault; therefore, prostitution should be legalized and regulated to ensure the safety of sex workers.
Although throughout much of the beginnings of our country the act of adultery was rampant, prostitution has always been viewed in a negative light in the United States. The mass adultery even went so far as to quell the act of prostitution due to the fact that they were simply were not needed (Esselstyn 1968). Throughout most of the ninetieth and twentieth centuries prostitution was associated with other socially immoral objects and act, such as the use of drugs, alcohol, and also the act of gambling. While society viewed these as the true threats to society, they view prostitution a...
The world’s oldest profession. Escort. Whore. Hooker. Wench. Streetwalker. Call girl. Courtesan. Hustler. Harlot. No matter what you call it, we all know it as prostitution, and it is typically accompanied by a negative attitude. Montgomery College professor Susan A. Milstein, however, argues that prostitution is merely another job, saying, “Imagine a woman who is engaging in a specific behavior for money. Is that prostitution, or is it a job?” If we take away our preconceived notion of prostitutes as streetwalkers or whores and look at them as employees attempting to make a living, they become normal people in our eyes. Prostitution is often looked down upon as disgraceful or “dehumanizing” because it pertains to sex, a topic that is quite touchy in modern day American culture (Milstein, 2009). Depending upon the media outlet, prostitution is often portrayed to be an either glamorous or a distasteful profession, but if we begin to look at prostitution as just that, a profession, we can also start to question the legality of it. The decriminalization and legalization of prostitution would bring financial stability, safety, and health benefits to the profession.
When looking at legalized prostitution you see safer and healthier women, and shouldn’t that always be the point of everything we do? To answer this question it is important that you understand what prostitution is. As defined by the Merriam –Webster dictionary prostitution is “the act of having sex in exchange for money”. In most of the United States prostitutes or sex workers work on the streets, shady alleys or what some would refer to as “crack houses”. Prostitution is sometimes referred to as the longest standing profession, and what is very clear is that it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Brothels and prostitution was frequent and rampant in the past. If you look into ancient Roman society you will find a great deal of art depicting sexual acts between, men and women along with sexual acts between homosexuals. It is also important to know the difference between legalizing prostitution and decimalizing prostitution. Legalizing prostitution means creating a system of regulation with government control. Decimalization means removing all laws against prostitution.
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.
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.
Prostitution is looked down on as an immoral activity. Some people do not even consider it to be a profession. It is indeed morally wrong but maybe it is considered so because of social norms. Women who participate in this profession are seen as harlots and tramps and a disgraceful member of society. Some of these women are addicted to drugs, they have no other choice but to be involved in the profession while others have been coerced into it. Most of their backgrounds involve terrible role models while others have parents that forced them into doing these acts.
Stigma is socially constructed and displayed through exclusion, blame, or devaluation of an individual or a group of individuals because of a negative social judgment towards these individual(s) (Cockerham 2014). Stigma comes in several forms, whether that be the stigmatization of one’s physical irregularities or mental irregularities. Whereas, Cockerham (2014) defines discrimination as when an individual or group of individuals unfairly and prejudicially behave towards certain forms of human-beings or objects. Discrimination can also take on many forms. People can discriminate against practically anything, but some of the most common forms are discrimination against one’s age, gender, sex, race, physical illness, and, of course, mental illness.
In a study performed by Koken (2012), the researcher approaches prostitution as a form of paid labor that women may choose to engage in under circumstances ranging from the luxurious to the destitute. Results from the study showed that women articulated feelings of pride about their work, their body, and their ability to use sex work to help stabilize their lives financially. Sex work was also portrayed as an effective way to supplement meager incomes from mental or physical disabilities; and feelings were expressed that affirmed positive attention from clients who valued appearances and did not view clients as a ‘disabled’ or ‘pathological’.
Current risks of being a prostitute include, but are not limited to, poor working environments, human trafficking, unknown or unwilling exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, rape, and being murdered. According to a study conducted in 1990, “about 80% of women in prostitution have been the victim of a rape and that prostituted women are raped, on the average, eight to ten times per year” (Hunter and Reed, 1990). In a research article titled “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Female Street-Based Sex Workers in the Greater Syndey Area, Australia,” the authers noted how “one study reported that 68% of female sex workers interviewed met criteria for lifetime diagnosis of PTSD,” along with “physical assault (30%)” also being prevalent among this group of women (Roxburgh, Degenhardt, & Copeland,
Prostitution is the occupational service where sexual acts are exchanged for payment. Opinions of prostitution have changed drastically over the course of half a century, and are being debated worldwide. Prostitution is a very controversial topic, however there are claims that legalizing prostitution could create an overall safer environment, not only for the sex workers but the rest of society. There has been many alterations in prostitution laws and enforcement practices in several countries. Many nations have created new laws or intensified existing penalties for prostitution-related offences such as soliciting sex, purchasing sex, or pimping. Some other societies are experimenting with policies that securitize prostitution.The claims proposing these regulations are important because they are directly opposed to both the conventional benefits of prostitution and the specific allegations of anti-prostitution crusaders. In Canada and the UK, the exchange of sex for money is not illegal. However, the activities that go along with prostitution are criminal offences.“In March 2012, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a ban on establishments for the purposes of prostitution, which effectively makes street prostitution illegal. In the US, most jurisdictions, prostitution, solicitation, or agreeing to engage in an act of prostitution are classified as illegal. With the exception of licensed brothels in certain areas in Nevada. In the Netherlands,prostitution was legalized in the mid-1800s but it wasn’t until recently, the 1980s sex work became a legal profession. Restrictions on brothels and pimping were lifted in October 2000 and the industry is now securitized by labour law. Prostitutes are registered as legal workers....
Since prostitution has been around there have been labels and stigmas behind the workers, their morals and the job itself. Leaving these men and women to be rejected rights, health care, insurance, etc. Weitzer observes, “[i]nstead of viewing themselves as ‘prostituted,’ they may embrace more neutral work identities, such as ‘working women’ or ‘sex workers’ […] These workers are invisible in the discourse of the anti-prostitution crusade precisely because their accounts clash with abolitionist goals.” Weitzer is hinting at the fact that these women and men see themselves as workers too, deserving of workers rights and protection, just as you and I would expect. But they are declined help and benefits because of the stigma following their line of work, based on societal values.
Kramer, Lisa. “The Causes of Prostitution: An Overview”. Sociological Enquiry. Vol.73. (2003) pp. 511-28. Web. 27 November 2011.