Interface of Prostitution Industry: Its Suicidal impacts on the Cultural and
Feministic Movement.
1.0. Introduction
Prostitution is the system that
commodifies and dehumanizes the bodies of the woman for the use and profit of
the man. The term serves as an adjective for any sexually transgressing woman, seen
as sexual beings representing uncontrolled sexuality. Prostitution is
understood as a sexual act involving women. Today it is an object of intense
mainstreaming campaign that is working for social and political acceptance of
the highly profitable industry of sex. Prostitution right groups in India
however argue that prostitution is the exchange of sexual favors between
partners within a relationship for earning money, which is one of the various
ways of expressing and carrying out human sexuality.
Prostitution in India is a serious
social problem and its solution has been rendered difficult by the problems of poverty.
It is so widely rampant problem in India that its main market is the big cities.
It is somewhat a tangled issue for the feminists in India.
1.1. Feminism
The term feminism can be used to describe a political, cultural or
economic movement aimed at establishing equal rights and legal protection for
women. Feminism involves political and sociological theories and philosophies
concerned with issues of gender difference, as well as a movement that
advocates gender equality for women and campaigns for women's rights and
interests.
1.1.1.
Liberal feminism
Liberal feminism asserts the equality of men and women through political and
legal reform. It is an individualistic form of feminism, which focuses on
women's ability to show and maintain their equality through their own actions
and choices. Liberal feminism uses the personal interactions between men and
women as the place from which to transform society. According to liberal
feminists, all women are capable of asserting their ability to achieve equality;
therefore it is possible for change to happen without altering the structure of
society. Issues important to liberal feminists include reproductive and
abortion rights, sexual harassment, voting, education, affordable childcare, affordable health care,
and bringing to light the frequency of sexual and domestic violence against
women.
1.1.2.Socialist
feminism
Socialist feminism connects the oppression of women to Marxist ideas
about exploitation, oppression and labor. Socialist feminists think unequal standing
in both the workplace and the domestic sphere holds women down. Socialist
feminists see prostitution, domestic work, childcare, and marriage as ways in
which women are exploited by a patriarchal system that devalues women and the
substantial work they do. Socialist feminists focus their energies on
far-reaching change that affects society as a whole, rather than on an
individual basis. They see the need to work alongside not just men but all
other groups, as they see the oppression of women as a part of a larger pattern
that affects everyone involved in the capitalist system.
1.1.3.Radical feminism
Radical feminism considers the
male-controlled capitalist hierarchy, which it describes as sexist,
as the defining feature of women's oppression. Radical feminists believe that
women can free themselves only when they have done away with what they consider
an inherently oppressive and dominating patriarchal system. Radical feminists
feel that there is a male-based authority and power structure and that it is
responsible for oppression and inequality, and that, as long as the system and
its values are in place, society will not be able to be reformed in any
significant way. Some radical feminists see no alternatives other than the
total uprooting and reconstruction of society in order to achieve their goals. Over time a number of
sub-types of radical feminism have emerged, such as cultural feminism,
separatist feminism, and anti-ponography feminism ,the last opposed
by sex-positive feminism.
1.1.4
Cultural feminism
Cultural feminism is the ideology
of a "female nature" or "female essence" that attempts to
revalidate what they consider undervalued female attributes. It emphasizes
the difference between women and men but considers that difference to be psychological,
and to be culturally constructed rather than biologically innate. Its
critics assert that, because it is based on an essentialist view
of the differences between women and men and advocates independence and
institution building, it has led feminists to retreat from politics to
"life-style".
1.1.5 Postcolonial feminism,
Postcolonial
feminism, sometimes also known as Third World feminism, partly draws on post colonialism, which discusses experiences endured during colonialism,
including "migration, slavery, suppression, resistance, representation,
difference, race, gender, place and responses to the influential discourses of
imperial Europe. Postcolonial feminism centers on racism, ethnic issues, and the long-lasting
economic, political, and cultural effects of colonialism, inextricably bound
up with the unique gendered realities of non-White non-Western women. It sees
the parallels between recently decolonized nations and the state of women within
patriarchy—both post colonialism and postcolonial feminism take the perspective
of a socially marginalized subgroup in their relationship to the dominant culture.
Postcolonial feminists can be described as feminists who have reacted against
both universalizing tendencies in Western feminist thought and a lack of
attention to gender issues in mainstream postcolonial thought.
Colonialism has a gendered history. Colonial powers often
imposed Western norms on colonized regions. Postcolonial feminists argue
that cultures impacted by colonialism are often vastly different and should be
treated as such. In the 1940s and '50s, after the formation of the United Nations, former colonies were monitored by the West for what was
considered "social progress". Since then, the status of women in
the developing world has
been monitored by organizations such as the United Nations. Traditional
practices and roles taken up by women—sometimes seen as distasteful by Western
standards—could be considered a form of rebellion against colonial
oppression. That oppression may result in the glorification of
pre-colonial culture, which, in cultures with traditions of power
stratification along gender lines, could mean the acceptance of, or refusal to
deal with, issues of gender inequality. Postcolonial feminists today struggle
to fight gender oppression within their own cultural models of society
1.1.6 Third-world feminism
Third-world feminism has been described as a group of feminist theories
developed by feminists who acquired their views and took part in feminist
politics in so-called world
countries. Although women from the third world
have been engaged in the feminist movement, Chandra Talpade Mohanty and Sarojini
Sahoo criticize Western
feminism on the grounds that it is ethnocentric and does not
take into account the unique experiences of women from third-world countries or
the existence of feminisms indigenous to third-world countries.
Post-structural
feminism, also referred to as French feminism, uses the insights of
various epistemological movements,
including psychoanalysis, linguistics, political theory, race theory, literary
theory, and other intellectual currents for feminist concerns. Many
post-structural feminists maintain that difference is one of the most powerful
tools that women possess in their struggle with patriarchal domination, and
that to equate the feminist movement only with equality is to deny women a
plethora of options because equality is still defined from the masculine or
patriarchal perspective. Postmodern feminism is an approach to feminist theory that
incorporates postmodern and post-structuralist
theory.
1.1.8.Transfeminism
Transfeminism is, a category of feminism, most often known for the application
of transgender discourses to feminist discourses, and of feminist beliefs to
transgender discourse. It also concerns its integration within mainstream
feminism tTansfeminism in this context as a type of feminism "having
specific content that applies to transgender and transsexual people, but the
thinking and theory of which is also applicable to all women. Transfeminism
includes many of the major themes of other third-wave feminism, including diversity,
body image, oppression, misogyny, and women's agency. It is not merely about
merging trans concerns with feminism, but often applies feminist analysis and
critiques to social issues facing trans women and trans people more broadly.
Prostitution and Feminism
The issue of prostitution brings a
contradiction in the feminist politics and the ambivalence in dealing with
issues of sexuality. As a subversive activity it challenges the identification
of sex act primarily with desire and in Indian context with procreation and
family. In India there is no single feminist response to the issues of
prostitution .Though the study is not the most comprehensive survey, the
researcher’s purpose is to point out some trends of prostitution within the
feminists’ point of view.
The statics available on the number of
prostitutions operating in this country is not exact because there is so much
of clandestine prostitution and the situation is horrifying. A very accurate
comprehensive picture of prostitution in India is not available since sexual
exploitation and sell of woman and children are mostly unreported crimes. This
research paper attempts to have an analytical review on the history of prostitution,
factors of prostitution, magnitude of the problem and its solution.
Prostitution and
civilizations have gone hand in hand all over the world. Historically,
religious beliefs and social customs prevalent in society from time to time
provide the earliest accounts of its origin. It is rather difficult to enumerate
or identify all the factors conducive to prostitution because it has often been
argued that prostitution has its roots deep in the fabric of society . India is
no exception in spite of its spiritual aura. Therefore, it is important to
trace the history of prostitution and sale of women to see how far practices in
the past account for the position of women in present day society and reinforce
toleration of assaults on the dignity of women by sexual violence and forced prostitution
. The recorded Indian history indicates that prostitution was an accepted
profession to which certain prerogatives, rights and duties were attached. In
the sacred books of Hindu religion, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata,
there are frequent references to prostitution. In this age, when the king
returned to their kingdom from war and journey were received by an escort of
honor consisting of armies and Ganikas1 and also in this time marriage with a
prostitute was not looked down upon. The dancing girls were part of the king’s
court and were called as Raja Veshya (Royal Prostitute) The great epics, besides
giving an account of the high status and privileges that Ganikas and courtesans
enjoyed at that time also relate that degenerations had set in. The fact that
prostitutes accompanied kings and his army to the battlefield implies women
prostitutes could take whatever the soldiers wanted them for, being sexual
pleasure or even exposition to the dangers of wars. But, according to the ages,
the form of prostitution has changed in India. During the Buddhist period in spite of the
adverse public opinion and punishments, courtesans existed and commanded a certain
amount of respect. They were accommodated in royal palaces, were highly paid
and occupied a recognized position in the social scale. Although Jainism looked
down prostitution, no special stigma seems to have been attached to it.
According to Jain sources, prostitution was so rampant in the country that Jain
nuns were cautioned against it.
1.2. Impact of Cultural and Religious Practices on Prostitution
in India
In the Mogul period
(1526-1787 AD) prostitution was a recognized institution, but among
Muslims prostitution was the antithesis to the institution of family life and
while the singing and dancing girls who practiced it became rich and even
powerful they were never treated as part of society, as they had been in
earlier times. Emperor Akbar (1556-1605 AD) made some regulations so that the
services of the prostitutes might not be available very easily to the public.
Prostitutes were confined to a palace outside the capital city, which was known
as Shaitanpura or place of devil’s quarters. A register was maintained
outside the Shaitanpura for clients, where they were bound to sign their name
and address. On the next morning, the register was presented to the Emperor.
But during the period of Emperor Shahjahan (1627-1657AD) this activity was
reviewed once again and when Aurangzeb became the ruler, most of his rules were
directed towards prohibition of prostitutesWhen the European came to power
(during the 15th century) in India, especially the British played an important
role in bringing about the downfall of the Mughal Empire on the one hand and on
the other hand efforts were made to cater to the sexual needs of the soldiers
based in India, although being a practice against the British norms in their
own country. British army authorities maintained special brothels called ‘Chaklas’
in the 19th century. Although they discouraged the sati system, caste,
child marriage and purdha system, nevertheless female education and remarriage
of widows were encouraged and the law dealing with immoral traffic were enacte.However
in many provinces, official police registers were kept for the convenience of
the police to keep an eye on the anti-social activities who usually frequented
the brothels. Though practice of prostitution is an anti-social activity, it
has a deep root from the period of ancient India. Not only this, but also
during the religious ceremony likes ‘Dasera’ (festival of Goddess
Durga),the soil to make the idol of Durga was brought from the brothel, because
in the Hindu society it is believe that the soil of the brothel is pure. So in
India, the profession of prostitution has been treated as part of the culture
and religion, and there are many parts of the country where this practice still
continues. Although during the last few decades India has achieved a great progress
in terms of economic growth, the persistence of practices, attitudes and behavior
continue to subordinate and oppress the women. Perhaps the most telling
evidence is the cultural and religious practice of prostitution in someIndian
communities. In the present study an attempt has been made to see how the
traditional and religious practices in India provoke the problem of women
trafficking in the present society.
1.3. Status of woman in the Indian society
In ancient India, Vedic
people established a social system in which father, instead of mother became
the head of the family. Throughout ancient history, women were obliged to abide
by the laws made by men. However, it is also true that Vedic society had a
number of women in key positions and that certain austerities could not be
performed without their wives even in the early ritualistic period. In fact
according to legends Lord Brahma was forced to take up a girl named Savitri as
his consort for a special worship, in the absence of his wife Saraswati. The
ritualistic vedic culture was indeed male dominated. Women folk only helped in
the preparation of things for the rituals and fire sacrifices and did not
conduct rituals themselves. This Indian idea of appropriate female behaviour
can be traced to Manuin 200 BC: “by a young girl, by a young woman, or even by
an aged one, nothing must be done independent, even in her own house”. India is
a multifaceted society where no generalization could apply to the nation’s
various regional, religious, social and economic groups. Nevertheless certain
broad circumstances in which Indian women live affect the way they participate
in the economy. A common denominator in their lives is that they are generally
confined to home, with restricted mobility, and in seclusion. Other, unwritten,
hierarchical practices place further constraints on women. Despite major
changes that have occurred in the status of women in some parts of the world in
recent decades, norms that restrict women to the home are still powerful in
India, defining activities that are deemed appropriate for women. They are, by
and large, excluded from political life, which by its very nature takes place
in a public forum. In spite of India’s reputation for women, including treating her as a Goddess,
history tells us that women were also ill-treated. There was no equality
between men and women. This is true of ancient, medieval and early modern times
barring some revolutionary movements such as that of Basaweshwara, the 12th
century philosopher in Karnataka, who advocated equality, casteless society,
status for women, and betterment of the downtrodden. Reform movements in the
19th and 20thcenturies led by great social reformers provided boost to women’s
legal status in India . Independence of India heralded the introduction of laws
relating to women. The Constitution provided equality to men and women and also
gave special protection to women to realize their interests effectively. The
law also gives women equal rights in the matter of adoption, maternity
benefits, equal pay, good working conditions etc. At the international level,
the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration Human Rights and Convention on
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) sought to
guarantee better legal status to women. However, certain contentious issues
like the Jammu and Kashmir Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill 2004
(which deprived a woman of the status of permanent residency of the State if
she married an outsider) and the Supreme Court judgment in Christian Community
Welfare Council of India (in an appeal over the Judgment of the High Court,
Mumbai). The latter has permitted, under certain circumstances, the arrest of a
woman even in the absence of lady police and at any time in the day or night.
These instances have once again brought to the forefront the traditional male domination.
The theoretical foundations of development discourse have experienced many
changes over the decades. The role of men and women in the development process
has received much attention in the last few decades. Although the principle of
equality of men and women was recognized as early as in1945 in the UN Charter
and the UN Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,researchers have pointed out
that development planners worked on the assumption that what would benefit one
section of society (especially men)would trickle down to the other (women). The
new theory argues that a person’s role was specified under a patriarchal
framework where the scope of gender -masculine or feminine- was limited within
the biological understanding of sex (male and female).On the other hand,
irrespective of national affluence or level of development, women are still
vulnerable to exploitation, oppression and all other types of explicit violence
from men in Indian societies, where cultural norms, tradition and legal system
sanction women’s subordination to men. In India, an important mechanism of male
dominance is the propagation of gender ideology through sanctions of religious
practices and their gender-selective interpretation by the community leaders.
Moreover, increasing exposure to violence through popular reading, theaters,
film and TV shows, satellite culture, etc. directly or indirectly encourage men
to commit offences like rape. Theoretically Government of India regards man and
women as equal. However, the states concern to preserve the existing
patriarchal social order is clear from the ways laws operate in respect to
violence against women.
Review of Literature
In 1999, the United States Department
of Justice (Greenfeld & Smith, 1999) released a report oncrime
victimization in Native communities, noting that American Indians "have
higher per capita rates of14 violent victimizations" than other groups in
the United States. The data confirmed anecdotal accounts of devastatingly high
rates of violent crime. These crimes include battery, sexual assault, domestic
violence, stalking and homicide. Since then, other federal compilations have
come to the same conclusion (Perry,2004; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). American
Indians live in extremely adverse social and physical environments that place
them at very high risk of exposure to traumatic experiences. Rates of violent
victimization of American Indians are more than twice as high as the national
average (Manson, Beals,Klein, & Croy, 2005).Native women are subject to
high rates of childhood sexual assaults, domestic violence, and rape according
to researchers and advocates alike.(Chenault, 2011; Bachman, Zaykowski, Lanier,
Poteyeva, &Kallmyer, 2010; Evans-Campbell, Lindhorst, Huang, & Karina
L. Walters, 2006; Malcoe, Duran, &Montgomery, 2004; Saylors &
Daliparthy, 2004). Violence against Native women occurs wherever they live, not
only on reservations (Clark & Johnson, 2008). Prostitution is another form
of this egregious violence against Native women. An honest review of history
indicates that European system of prostitution was imposed by force on tribal
communities through nearly every point of contact between Europeans and Native
people. It is essential to understand the history of this trafficking of Native
women in order to reduce the epidemic of sexual violence against them (Deer,
2010). Yet most research on violence against Native women in the United States
fails to include prostitution and sex trafficking as forms of sexual violence.
Neither a 2007 Amnesty International report about sexual assault perpetrated
against Native American women in the United States nor a 2010report on sexual
violence against Native American women (Bachman, Zaykowski, Lanier, Poteyeva,
&Kallmyer, 2010) addressed prostitution and sex trafficking. Many authors
and researchers, however, have provided compelling evidence that the vast
majority of prostituted women were sexually assaulted as children (usually by
multiple perpetrators) and are revictimized as adults in prostitution as they
experience being hunted, dominated, harassed, assaulted, and battered by johns
and traffickers (Baldwin, 1999, 2003; Barry, 1995; Boyer, 2008; Boyer, Chapman
and Marshall, 1993; Dworkin, 1997; Farley, 2006; Farley, Cotton, Lynne,
Zumbeck, Spiwak, Reyes, Alvarez,Sezgin, 2003; Farley & Kelly, 2000; Farley,
Lynne, and Cotton, 2005; Giobbe, 1991, 1993; Hoigard and Finstad, 1986; Hughes,
1999; Hunter, 1994; Jeffreys, 1997; Leidholdt,1993; MacKinnon and Dworkin,1997;
Miller and Schwartz, 1995; Raymond, 1998; Silbert.& Pines, 1982a, 1982b;
Silbert, Pines, &15 Lynch, 1982; Stark and Hodgson, 2003; Vanwesenbeeck,
1994.) Nelson (1993) has described the racism which is intrinsic to all forms
of prostitution. The violence of prostitution includes murder. Brewer and
colleagues (2006) and Potter at and colleagues (2004) in separate studies
estimated that women in prostitution were murdered more frequently than any
other group of women ever studied. A study of Vancouver prostitution reported a
36% incidence of attempted murder (Cler-Cunningham & Christenson, 2001).
The disappearance and murders of thousands of Aboriginal women in Canada is an
ongoing example of the violence against women in prostitution. A hog
butcher/john in British Columbia was charged with the murder of some of these
women but many of the murders are unsolved, sometimes uninvestigated. The women
who have been murdered in Vancouver are among the poorest women in
prostitution, those who are bought for sexual use by johns who specifically
target them because the women are considered disposable (Culhane,
2003).Aboriginal human rights groups, including the Aboriginal Women's Action
Network, have criticized the inadequate police response to violence and murder
against extremely poor First Nations women in Vancouver's Downtown East Side
and throughout Canada (Wallace, 2010; Aboriginal Women's Action Network, 2002).
Some journalists have linked the disappearances of Aboriginal women to sex
trafficking(Taliman, 2010) Scholars have criticized media coverage of the
women's disappearances, pointing out thesexism, racism, and prejudice against
prostituted women in most news articles (Jiwani & Young, 2006). Intellectual revolution followed as the fire sacrifices
of the vedic culture was challenged by thinkers including women, who speculated
on the nature of religion.(Mazumdar, 2004). Throughout history, women have
generally been restricted to the role of a home-maker; that of a mother and
wife (Sharma, 2002, Mazumdar, 2004).
Traumatic Antecedents to Prostitution
Among Native Women
The attempt to annihilate American
Indians, whether through military murders, child removal or assimilation, is
central to American history. Native peoples' experience in the United States is
marked by surviving subjugation, occupation, and resisting assimilation and
colonization (Chenault, 2011). Native people have suffered generations of
violence, emotional trauma, and enforced poverty as a result of colonization by
United States (Duran, Duran, & Yellow Horse Brave Heart, 1998). This overwhelming
history of trauma is associated with high rates of substance abuse, depression,
and suicide (Ross, 2005;Walters & Simoni, 2002). Colonization and racism
result in extensive and insidious trauma that wears away its victims’ mental
and physical health (Root, 1996; Kelm, 1998).Many studies indicate that Native
people suffer from higher rates of mental disorders than the general population
(De Ravello, Abeita, & Brown, 2008; Gone, 2004; Beals, Manson, Whitesell,
Spicer,Novins & Mitchell, 2005; Hodge, Limb, & Cross, 2009). In
addition to the historical trauma, Native people suffer multiple and cumulative
mental trauma in a contemporary setting when compared to othergroups (Robin, Chester,
& Goldman, 1996). These traumatic events, combined with the historical trauma,
result in extremely high rates of mental distress and substance abuse (Bohn,
2003; Palacios & Portillo,16 2009; Kirmayer, 1994). Substance abuse rates
and addiction are also significantly elevated in Native populations (Whitbeck,
Chen, Hoyt, & Adams, 2004).Because of the frequency of sexual and domestic
violence perpetrated against them (Hamby and Skupien, 1998), Native women have
high rates of PTSD when compared to other groups of women(Gnanadesikan, Novins
& Beals, 2005; Robin, Chester and Goldman, 1996). While acknowledging these
high rates of trauma and mental health challenges in tribal communities, the
authors also wish toemphasize that Native people retain important strengths and
power, which are oftentimes not the focus of these studies. We share Denham's
(2008, page 392) perspective: Discussions concerning the consequences of
colonialism and the challenges facing American Indian people frequently do not
illustrate the strengths expressed by individuals and communities, as powerful
stories, songs, histories and strategies for resilience are often present
behind the realities of inequality, injustice and poverty. Studying the challenges
American Indian people confront is helpful and needed; however, such studies
provide greater benefit when combined with descriptions emphasizing the
strengths of Native people. . In spite of many
regulations imposed by the Mughal emperors like Akbar and Aurangzeb,
prostitution received great encouragement from the rich and middle class people
(Giri, 1999). Special laws were enacted to prevent indecent representation of
women in the media and sexual harassment in workplaces (Nair, 1996).
Social Harms
In addition to mental disorders,
social scientists have also documented high rates of other social
harms, such as extreme poverty,
homelessness, and chronic health problems in Native communities(Perry, 2008;
Palacios & Portilo, 2009; Beals, Manson, Whitesell, Spicer, Novins &
Mitchell, 2005).These social harms function as risk factors which create a
vulnerability to trafficking for prostitution among Native women. Homelessness,
a result of poverty, is linked to prostitution and trafficking (Farley, Cotton,
Lynne,Zumbeck, Spiwak & Reyes, 2003) and has been established as a primary
risk factor for prostitution(Boyer et al., 1993; Silbert & Pines, 1983;
Louie, Luu, & Tong, 1991). Native people are significantly over-represented
in the homeless population in the United States (Zerger, 2004). When the state and
private agencies fail to offer women and children shelter, pimps provide
housing via prostitution. When women in prostitution are asked what they need,
first on their list is housing (Farley & Barkan, 1998).
Housing instability on reservations
sometimes results in migration to urban areas, leaving young women vulnerable
to prostitution. Although Native Americans constitute only 1% of adults and 2%
of youth inthe general population, they constitute 11% of homeless adults and
20% of homeless youth (Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). In
particular, Minnesota Native youth are over-represented among the homeless
(Koepplinger, 2009; Wilder Research, 2010).
Organized crime groups both on and off
reservations play a significant role in the trafficking of Native women. Youth
gangs in Indian country are proliferating (Major, Egley, Howell, Mendenhall,
&Armonstrong, 2004; Misjak, 2009). Descriptions of prostitution and
trafficking in Native communities that are run by organized criminals have been
reported to staff at the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition and
to the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center (Koepplinger, 2009;
Pierce,2009).Since 2008 several reports have highlighted the vulnerability of
Minnesota Native women to prostitution and sex trafficking. In one Minneapolis
neighborhood, Native women accounted for 24% ofthe women on probation for
prostitution despite the fact that they comprised only 2% of the overall
Minneapolis population(Bortel, Ellingen, Ellison, & Thomas, 2008). Since
the percentage is based ontheir probation status, the actual number of Native
prostituting women in that neighborhood is probably higher than 24%. Many of
these women had been trafficked. Collin (2011) described cases of trafficking
of Native women and girls via boats out of Duluth into international waters, as
well as domestic trafficking of poor young women from reservations to Minnesota
and other US cities. Pierce (2009)summarized historical, social and
psychological factors channeling Native American women into prostitution and
trafficking. Of women in the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center
programs,40% of 95 women and girls had been sexually exploited in prostitution
and 27% were victims of trafficking as defined by Minnesota law (Pierce,
2009).Experts acknowledge that Native women and girls are disproportionately
impacted by prostitution. The Anchorage Police Department and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation found that Alaska Native women and girls are
approximately 33% of all prostituted and trafficked women in
Anchorage(DeMarban, 2010). Yet Alaska Native people make up slightly less than
8% of the population in that city(U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). Journalist Valerie
Taliman3 stated, "In my travels, Native women have shared with me
worrisome news of what is happening to their relatives in urban America and in the
Southwest. Twice in 2010, I was given accounts of young Navajo women being
drugged at parties they had gone to in Albuquerque and Farmington (New Mexico)
and waking up in captivity and forced into prostitution for days or weeks until
they escaped. How they escaped, who the perpetrators were and what happened to
them was not revealed as the young women 'shut down' and refused to speak about
their attacks" (Valerie Taliman, personal communication, October 21,
2011).Research from other parts of the world clearly indicates that indigenous
women are overrepresented in prostitution, reflecting a race hierarchy within
the sexist and classist institution of prostitution itself. The United States
and Canada share a border and similar colonial history. Native women are at
greater risk for prostitution and trafficking than any other women in Canada
(Lambertus,3 Valerie Taliman is a citizen of the Navajo Nation and is West
Coast Editor of Indian Country Today Media Network
(www.ictmn.com). Her series on the
missing and murdered Native women in Canada won the 2011 Richard LaCourse award
for investigative reporting182007). Studies of First Nations4 women in Canada
have also noted that Native women are disproportionately represented in
prostitution (McKeown, Reid, & Orr, 2004; Farley, Lynne & Cotton,2005).
Fifty-two percent of women in a study of Vancouver prostitution were First
Nations women(Farley, Lynne & Cotton, 2005) compared to population
estimates reporting that 7% of Vancouver’s people are First Nations
(Vancouver/Richmond Health Board, 1999). The overrepresentation of FirstNations
women in prostitution and prostitution’s prevalence in an area of Vancouver
with a high proportion of First Nations residents reflects not only their
poverty, but also First Nations' women’s marginalized and devalued status as
Canadians. Others report similar findings. Additionally, First Nations children
and youth are more than 90 % of the visible sex trade in areas where the
Aboriginal population isless than 10 % (Kingsley, 2000).In New Zealand,
Plumridge and Abel (2001) observed that 7% of the Christchurch population was Maori
women but 19% of those in Christchurch prostitution were Maori. Maori women in prostitution
were significantly more likely than European-ancestry New Zealanders to have
been re-victimized. The authors interpret this to reflect the Aboriginal
women’s poverty and lack of access to other opportunities because of racism
(Nixon, Tuttly, Down, Gorkoff, & Ursel, 2002). In the 1990s, Atayal and other
aboriginal girls comprised 70% of those in Taiwanese debt-bondage prostitution
although they comprised fewer than 2% of the total population (Hwang &
Bedford, 2003). The researchers noted that pathways into prostitution for
aboriginal Taiwanese adolescents were similar to those pathways elsewhere:
globalization of the economy, social and cultural disruption, race/ethnic
discrimination, and extremely high levels of family violence. Thus, a trend
appears to be emerging from the research wherein the indigenous people of a
colonized country are more likely to be victims of prostitution and trafficking
than other groups. The researcher thinks that their responses help to clarify
what happens to indigenous women in a country.
2.0. Rationale of the
Study
As a subversive activity, prostitution
challenges the identification of sex act primarily with desire and there is so
much of clandestine prostitution that the situation is horrifying. A very
accurate comprehensive picture of prostitution is not available since sexual
exploitation and sell of woman and children are mostly unreported crimes. This
research paper attempts to have an analytical review on the history of
prostitution, factors of prostitution, magnitude of the problem and its
solution. Though the study is not the most comprehensive survey, the
researcher’s purpose is to point out some trends of prostitution within the
feminists’ point of view.
3.0. Objectives
of the Study
1. To study the players who take part
in the demand side of prostitution.
2.
To study the countries that complicity derive revenue from the sex industries
3.
To study the passive tolerance and legalization of prostitution by the state in
contributing to the demand for victims.
4.
To study the culture that indirectly creates a demand for victims by
normalizing prostitution.
5.
To study the solution to this global crisis.
4.0. Methodology
The study deals with the
descriptive survey method in the research project.
5.0. Universe of the Study
This study deliberately
used a limited number of variables, and used a sample of incarcerated
prostitutes without distinction as to subtypes. Considering the great
heterogeneity of offenders, the use of a validated and reliable taxonomic
system would have been preferable. Unfortunately, it was impossible to use a
typology due to the small number of subjects for which all the information was
available for coding. The strategy of including all incarcerated prostitutes
were allowed for the inclusion of other subgroups of offenders thus
considerably expanding the offender
population coverage.
6.0. Analysis
From this account it is clear that in most cases prostitution is
not a moral problem. First of all, an economic problem, a social dilemma, it is
a psychological predicament. Moreover, the present Indian society and for that
matter any society reflects a sick male society which is obsessed with male
chauvinism and perversion, and this has resulted in increasing the problem of
prostitution.
Inevitably,
the rape-like acts of prostitution cause harm to women’s and girls’ mental and
emotional states. Sixty-eight percent of women in prostitution suffer from
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and may have symptoms of anxiety,
depression, insomnia, irritability, flashbacks; emotional numbing and hyper-alertness.
One woman described how her symptoms of PTSD were ignored by her therapist: A
health study in focusing on women in prostitution found that 46 percent had
attempted suicide and 19 percent had tried to physically harm themselves in
other ways, such as cutting themselves. The Council for Prostitution
Alternatives found that 65 percent of prostituted women had seriously attempted
suicide, and 38 percent had attempted it more than once. Public records show
that 15 percent of all suicide victims in the U.S. are prostituted women and
girls. Chronic violence and abuse within prostitution also makes women
vulnerable to physical health problems. One survey of prostituted women in San
Francisco found that half reported joint pain, cardiovascular and respiratory
symptoms, neurological problems and HIV. For increasing numbers of women and
girls, prostitution is a death sentence when they contract HIV. Violence is a
primary risk factor for HIV because the virus can spread more easily through
broken or abraded tissue. The number of prostitutes with HIV is staggering. For
example, in Burkina Faso in West Africa, 58 percent of the prostitutes and 74
percent of prostitutes in Kenya are HIV-positive.65 Yet, most research treats
HIV as it if were only a threat to the male customers who must protect
themselves from “irresponsible females.” Once women are prostituted, it’s
difficult to get out. Many professionals who have contact with women in
prostitution recognize their inability to leave. In one study, 76 percent of
law enforcement officials and 71 percent of social service providers
interviewed said that some women in prostitution are held captive and are not
free to leave. Even if they are not being held by physical force, one of the
best things society can do for women is to support them “to get out of it” and
“try not to pretend that one of the worst forms of sexual violence in the world
is something that is benign and something a woman chooses.” Statistics and
studies have made it clear that prostitution is not a victimless crime.
Players
in the demand side of prostitution
There
are four key players in the demand side of prostitution:
1.
Men drive the demand for prostitution and are complicit with other players who
are also part of the demand side of prostitution. These include:
2. The
profiteers, e.g., pimps, brothels, escort services, clubs, etc., in the sex
industries;
3. Countries
that complicity derive revenue from the sex industries; and
4. A
culture that indirectly creates a demand for victims by normalizing
prostitution.
Unfortunately,
the media and researchers have shown great interest in prostitution and women
who are prostituted, but little attention has been paid to their male
customers. The stark reality, however, is that little will be done to stop this
insanity until men start taking responsibility for their actions; until men
realize that they are
the problem. Today women who are prostituted are still seen as the sexual
deviants while men who purchase sex are pursuing a normal and accepted “need.” It
would not be profitable for pimps and criminals to stay in this business if
platoons of men weren’t prowling side streets in search of purchased sex—male
buyers who are willing to close their eyes and sell out a few minutes of
physical bliss while deepening the misery of countless women and children. Yet,
in most discussions and research, the ultimate consumers of prostituted women
are largely ignored. Several explanations have been given for this lack of
study of males who prostitute women. Some argue that lack of research of males
who buy and sell women reflects a sexual double standard in which women are
seen as responsible for men’s deviance. As with most double standards in
society, women are blamed for men’s sexual behaviors, and as such, men’s buying
and selling of women is not reflected in the research. Others contend that lack of focus on men as
the demand side of prostitution is consistent with the assumption that men’s
demand is natural and inevitable. It’s difficult to calculate numbers. However,
one thing is certain: They vastly outnumber the estimated 10 to 40 million
prostituted women and children worldwide, who, on average, service four to six
men a day.
Studies
that have been conducted vary from country to country, with the highest rates
of men who purchase sex in Southeast Asia, with Thailand, Cambodia and Japan
leading the pack at more than 70 percent. In Europe, Spain has the highest
numbers of men who have paid for sex at 39 percent. In Germany, 18 percent of
men pay for sex regularly. In Italy, 17 percent purchase sex regularly; in
Switzerland, 19 percent; and in Britain, Finland, Russia and Norway, it’s
anywhere from 14 to 19 percent. In the United States, an estimated 16 percent
of men have paid for sex on at least one occasion, conceiving of Sex as a
Commodity. Men who pay for sex, far from
being a tiny minority of men, are a substantial subsection of the male
population and broadly representative of it on most demographic variables.
Why do men seek out women for prostitution? Research
finds that many assumptions made about are that the men lonely or have sexually
unsatisfying relationships. In fact, men who purchase sex acts are more likely to have more sexual partners than
those who do not purchase sex acts. They often report they are satisfied with
their wives or partners. They say they are searching for “something more”—sex
acts that their wives will not do or excitement that comes with the hunt for a
woman they can buy for a short time.
Research also shows that
the attitude throughout the world is remarkably consistent—it is about entitlement,
power and control. Johns seek brief encounters where they express selfish
desires without the burden of responsibility or reciprocity. A series of
interviews with some male conducted by
women employed by massage brothels noted that on one hand men believe that
commercial sex was a mutually pleasurable exchange, while on the other, they
asserted that payment of money removed all social and ethical obligations.
The most popular belief
about what they’re doing, however, is that it’s perfectly natural. The drive
for sex is in the man’s genes. It’s totally natural. It’s biological. He must
have sex. There is nothing more natural than the biological need of men to have
sex. Another Insists that wanting to have sex with beautiful women is a natural
male tendency.
The exploiters:
Exploiters are the second component of
demand. Men fuel the demand side of prostitution, but the entire sex industry
thrives on the exploiters. These are the facilitators of prostitution and can
include traffickers, pimps, brothel owners, organized crime members, and
corrupt government and police officials. They make money from the sale of sex
as a commodity. In Amsterdam, where prostitution is legal, the sex industry
continues to be dominated by organized crime and is rife with money laundering,
trafficking, exploitation and drug abuse.
Outcall or escort prostitution in Nevada (where prostitution is legal in
some counties) generates tens of millions of dollars annually, according to several
law enforcement sources. Many outcall/escort businesses are operated by
Russian, Armenian and Mexican organized criminals. According to many sources,
the sex industry and its ancillary operations in Nevada (such as loan fraud,
money laundering, falsifying income tax returns and grand theft) generate
between $1 billion and $6 billion per year. In Nevada and many parts of the
world, these “estimates include both legal and
illegal activities such as lap dancing, extortion monies paid to taxi drivers
for delivery of customers to specific strip clubs, illegal escort and massage
prostitution, and tips to valets and bartenders for procuring women.”
Where prostitution is
illegal, corruption is also rampant, with the operation of brothels requiring
the collaboration of officials and police, who must be willing to ignore or
work with pimps and traffickers. Pimps and brothel owners have to advertise to
men that women are available for commercial sex acts, with officials ignoring
this blatant advertising.
3. The State:
The state is the third component of
demand. By tolerating or legalizing prostitution, the state, at least
passively, is contributing to the demand for victims. The more states regulate
prostitution and derive tax revenue from it, the more actively they become part
of the demand for victims. Many governments protect commercial sex businesses
because of the huge profits. In many places in the world where prostitution is
legalized, the state is put in the role of pimp. Like slavery, prostitution is
a lucrative form of oppression. The sex industries of Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand and the Philippines account for 2 to 14 percent of the Gross Domestic
Product of those countries. In Japan,
where prostitution is not legal but widely tolerated, the sex industry is
estimated to make $83 billion annually.
In Germany, where prostitution and brothels are legal, an estimated
400,000 prostitutes serve 1.2 million men a day in an industry with an annual
gross of $18 billion. Sex trafficking in women also drives revenue for states.
In destination places, strategies are devised to protect the sex industries
that generate hundreds of millions of dollars per year for the state where
prostitution is legal, or for organized crime groups and corrupt officials
where the sex industry is illegal. Traffickers ensure there is an endless
supply ready to satisfy the burgeoning demand—women of all ages, ethnicities,
shapes and sizes, women trained to submit to the full range of what johns demand.
There’s no question that the skyrocketing demand has contributed to global sex
trafficking. States are also complicit in sex tourism, with sex tour companies
organizing trips for their customers to another country for the primary purpose
of engaging in prostitution. In Cuba, as
in many other countries, governments seeking low investment, high-yield
industries have turned to this “service industry” to facilitate the generation
of income for state coffers. In doing so, states have become integral players
in the selling of their own citizenry. Sex tours originate mainly from
Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States, among
others, and go to developing countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico
and the Dominican Republic. Today, the expansion of sex tourism continues
unabated, in part as a result of the promotion of tourism as a development
strategy, particularly in developing countries, where poverty forces women into
prostitution. In addition, laws against prostitution in many countries are
usually not enforced, or unevenly applied, and traditionally have represented
one of the most direct forms of discrimination against women. The woman who
engages in prostitution is punished criminally and stigmatized socially, while
her male customer, either by the explicit design of the statute, or through a
pattern of discriminatory enforcement, is left unpunished.
Culture:
The fourth component of demandis
culture, particularly as it is influenced by mass media, which is playing a large role in normalizing
prostitution by portraying prostitution as a glamorous way for women to make a
lot of money quickly and easily. Media depiction of prostitution and
other commercial sex acts, such as stripping and lap dancing that romanticize
or glamorize these activities, influence public knowledge and opinions about
the sex trade. These images suggest that prostitution is a victimless crime.
They also reflect the sexual objectification of and sexual violence against
women occurring in a cultural environment where women are legal objects for sale.
The
makers of Wisk detergent offer a laundry room makeover for the winner of the
contest, but by using the word “pimp” the company is glamorizing what pimps
really do – sell and exploit women and young girls in commercial sex. In
addition, the Internet has become a site for the global sexual exploitation of
women. In the past few years, sex industries have been the leaders in opening
up the Internet for the business of selling sex. The Internet is almost without
regulation because its international reach has made local and national laws and
standards either obsolete or unenforceable. As a result, countless johns seek
sex closer to home, scouring local web sites and discussion boards for ads and
reviews. The World Sex Guide is an Internet-based trove of information
informing men about what country, what brothel, and even what women to exploit
if the man prefers a certain ethnic group, certain kind of sex, and a certain
preference in women. In addition, intense competition on the Internet has led
pornographers to attract buyers with more extreme images, such as bondage,
torture and bestiality, leading to increased violence against women, as more
degrading and violent images, videos and live performances are made and
marketed. An American in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for example, set up a live video
chat site to broadcast the pay-per-view rape and torture of women.126 These
hardcore porn images continue the process of objectifying women and
institutionalizing gender inequality. What is most disturbing about all this
information is that not only is the sex industry big business on the Internet,
but that the selling of its “products”—pornography, prostitution, sex tourism,
mail-order brides—all depend on the commodification of women and has become
“more acceptable, more normal, and even fashionable and cool.” In addition, the
perpetuation of stereotypes in advertising, television, magazines and music
videos continue to solidify women’s sexual roles and unequal gender relations
in multiple ways. Provocative images of women's partly-clothed or naked bodies
are especially prevalent in advertising, sexualizing women to grab the viewer’s
attention. Women become sexual objects when their bodies and their sexuality
are linked to products that are bought and sold. Furthermore, women’s bodies
are often dismembered into legs, breasts or thighs, reinforcing the message
that women are objects rather than whole human beings. Commodification of women
at stag or bachelor parties has also become normalized in many cultures. Today,
men may hire a stripper or lap dancer for such parties, and it is becoming
common for these parties to extend to three or four nights in a foreign city
where visiting a prostitute becomes part of the events.
Solutions to addressing Prostitution
There are four general approaches to
addressing the issue of prostitution: prohibition; legalization;
decriminalization; and abolition.
Prohibition
With
the prohibition approach, prostitution is defined as a criminal activity, and
all activities related to prostitution are criminalized: soliciting, procuring,
pimping and brothel keeping. No distinction is made between those who sell sex,
those who buy sex, or those who facilitate the buying and selling of sex or who manage establishments where prostitution takes place. In
the U.S., with the exception of a few counties in Nevada, there is a prohibition
approach to prostitution. Some U.S. state statutes punish the act of
prostitution, and other state statutes criminalize the acts of soliciting
prostitution, arranging for prostitution, and operating a house of
prostitution. On the federal level, the Mann Act (18 U.S.C.A. § 2421 [as
amended 1986] makes it a crime to transport a person in interstate or foreign
commerce for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose. Other
governments, however, such as Thailand, legally prohibit prostitution
activities and enterprises but in reality tolerate brothels and the buying of
women for commercial sexual exploitation, especially in its sex tourism industry.
And in the Philippines, where prostitution, brothel ownership and pimping are
illegal, the area continues to be a capital of prostitution, with an estimate
of at least half a million prostituted women. The prohibitionist approach often
results in discrimination against victims of prostitution and trafficking when
laws are more vigorously enforced against women instead of men who purchase sex
acts and exploiters who market sex acts.
Legalization
Legalization means that the state imposes regulations under which
women can be prostituted. In effect, regulation means that under certain
conditions it is permissible to exploit and abuse women. This is the case in
several counties in Nevada, the only state in the United States where brothels
are legal. Under the legalization approach, prostitutes become sex workers; men
become clients; pimps become managers; brothel owners are business people; and
traffickers are employment agents who assist migrant sex workers to destination
countries to find jobs. The state expects to collect tax revenue from the
industry and income earners, as is the case in the Netherlands, Germany and
some states of Australia. The expected benefits of legalization have not
materialized, however. Organized crime groups continue to traffic women and
children and run illegal prostitution operations alongside the legal
businesses. In Germany, legalization was supposed to enable women to get health
insurance and retirement benefits, and to join unions, but few women have
signed up for benefits or unions. The reason has to do with the basic nature of
prostitution; it is not work but abuse and exploitation. In addition, instead
of creating a safe haven for women who are prostituted, legalization creates a
safe haven for traffickers and organized crime.
Decriminalization
Decriminalization means
the removal of laws against prostitution. In other words, buying a woman would
be socially and legally equivalent to buying cigarettes. Decriminalization
eliminates all laws and prohibits the state and law-enforcement officials from
intervening in any prostitution-related activities or transactions. In New
Zealand and Australia, prostitution was decriminalized at the national level,
meaning they removed all laws criminalizing prostitution, such as brothel keeping,
etc. But decriminalization of prostitution in those countries resulted in an
increase in illegal, hidden and street prostitution, and promoted sex
trafficking. In Sweden, those who sell sex are decriminalized, but the buyers,
pimps and traffickers are criminalized. In this case, decriminalization was
part of an abolitionist approach.
Abolitionism
The term “abolitionism”
refers to the 19th century movement for the abolition of slavery in the United
States. Like in the 19th century, when abolitionists fought for the abolishment
of slavery, modern abolitionists fight for the abolishment of prostitution as
“sexual slavery.” Analogous to the traditional concept of slavery, prostituted
women are seen as slaves that need to be freed and to be made conscious of
their oppression. Central to this model is that prostitution in itself is not
an offense, but any “exploitation of the prostitution of another person” is
criminalized, that is, any involvement of a third party, which includes the
johns, or men who buy sex, as well as pimps, brothel keepers and traffickers. Within this view, prostituted women are not
seen as deviants or criminals, but as victims. The underlying idea is that
prostitution persists only through the efforts of johns, procurers and pimps,
and all those “third parties,” who induce women into prostitution. Therefore,
the abolition of prostitution and the protection of women against this evil can
best be achieved by penalizing johns and those third parties, that is, any one
recruiting for, profiting from or organizing prostitution. On the other hand,
the prostituted woman herself would not be penalized, as she is a victim. The
abolitionist movement around the world is growing, seeking to provide
assistance to victims and hold perpetrators accountable. Instead of simply
legalizing prostitution, Sweden passed the Swedish Law That Prohibits the
Purchase of Sexual Services in 1999 criminalizing the buyers of commercial sex
acts and decriminalizing the sellers of sex acts. Prostitution was denounced as
“an aspect of male violence against women and children,” and the government
increased funding both toward services to help women exit the sex trade and
toward public education. Police and prosecutors were trained intensively and
pushed to enforce the law. Within five years, Sweden drastically reduced the
number of both women in prostitution and johns. In addition, Stockholm saw
reductions of between 60-80 percent in the numbers of the men prostituting
women. Other cities have almost completely rid themselves of street
prostitution and massage parlors and brothels are steadily disappearing. Sweden
also has been able to almost completely cut out the trafficking of foreign
women and girls into the country. In 2002, Sweden passed legislation increasing
the government’s law enforcement capabilities targeting recruiters,
transporters, and hosts involved in human trafficking. From the viewpoint of human rights,
there can’t be such a relationship in which a man would purchase and own the
body of a woman as a commodity. No civilized society, regardless of the
possible fiscal or other benefits, should allow for that. Furthermore,
prostitution is treated in Sweden as a crime of violence and sexual
exploitation in which the women are the victims.”
Many
argue that prostitution will always be around so why bother trying to stop it.
But the abolitionist model seems to be a promising answer and ties in with the
bottom-line answer to that question: Society needs to acknowledge the role of
johns. If prostitution is about choice, it’s about the man’s choice to pay
women for sex. Men choose to
commodify women by renting their bodies and using them for sexual
gratification; men choose to turn a blind eye to the harsh reality that
women and girls suffer; men choose to go on sex junkets to impoverished
countries and prey on vulnerable women.
Abandoning the idea of prostitution
Over the past decade, the
most popular proposed solution to prostitution and sex trafficking is
legalization. Many people believe that by calling for the legalization of
prostitution, they are dignifying and professionalizing the women in
prostitution. But dignifying prostitution as work doesn’t dignify the women. It
simply dignifies the sex industry. Legalization will never sanitize the buying
and selling of women for sexual gratification, and will never put an end to the
violence and degradation they endure. Prostitution has been legalized with the
expectation that it would bring positive outcomes in Australia, the Netherlands,
Germany and New Zealand. But legalization does not reduce prostitution or
trafficking; in fact, both activities increase because men can legally buy sex
acts, and pimps and brothel keepers can legally sell and profit from them. The
argument that legalization was supposed to take the criminal elements out of
sex businesses by strict regulation of the industry has failed.
Changing Social attitudes about Prostitution
Society
must confront just how damaged “masculinity is today and how destructive male
behavior has become, both inward and outward.” The consumerist/consuming
society gives priority to individualism in the U.S. and to the unrestrained
consumption of people and things. In addition, patriarchal cultures rest on the
idea that the unique duty of women is to satisfy men sexually, in marriage or
by prostitution. Music, videos, TV, commercials, magazine ads, Hollywood movies
and pornography also contribute to teaching young men to view women, girls and
sex as a commodity that can be bought and sold. Magazine ads that fantasize
gang rape or hip-hop and “gangster” rap all sexualize and demean women. In
addition, various filming techniques, such as camera shots that pan over
women’s bodies or present fragments of women’s bodies as a number of
disconnected body parts, can dehumanize women and create an environment where
sexual assault and violence against women are not taken seriously. Countries
and communities desperately need intervention programs that change the
attitudes of men, women and society at large. While men are largely responsible
for the demand side of prostitution, women in society are often complicit in
their tacit acceptance of prostitution and the sexualization of girls. While
some women’s rights groups are attempting to create awareness about the
violence against prostituted women, all people concerned with human rights—men
and women—must address the massive denial in society regarding its harm and its
normalization as an inevitable social evil.
Educating
young People-especially boys
Young people need frank,
open discussions about sex, sexuality and healthy relationships. Boys need to
know what it means to be a man because what they are seeing in society today
can have a devastating effect on them. Contributing to an unhealthy sense of
women and their bodies is the increasing use of pornography by young boys. One
study found that 60 percent of boys have seen porn by age 16, and the average
age at which boys start watching is 11 years old. Proper sex education in
schools needs to start before that age. Society needs to teach boys about
loving and lasting relationships built on respect for girls and women. The
Coalition against Trafficking in Women (CATW), sponsors projects that work to
educate boys and young men in changing their sexual attitudes toward girls and
women.
Enforcement
of Stringent Laws
Every
country has laws in place regarding trafficking, abduction, coercion, assault
and rape. What is needed, however, are successful prosecutions of individuals
and criminal networks that traffic and pimp women. This will eliminate a
significant portion of transitional organized crime and corruption that exists
in countries throughout the world. Again, Sweden is a role model in their
practice of criminalizing the buying of sexual services.
The
Movement of the Soroptimist
Soroptimist
is an international
volunteer organization for business and professional women who work to improve
the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.
Soroptimist clubs undertake a number of different projects to confront local
realities facing women and girls. Many projects directly and indirectly help
victims of prostitution and women and girls vulnerable to prostitution by
providing direct aid—giving women economic tools and skills to achieve
financial empowerment and independence. As an organization, Soroptimist
supports the following programs:
In
2007, Soroptimist launched a public awareness campaign to address the sex
trafficking and slavery of women and girls. A launch event was held on December
2, the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (non-U.S.) and on January
11, the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness (U.S.). Soroptimist chose
an awareness-raising project because a necessary first step in ending sex
trafficking and sex slavery is ensuring that everyone knows it exists.
Soroptimist clubs also pursue initiatives addressing prevention, advocacy for
better laws, and victim services. The club conducted a nine-month livelihood
skills training program for trafficked and prostituted women ages 14 to 18.
Recognizing these women lacked skills that would make them otherwise employable
in the professional world, the club developed skills training modules in
partnership with the Third World Movement against the Exploitation of Women.
Each module included practical lessons in “How to Start a Small Business,”
“Values Formation/Guidance Counseling,” and “Skills Training Demonstration.”
The aim of the project was to educate and empower trafficked and prostituted
women to become financially self-reliant entrepreneurs. The participants worked
in teams with each creating a business plan eligible for a loan (from the
Makati club) to start from its own business. Soroptimist International of
Dazaifu, Japan, advocated for trafficking victims’ rights by partnering with
nine other Soroptimist clubs and a local women's empowerment organization to
carry out a signature collection campaign. The campaign called for legislation
provisionally titled "Protection of Sex Trafficking Victims Act." By
the end of the project, the club and its partners had collected more than 2,000
signatures that were sent to the Women’s Empowerment Center in Fukuoka for
further action. Soroptimist International of Ripon, California, execute a program
that offers friendship and hope to prostituted women in the red light district
in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The club donated funds to Lighthouse for a
resource center on human trafficking aimed at educating the prostituted women.
Twice a week, Lighthouse members serve coffee and tea to the women in their
"display windows," providing practical help and resources on how to
start a new life. The program also started a weekly support group, offering
immigration referrals, access to healthcare, job training, counseling,
rehabilitation, and legal assistance. The Live Your Dream Awards program
(formerly Women’s Opportunity Awards) is Soroptimist’s major program. The
awards improve the lives of women and their families by giving them resources
to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. By helping women
receive skill and resource training, Soroptimist provides women with economic
alternatives to prostitution. Many Live Your Dream Award recipients have
overcome enormous obstacles in their quest for a better life, including
poverty, domestic violence, substance abuse, prostitution and trafficking. Each
year, about $1.5 million is disbursed through the awards to help women achieve
their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families. Since the Live
Your Dream Awards program began in 1972, it is estimated that $25 million has
been disbursed and more than 30,000 women have been assisted. Often the abilities and ambitions of
Soroptimist clubs exceed their financial resources. Soroptimist introduced the
Soroptimist Club Grants for Women and Girls in 1997 to assist with community
projects that improve the lives of women and girls. Each year, grants are given
to clubs working on projects that help foster economic independence, provide job
skills training and education, and provide women with the resources necessary
to move themselves and their families out of poverty. Projects of this type
give
Soroptimist
Disaster Grants for Women and Girls provide funds ranging from $1,000 to
$20,000 to assist women and/or girls prepare for or recover from disasters or
acts of war. Disaster grants can be used for projects that address disaster
risk reduction or recovery. Disaster risk reduction projects are projects
designed to lessen the intensity and adverse impacts of a disaster, such as
early warning systems. Disaster recovery projects are longer-term projects,
such as job training and community revitalization. Clubs are encouraged to
conduct research in their community to find out what types of disaster services
are needed by women and/or girls. Grants can be used for projects administered
by Soroptimist clubs or regions or to assist other organizations that
specialize in disaster support nationally or internationally. While disasters
create hardships for many, women and girls are disproportionately vulnerable
because of existing gender inequalities that are magnified during and following
a disaster. Poor women and single mothers—the poorest of the poor—who lack
access to support services and aid following disasters are especially
vulnerable to traffickers. Because relief efforts targeted to women are often
overlooked during a crisis, and because women and girls have special needs in
times of crisis and disaster, the Soroptimist Disaster Grant program provide
grants for projects targeting the special needs of women and girls prior to,
during and after disasters.
Spiritual
Solution
As the modern man is thought to be
suffering from a number of problems and if one goes deep into it one will
certainly see that the root of all the problems is sex. If at all it is the
root of all problems, it needs a debate. Actually sex is not the problem,
sexuality is the problem. Sex is the energy. How could energy be a
problem? One should not call it sexual
energy because it is the only energy of creation. Sex is the only energy that
we have got. This energy can be transformed to a higher energy, The higher this
energy moves the less and less sexuality remains in it .At the peak it becomes
simply love and compassion and the ultimate flowering which one may call it divine energy. The
energy that we call sex at the bottom is divine at the peak.
The important thing about energy to be
understood is that energy cannot be divided .When one divides energy the
problem is instantly created. A dualism is created, then the conflict and the
struggle .This is the most fundamental thing about energy. When one divides
energy, one is divided within. Then one will be for or against sex. Once call
the energy X. We call this unknown energy sex only as a biological reproduction
force, but when it is freed from biological bondage ,once it becomes
non-physical it is divine .It is the love ,the compassion.
The whole problem lies with the man is
that, man tries to kill this energy. All the religious sects try to do the
same. They all are obsessed with killing the energy or suppressing the energy
.All have been trying so for thousands of years but unsuccessful. The problem
persists as it is .No energy can be killed. It can only be transformed There is
no way to destroy energy. It can only be transformed to a new realm or
dimension. No energy can be created or destroyed. The scientists agree to this
point that not even a single atom can be destroyed.
Therefore the more one fights with sex,
the more one suppresses, the more sexual one becomes. In this state sex moves
deeper into the unconscious and poisons the whole being. The religions who try to
suppress sex become more obsessed with sexing their deep unconsciousness. They
cannot pray, they cannot meditate because whenever they do sex comes in. They
think that devil is playing the trick, but no devil. It is none but the
suppressed sex, the energy.
Neither repression nor indulgence is
the solution. To indulge in sex again becomes a new obsession. From one pole
the mind moves to the other pole and the disease remained the same. Both are
sick attitude. So, sex has to be transformed, neither repressed nor indulged
madly. The only possible solution to transform sex is to be in deep meditative
awareness about the energy. In this meditative awareness the quality of the
energy changes .The energy which moves into sexual experience starts moving
towards consciousness, and one will start realizing that it is not sex that
gives one bliss and ecstasy rather it is a thoughtless state of the mind a
moments blissful state that one attain
s in the peak of sexual orgasm. Once one knows that the same phenomenon
can happen without sex, and then sex will be needed less and less. A moment
will come when sex will not be needed at all, but the same blissful state will
permanently be there. So sex disappears in a state of alert passivity not by
destroying it but by remaining alert to it. Then one becomes only loving and
loving without any reason.
Love is a sexless phenomenon and a
person who is sexual cannot love .his love is just hypercritic ,just a means
towards sex, a technique towards sex. The solution to the problem is not to
suppress sex but to transcend sex and become non-sexual .The energy moving
within becomes auto ecstatic.
CONCLUSION
Today, men are no longer invisible in
their role of perpetuating prostitution and sex trafficking. A more
comprehensive view of the global sex trade has brought the demand side to the
attention of activists, scholars, and officials. The bottom line: If there were
no demand, prostitution would not exist. If men the world over did not demand sex, there would be no need to corral, break
and submit millions of women and children to this dehumanizing experience. The
world at large has to continue to talk about the men who are the perpetrators.
They are the ones who have to be accountable, to take responsibility for their
behavior, and stop buying and sexually exploiting women and girls. Governments
and non-governmental organizations have to continue to discuss and act against
these buyers and perpetrators while also finding ways to assist women out of
prostitution. Society also needs to become more aware of the value of women and
girls and how the sexualization of girls, in particular, is a broad and
increasing problem and is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development.
Even with these measures, however, many people still throw up their hands in
surrender, asking “why even bother?” Some argue that it is unrealistic to think
that prostitution can ever be abolished. They may feel it is too intimidating,
ugly, entrenched and pervasive a problem. This is a dangerous position. By
accepting defeat and surrendering to pro-prostitution forces, society is
basically accepting that these women and girls deserve to be abused and raped.
What is at stake is too important, too critical to continue to ignore—that is,
the dignity of women and girls worldwide. In prostitution, there is no dignity,
no empowerment, no equality in any form. As long as men continue to feel they
have the right to rent, buy and sell the bodies of women and girls, there will
never be equality in the world of any kind. This is NOT a right and never
should be, and everyone needs to do all in his or her power to abolish
prostitution.
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