Life Behind Women Who Enter Sex Work

Sex trafficking is essentially systemic rape for profit. Force, fraud and coercion are used to control the victim’s behavior which may secure the appearance of consent to please the buyer (or john). Behind every transaction is violence or the threat of violence (Axtell par. 4). Just a decade ago, only a third of the countries studied by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had legislation against human trafficking. (Darker Side, par.1) Women, children, and even men are taken from their homes, and off of the streets and are brought into a life that is almost impossible to get out of. This life is not one of choice, it is in most times by force. UNODC estimates that the total international human trafficking is a

Women involved or forced into sex work (prostitution) are striped of dignity and self-worth they come from poverty, migration and cultural backgrounds that face gender inequality (Bhat & Pushpam, 2013, p. 3). Forced prostitution is a global problem but is more prevalent in poorer countries (True, 2013). Victims of prostitution affect women and children of all ages (Bhat & Pushpam, 2013, p. 3). The sex industry thrives making billions of dollars and is funded by investors, crooked recruiters, and even corrupt government employees (Bhat & Pushpam, 2013, p. 3). Females involved in the sex trade face inhuman treatment they are raped, demoralized, defeated and will never live a normal life again (Bhat & Pushpam, 2013, p. 3). Many women will migrate across borders in search for economic stability but instead will be coerced into sex work (Wonders & Danner, 2002). Women in poorer countries with low social class face gender inequalities mainly because of cultural and political misguidance. Strategies that can help prevent women from forced prostitution and sex work include higher pay, a support system for women to get an education, and government reforms to help prevent migration and the people that keep the industry thriving.

Human trafficking has received increasing global attention over the past decade. Trafficking of women and girls for forced sex work and, to a lesser extent, domestic servitude, were the sole focus of advocacy and assistance. There is recognition in today’s society that women, children, and men are trafficked into many different forms of labour, and for sexual exploitation. In her article, “Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Women”, Cathy Zimmerman and Heidi Stockl focus on the commonality of human trafficking and how evident it is in everyday life. They bring in the health effects and possible solutions to human trafficking to help validate their opinion and argument. In the solutions they offer, Zimmerman and Stockl shine a light on policy-makers/decision-makers, health-care providers, and researchers/funders and what each of these groups of people can do to help combat the issue of human trafficking. In a quote from their article, Stockl and Zimmerman say: “Health care providers and organizations involved with trafficked persons should increase their capacity to identify and refer people in trafficking situations and provide sensitive and safe services to people post-trafficking”. This quote shows how Zimmerman and Stockl believe human trafficking should be combated by caring and talking to those affected by the issue but how they also believe awareness should be made about human trafficking so as to allow people surrounding the issue to identify and help victims of this issue. Zimmerman and Stockl’s view on the ways human trafficking should be combatted relate to those of Soroptimist due to the fact that the two groups of people are focused mainly on helping women and girls who have been trafficked and trying to get them to a better life after getting out of the trafficking situation. Both groups focus on helping men as well, providing options to help them such as raising money and awareness, and getting educated on being able to identify victims of human trafficking.

Human trafficking doesn’t happen in third world countries only. It doesn’t just happen to poor people and it certainly doesn’t solely happen to women. It is present here in the USA but it is hidden, and even worse, so are their victims. They are everywhere yet invisible. They are silently crying for our help through their eyes and smiles. According to Polaris, “…the prevalence of sex trafficking in the United States is still unknown, we do know that women, children, and men are being sold for sex against their will in cities and towns in all 50 states”. Human trafficking can happen to anyone even to Theresa Flores, the author of “The slave across the street”(“Sex trafficking” 2015). An average 15 year old American girl, coming from a privileged background and a respected family became a victim of sex trafficking and through her book, she convinces us that human trafficking doesn’t have a specific demographic.

People may not believe that there is a positive outcome of prostitution when first thought of. In fact, there are multiple ways that prostitution can benefit the sex workers, society, and even the economy. A quantitative and qualitative study was made by Lutnik and Cohan in San Francisco on prostitutes in the area. Although the sex workers that were interviewed are not part of the Canadian society, the United States is also part of the Western Civilization and the results reflect those of Canada as well. In the study, women spoke about the beneficial factors of having “police protection, the ability to build community with other sex worker, and obtaining rights as workers” upon the legalization of prostitution (Lutnik and Cohan, 2009: 41). Overall, the prostitutes that were surveyed preferred the “removal of statutes that criminalize sex work in order to facilitate a social and political environment where they had legal rights and could seek help when they are victims of violence.” (Lutnik and Cohan, 2009: 39). This research provides evidence that majority of people in the sex worker industry would like to feel safer as they are working as every person is entitles to feel safe when they go to work. Considering the health of the sex workers, a study was presented at the International AIDS Conference in Australia which showed results of the transmittal of HIV/AIDS among sex workers would decrease by 33-46% if prostitution is either legalized, or at least decriminalized (Listland, 2014). Another factor that is considered regarding sex workers and the legalization is the diminishing of violence and sex crimes. In the same research study conducted by Lutnik and Cohan, it was found that 91% of prostitutes desired laws that protected their rights in specific, and they also wanted more police protection, create safe houses, and would be safest under a regulated system (Lutnik and Cohan, 2009: 41, 43). Lastly, a

230). Help is not given because of the victim blaming that is done throughout the recovery process, and the representation of apathy. The general distaste of the subject of selling one’s body for money is a controversial subject that makes some steer away. “Women are manipulated by consumerism and perversion of family values to fulfil family needs and consumption in the name of cultural tradition – duty, care, gratitude - even if it means being sold into prostitution”(Turner, 2002, pg.17). Culture pushes women to fulfill roles of traditional values while also maintaining money for family, causing some women to be more prone as victims of sex trafficking. This is another example of our society pushing women (and men) towards the

Many who have heard of “human trafficking” might have a stereotype placed in their heads. Young girls kidnapped into prostitution and sex businesses like so. But the reality of human trafficking goes beyond more than solely young girls and it’s more than just a sexual business. It also promotes the “sweatshop,” debt bondage and forced labor. Also most believe only teenage girls are a target for human traffickers, but this is also not the case. Many people look for young children of both genders, and of all ages.

Human trafficking and sex slavery have gotten much more worse globally as time went by. Buying a female’s sexual services is becoming more common and acceptable everyday. Especially in the state of Nevada where brothels are legal, and in Las Vegas where prostitution is a booming business in the underground world. In the two films, “Demand,” and “The Journey,” four main significant issues can be drawn based on human trafficking and sex slavery. The first point is clearly holding women against their will. Some females need the money that bad to care for families. Many strippers or prostitutes have children and need to supply for them. Especially when women don’t have an education, they turn to selling their bodies to make up for it. Women are

When these women do take their offer and reach their destination, they are deceived by the people and finds out the real work they are expected to do. Once they are forced into working as sex slaves, it becomes difficult for these victims to escape from the psychological violence that these traffickers use to maintain their victims. Criminals notice that by selling humans is safer and makes a lot of money than by selling drugs. The internet includes a snippet of an author Julian Sher’s book Somebody’s Daugther where she quotes an FBI agent. The FBI agent says, “The sex trade is the new drug trade.” When selling people, it shows a little bit of risk but when selling drugs, it requires the criminal a lot of risking by trying to not be caught or losing their product. However, with human beings, it don’t require losing their “purchase” because these victims believe that they’re going somewhere with a bright future for the or because they end up in a abusive situation it becomes dangerous for these victims to escape.

Commercial sex is a site of political contest and judgment. In various cultures throughout the world, women are depicted as sexually passive, ascribing to patriarchal ideals of power. A popular portrayal of female sex workers -- particularly those in non-Western countries-- is that of brutalized victims that were coerced and trafficked into the industry. While this narrative is accurate in some instances, all sex work is not homogenous. Many women, who migrate to participate in sex work, do so as a response to limited economic opportunities. By adhering to this notion of sex trafficking, it discredits these women of their agency and autonomy, reducing them to victims of sexual abuse rather than labor exploitation. In her book, Cosmopolitan

The world of sex work has been around for many years. The movies portray it as a normal way of life in all the cowboy movies and put a glamorous feel around it. However, Hollywood is about selling dreams and fantasy, though reality is quite different. The reality is that sex work is dangerous. The act in and of its self is not dangerous, but the situations in which it needs to be conducted are. Today’s sex work encompasses more than just prostitution; the Pornography industry, Dom/Sub work, as well as exotic dancing are all considered sex work. The focus of this essay has been narrowed down to just the prostitution aspect of sex work and the decriminalization of it in terms of creating a safer environment for the worker. Decriminalization

The data for the study was gathered from a series of three intense interviews in which not all women took part in. The first interview, which allotted for all twelve women to take part in, focused on each women’s individual story of prostitution. After discovering the central themes from the first set of interviews, only nine women were selected to take part in the second round. The purpose of the second round of interviews was to validate the themes in which the researches found in the first set of interviews by asking the participants to verify their claims. Lastly, a third round of

Women made vulnerable by poverty are most susceptible to the sex industry because they lack the resources, the education, and the economic alternatives to pursue other work possibilities. The lack of education diminishes women’s potential to gain paid employment, and desperately consent to prostitution as their survival strategy.

Sexually exploiting women and girls is big business and is a problem that is continuing to increase and expand. Sex trafficking is a $32 billion industry each year across the globe. In Atlanta some child traffickers make more than $32,000 a week. Furthermore, Atlanta’s illegal sex industry generates around $290 million a year. Human traffickers can potentially earn 20 times the amount paid for a girl. Unlike drugs and guns, the same girl can be sold over and over again. Poor girls can be found in all corners of the world, and a wealthy country like the U.S. is a prime market. Once a girl has been sufficiently frightened by her victimizer – told that she’ll be found and punished if she flees, or that the lives of her family in another country may be at stake – she will follow a pimp’s demands.

Alam’s insights are powerful as they document the specific factors that discourage female sex workers from negotiating with clients. He finds that the primary motivation is financial; clients offer more for condoms to not be used, and sex workers are reluctant to negotiate as it could lead to lost customers. This conversation about competition for clients provides important insights regarding the structural factors affecting sex work. Alam finds that sex workers are heavily influenced by this factor due to