The Role Of Prostitution In The United States

Sex trafficking, particularly that of children, has become a growing concern in the United States over the past several decades (Kotrla, 2010). By definition, child sex trafficking is “when a child (under 18 years of age) is induced to perform a commercial sex act” (U.S., 2013, para. 4), and includes forms such as prostitution and pornography (Kotrla, 2010). Researchers suggest that children are the most vulnerable to becoming victims of prostitution (Kotrla), and it is estimated that there are at least 100,000 victims in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001). Sex traffickers, otherwise known as “pimps,” often lure children with promises of food, clothing, love, and shelter, and then the pimps manipulate the children to keep them in prostitution (U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ], 2015). Awareness of the issue has led to the development of organizations, such as Children of the Night, that seek to help victims escape the sex trafficking industry (Children of the Night [COTN], 2016d).

In the news report “Human Trafficking”, author Olivia Neeley, a correspondent for the Tribune Business News, explains the procedure of luring a young individual into human trafficking, and gaining control of the modern-day slaves. The author explains that the traffickers, also called pimps, exchange basic needs in order to make the victim work for them; once they successfully subdue the victim, they use drugs and debts to control them. Human trafficking is much more common than we think; this crime can take place in just an average neighborhood, as when Neeley states, “Traffickers love rural areas” (Neeley). This article is helpful to the topic because it demonstrates how the trafficker persuade victims into this industry without using force,

This article by Cheryl Butler applies Critical Race Feminism to the issues of prostitution and sex trafficking in the United States. In doing so, Butler explores the debate on prostitution and sex trafficking through an intersectional lens, and thus acknowledges the role that race and class play in prostitution in America. She fully considers prostitution from a critical race perspective, i.e., one that considers how race and gender intersect with other systems of oppression together to marginalize people of color in America. She proposes policy changes that may help address prostitution from a position of intersectionality.

It is rather odd to think that prostitution, which is considered to be the world’s oldest profession, would be illegal and harmful in nature. The issue of legalizing prostitution has entered public conversation around the world, which is severely divided. Many, like myself, consider prostitution to be a victimless crime. Despite such opposition to legalizing prostitution, many argue that legalizing it would result in decreased morality issues, increase the economic activity in the United States, and help decrease the number of sexually transmitted diseases among both prostitutes and those who patronize them,

Sex trafficking is a problem that sweeps across the nation. The number of children and teens on the street makes them more at risk of being taken into human sex trafficking. According to the Covenant House Institute, more than two million kids in America will face a period of homelessness. As many as 20,000 kids are forced into prostitution by the human trafficking networks every year in the United States

In the state of California, many progressive matters such as same-sex marriage and marijuana are widely accepted and legal, and the oldest profession in the world should be, too. Prostitution is illegal in 49 out of 50 states, the exception being Nevada. Prostitution has been around for centuries, but has yet to be embraced by many cultures as ‘socially acceptable’. The underground operations and stereotypes of prostitutes have created the stigma that prostitution is a job for low-life, uneducated women who deserve less than human rights. From the law to feminists, people have been ostracizing prostitutes because of their occupation. Could the persistent moral issues and stigmas that prostitution connotes be detrimental to sex workers? Will

“A pimp is a person who controls and financially benefits from the commercial sexual exploitation of another” (A Glossary of Sex Trafficking Terms”). Pimps know how to manipulate their victims and cause immense terror to the point where they are too afraid to escape or find help. “Pimps use physical, emotional and psychological abuse to coerce young women and girls into a life of sex trafficking. Many suffer severe emotional trauma, including symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder and dissociation” (“What is Sex Trafficking?”). The majority of these pimps use the lover boy technique to recruit women and girls. (“What is Sex Trafficking?”). “They promise fulfilled dreams, protection, adventure and after securing her love and loyalty, he will force her into prostitution” (“What is Sex Trafficking?”). In addition to all the emotional and physical abuse victims endure, “they are at greater risk of contracting sexually transmissible infections, including HIV/AIDS” (What is Sex Trafficking.) Many become pregnant and are forced to undergo often unsafe abortions” (“What is Sex

Prostitution is one of the world 's oldest professions.Even though that it may increase sex trafficking, prostitution should be legalised in the United States because it would decrease violence and It would boost the economy. Men and women around the world are free to chose prostitution as their own profession, yet not in the US. Only one state has legalized prostitution and some want it made illegal there this would be a mistake as it would exacerbate the problems caused by it not being legal.

Prostitution is known to many as “the oldest occupation”, but when examined, the harsh reality of the sex industry is exposed and it is visible that prostitution is more of a form of oppression than it is a profession. The oldest occupation has many names: prostitute, streetwalker, hooker, escort. These types of terms are just examples of how the women who participate in this industry are reduced to labels and objectified. This social oppression is met with physical violence among sex workers, making it the most dangerous profession in human history. If it is so violent and horrible to participate in though, then why has it existed for all of these centuries? The answer is that the entire

According to dosomething.org, there are approximately twenty to thirty million people that are stuck in human trafficking. In addition, according to the United Nations, there is about 32 billion dollars in human trafficking.  Also in the United States, according to the Human Trafficking Center, there is a net worth of 2.5 billion dollars by sexual exploitation or forced labor. In continuation, about 21.5 percent of trafficking is sexual exploitation, 67.9 percent is forced labour, and 10.5 percent is state imposed forced labour.

Prostitution has underlyingly lingered in the history of the United States from the beginning of English settlements. In the industrial times, five percent of the population of women working were prostitutes. During the migration to the West, prostitutes were the majority- if not the only women in boom towns. Not until 1875, were there any laws officially banning prostitution. The Page law was created when Chinese immigrant women become prostitutes or second wives to European men. The law banned immigrant women from immoral purposes. Moving further in time, in 1949, a United Nations convention met in the purpose for the decriminalization of prostitution. Forty-eight countries decided to endorse it, the United States voted against it.

As observed from the research, there are a large number of children, especially those in the foster care system, who are affected by human and sex trafficking in the United States. Despite efforts to ensure the safety of sexually exploited children, they are sometimes still criminalized as prostitutes by those who lack awareness of the gravity of sex trafficking. The sexual exploitation of children is a crime that continues to be set aside by those who believe that human trafficking does not occur in a country that advocates for “human rights”. Prior to SB 1322, laws like the CASE Act of 2012 failed to truly protect these children who suffered a great amount of stigma and reproach from the government. With the passing of laws like the CASE

According to Stephanie Chen, former Writer-Producer for CNN, "experts estimate 1 million to 2 million prostitutes work in the US and about 78,000 arrests are made for prostitution and commercialized vice." she writes in her CNN.com article. Prostitution itself goes back to 2400 B.C and like any other service or profession prostitutes are paid, so why not legalize it as an official job? The US has stamped the name of prostitution as a crime when not only it could benefit the workers but if it was legal it could benefit the economy of the United States tremendously.

Sex deviance is when a person or group of people seek to find sexually arousing through ways that others or most people may find weird or odd for instance I don’t understand how people can become sexually stimulate through cybersex it just an activity that takes place over the internet, however according to Dr. Al Cooper in the last couple of years more than 200,000 men and women have become addict to cybersex (Jane. E. Brady, 2000). Prostitution involves selling of someone's body or doing a sexually act exchange for money. There no way to get an accurate count on how many prostitutions there are in Houston, however last year Houston police made 3,478 arrests in related to prostitution's. Prostitutes no longer stand on the corner looking

Pimps seek victims at malls, airports, sports games, or other populated places (Ford). Typically, girls between the ages of 9-19 are targeted (“Teen Girls”). They are at their most vulnerable, and many of them are in need of a friend. Pimps take advantage of this, lure them in, and pretend to be their friend until they turn into monsters, forcing the girls to go out and have sex with as many as 40 men a day (“What is Sex Trafficking?”). If they refuse, or don't come home with enough money, they are beaten, raped, or sometimes even killed (Ford).