Tricking And Tripping Claire Sterk Summary

To highlight this topic, Kristof and WuDunn relate the history of Meena Hasina, an Indian woman in her thirties as she walks down the street while adults stare at her, some even glowering – this reflects how bad gender inequality is in some developing countries, to the point of not even being able to walk on the street. Kristof explains that Meena was from a poor family that sold her to a brothel. Of all the possible ways to raise money like reaching out to a foreign non-government organization (which offers incentives to set up stalls so women can start their own business selling goods), or joining an activist group to promote education to young girls, her family simply saw no value in Meena and decided to sell her. Meena ended up in a brothel, but the authors also use this event to thoroughly develop on the abuse of women. Kristof clarifies that once women enter into the brothels business they feel worthless with no hope; in fact, society looks them as a sub-level of illiterate girls with the sole purpose of prostitution – which is absolutely false. The problem here is that women feel rejected by society and are psychologically traumatized as is the case of Ainul the family matriarch in Meena’s brothel. She had been herself a prostitute when she was young, and eventually her daughters were also forced into prostitution. Ainul was so shattered that eventually she became the woman in charge of beating up new girls and finally in charge of the brothel forcing the daughters of other women into prostitution. In this case, the authors pointed to the fact that society forces women into sexual slavery, and that they get punished when they try to escape, so in turn, women exploit more

Prostitution, sometimes referred to as “the world’s oldest profession” (Henslin, pg. 54), is defined by James M. Henslin as “the renting of one’s body for sexual purposes” (pg. 54). This arrangement, though illegal and socially deviant in most parts of the world, exists universally in many different forms (pg. 54). As a matter of fact, types of prostitutes range greatly in variety from call girls – who are said to be “the elite of prostitutes” (pg. 58), to streetwalkers – “who have the lowest status among prostitutes” (pg. 58), to sugar babies -young, physically attractive women who provide “rich, older men” (Kitchener, par.4) “…with attention (and sex) in exchange for the finer things in life” (par. 4).

Claire E. Sterk, the author of the article of “Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of Aids”

In the anthropological fieldwork, it is courteous and almost always mandatory to gain formal consent from the individuals the research is conducted about. Although at times it may be awkward and uncomfortable, researchers like Claire Sterk must ask for consent to help protect the subject, the university, and themselves. Yet, the process of building trust and relationships in a field like dangerous strolls and crack houses can be difficult to an outsider, especially one with a higher economic status and different racial and cultural background. Sterk faced each of these obstacles as she pursued her research into understanding the life of female prostitutes from their own point of view.

Prostitution, also referred to as “the oldest profession,” has always been a controversial and challenging social issue. It is practiced in many different forms including: call girls, convention prostitutes, apartment prostitutes, hotel prostitutes, house prostitutes, bar girls, streetwalkers, and parking lot lizards (). Civilizations such as the Samarians, and countries including Morocco and parts of India engaged in a form of prostitution known as temple prostitution. Temple prostitution is based on the belief that “generative activity of human beings possessed a mysterious and sacred influence in promoting the fertility of nature” (Clarkson). In other civilizations, such as the Roman and Byzantine Empires, prostitution was looked upon as less of a religious ceremony, and more of a sin practiced by “women of evil life” (ProCon.org). Today those differentiating view are still present in modern society, but there are also new ideologies surrounding the everlasting presence of prostitution. This Essay will use the Symbolic Interactionism Theory to identify those new ideologies, and evaluate the meaning of prostitution within three relationship: the husband and wife, the Call girl and client, and the Pimp and the sex trafficking victim.

Lydia’s Open Door by American Anthropologist Patty Kelly is an intriguing case study about both the hidden and not so hidden aspects of sex work in Chiapas, Mexico. Her book proves the usefulness of ethnographic works where she engages with unconventional ways of knowing in order to determine the complex relationships that help to reproduce gender inequality. Lydia’s Open Door contextualizes prostitution within a political and economic framework revealing how it is impossible to diagnose one without the others. She uses both macro and micro-analysis to deconstruct the variability in how prostitution is practiced, regulated and perceived through space and time. Throughout her ethnography she discusses how globalization and

It has frequently been said that trafficking in ladies for sexual exploitation has developed or expanded in the last 10-15 years, yet it is a mysterious period in the past while urging ladies to take part in sex work and comparable exercises was not an event, from old times. At those times, it might not have been called trafficking, but rather "white slavery". Nadelmann (1990) declares

Traditionally prostitution was viewed as a consensual act, one person selling sexual favors to a willing buyer. Used in many classes as an example of “Mala Prohibita” when differentiating between “Mala Prohibita” and “Mala in Se” (conduct that is illegal because it is prohibited vs. conduct that is illegal because it is inherently wrong or evil). This is perhaps true about prostitution in its simplest form (an independent adult seller deciding with their own free will to perform sexual acts with another adult individual in exchange for money or other compensation).

“They would beat you. They would make you feel like they would cause you yourself or your family harm. Another thing, some of the girls don’t have anywhere to go (Victims, 2011).” Keisha Head works as an anti-human trafficking advocate, but that was not always the case. She was once a victim to this cold and unforgiving way of life that many people simply call “prostitution.” It has been said by the ignorant that prostitutes must enjoy their line of work, as sex is generally considered pleasurable. However, Keisha tells another story. “I became numb to what I was doing. I guess that’s the survival instinct,” she says. Another woman who escaped the life preferred to remain anonymous, but her statement is profound. “I was hoping that I would

Prostitution, as stated by Flemming, is known as a form of sexual activity, a kind of sexual style or category, and a form of economic activity, a way of making a living through the provisions of certain services, by behaving in accordance with, or falling into such a category (39). This definition, though, is controversial. While conducting research for this project, we found that most topics regarding prostitution and its affiliates were controversial. Each author gave a differing interpretation for the same data. Due to this, our project centered on the female prostitutes, even though there is evidence of male prostitutes.

Of the six themes in the ethnography of prostitution presented by Sterk in the article, I believe that the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the women’s lives are most important. Society does not accept prostitutes and believe that they are open to the fact of having unprotected sex with numerous partners. This is not the case at all. These women are very careful and force their partners to use protection at all times. These women are sometimes forced into having unprotected sex by their partner. The costumers think that because they are paying for sex, they can do whatever they want. The men become violent and force certain acts upon these women. Although the prostitutes know the risks of their job, some do not take HIV tests because of the fear of it being positive. They’d rather not know.

Throughout this course, reading, studying, and identifying the differences between diverse cultures and our own has been the main emphasis. Learning about the anthropological case studies along with the fieldwork that goes into absorbing another culture requires time, patience, and in some cases a bit of an initial shock. However, what about the culture differences that are taking place in our backyards? The world is a very diverse place with many different types and tribes of people, yet, it is important to remember that there are many differences right where we are as well as other countries and places. Through the article titled, Tricking and Tripping, Fieldwork on Prostitution in the Era of AIDS by Claire E. Sterk, we are able to read of fieldwork done right here in the United States. Anthropological fieldwork that isn’t obtained in the tropical exotic locations, rather it is found in our own terrace. I believe that that is important to remember and have the reminder that all people can set aside judgments, and become patient, brave, trustworthy, and explore “the life” of others.

The aspiration for a better life puts forward thousands of Brazilians who fight every day, with non-formal or formal jobs, for better living conditions, comfort and tranquility. Prostitution is not a “profession” regulated in Brazil, but an activity that did not have titration. This activity is stereotyped and underrated - humans who survive through it suffer prejudice, are marginalized by society and are usually victims of violence from clients, as well as from intolerant people.

Perhaps the most disturbing, yet intriguing parts of the film were the interviews with the Cambodian male clients who justify their desire for sex with young virgin girls because of their cultural beliefs about maintaining their youthful appearance and health. Participating in sexual activities with virgins is also believed to be a way of avoiding the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The film delicately explains the cycle of young girls who are destined to remain in prostitution because there are no other options for them to earn money once they are forced into the

Prabha Kotiswaran’s study of sex work presents a fascinating and illuminating insight of sex work in India. She searches for an approach which can better theorize sex work in third world countries and analyzes different feminist methodologies that exist on sex work to try to frame a theory with a materialist realist understanding of sex work in India. For this purpose, she visits Sonagachi, a red light district in Kolkata in order to learn about the sex industry from the perspectives of the sex workers themselves. From this study, she devises a postcolonial materialist feminist theory that pleads for recognition of sex work as a form of labor, based on a contextual understanding of the sex industry.