Table of Contents
Outline and Summary of the Chapter
The chapter seeks to establish the various aspects of prostitution through describing a research aimed at portraying the various perspectives of prostitution from the point of women of the women involved in the practice. The study sort to establish the fundamental aspects of prostitution through description and observation of the women involved in the practice such as the cause of involvement, the aspect of drug-use in the practice of prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS in the society (Spradley and McCurdy pp. 20-30). In addressing these issues, the study systematically establishes themes and issues surrounding the practice of prostitution in the society to establish the avenues or opportunities available in the community to address the impact of the practice. According to the study, institutions such as the criminal justice system through the police and the healthcare institution through community health workers play a key role in defining the themes and issues in the practice of prostitution such as violence and prevention of HIV/AIDS respectively. Lastly the chapter addresses the opportunities that are available for the women to exit from the practice of prostitution whereby the major challenge is the stigma in the society towards the ex-prostitutes that often experience difficulties in developing a new self-identity as well as establishing new intimate relationships in the society with their loved ones (Spradley and McCurdy pp. 20-30). Also apart from the stigma n in the society that is associated with prostitution, the effects of drug use is also a challenge for the women who dare to exit the practice and therefore through addressing these issues in the society, authorities and institutions can effectively assist the women to create a new self-identity.
Themes and Issues
In the chapter, the themes and issues that are addressed include the circumstances that led the women into the practice of prostitution whereby factors such as traumatic childhood and pressure from others in their community such as pimps and friends contributed to their involvement. Despite these factors, the need for subsistence whereby economic forces or drug-use and addiction compel the women to be involved in the practice of prostitution so that they could maintain themselves at the least level of subsistence mainly due to their vulnerability in the society (Spradley and McCurdy pp. 20-30). This is because, tough economic situation or drug dependence increases the vulnerability of women which predisposes them to peer-pressure from friends and pimps to be involved in the practice.
Furthermore, another issue highlighted in the involvement of women in prostitution includes the differences in power among the women as based on their drug-use tendencies and identity. The theme of women prostitutes verses drug use elaborates the various types of prostitutes as well as the power of soliciting for sex and bargaining prices with their customers (Spradley and McCurdy pp. 20-30). This is because, among prostitutes, drug-use is a significant factor in developing power in the practice whereby addiction increases the vulnerability of women such as the crack prostitutes that are dependent on drugs as compared to their counterparts that are the streetwalkers whom do not use drugs.
In addition, the issue of ineffective communication between the women, their partners and even authorities creates a dilemma in addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS infection in the society (Spradley and McCurdy 20-30). This is because through effective communication with the women, the issues surrounding the infection of HIV can be identified and measures such as creating awareness among the prostitutes, pimps and their customers can effectively be addressed thus resulting in managing the HIV infection. Also through establishing effective communication network between the women and law enforcement authorities, the violence and abuse that characterizes the lives of women involved in prostitution can effectively be addressed. This is because the law enforcement authorities can address the causes of violence and abuse among the women that is propagated by individuals that are familiar to these women.
The issue of the fundamental rights of women involved in prostitution that is often abused by pimps and others whom exploit the women and also resort to violence and abusive tendencies against the women is also an issue of concern. Due to the vulnerability of women that practice prostitution in the society, the prostitutes experience physical, sexual and emotional abuse from the customers, boyfriends, pimps and law enforcement officers in the streets (Spradley and McCurdy 20-30). The violence and abuse against women that characterize the neglect of their fundamental rights and freedoms is an inhuman practice in the society that hinders efforts directed towards removing these women from the streets. Finally, kinship ties with other members of the family and the society as well as hindered due to the stigma associated with the practice of prostitution such as the spread of HIV/AIDS infection and religious beliefs and practices (Spradley and McCurdy 20-30). The stigma is a great obstacle to women that dare leave the streets and seek a new self-identity so that the women can once again establish healthy intimate relationships in the society therefore causing a vicious cycle of prostitution, drug-use and violence in the society.
- Spradley, James, and David McCurdy. Conformity And Conflict. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.