Prostitution, Regulation & Globalisation - Essay Example

Prostitution: A Debate Prostitution: A Debate Prostitution is growing significantly around the world. With a growth in prostitution, there is a growth in the worries categorizing prostitution as violence. The literature available remains deficient on the prostitution globalization and it categorization at the same time. The following paper critically evaluates prostitution with the aid of feminist viewpoint and other researches carried out that are authentic, in order to display as a form of violence.

However, before progressing in evaluation it is important to consider the literature available. The feminist viewpoint argues that prostitution is ‘the absolute embodiment of patriarchal male privilege’. The existence of prostitution signifies a dominating role of males in the society through the medium of sexuality. This is mainly because most of the sex workers are women. Many radical feminists express that prostitution is a form of violence; however, they support their claims by highlighting the harms experienced by women involved in prostitution.

Nevertheless, the literature available gathered by Kate Millet (1975), Kathleen Barry (1979, 1995), Carole Pateman (1983, 1988), Catherine MacKinnon (1987, 1989), and Andrea Dworkin (1987, 1989) sheds light the fact that prostitution is a form of violence against women. Not just in the concept of buying sex, which may be considered as a part of heterosexuality and male dominance instead it depicts the absolute embodiment of patriarchal male privilege (Scoular, 2005). Another feminist, Shelia Jeffries, expresses that prostitution is a form of oppression against women.

Furthermore, she expresses that women with the idea concept of prostitution has been narrowed down into a sex object. Woman is bought or sold into sexual slavery, thus, forming the foundation of women’s oppression. Nevertheless, prostitution according to the feminists seems to be a form of women’s right violation. Many feminists support their argument by stating the example of third world prostitutes who are bought and sold into different countries so satiate the thirst of men (Doezema, 2001).

Surprisingly, despite the existence of Human Rights and their formed laws to protect the people against any kind of violence the curse of prostitution continues to prevail in the societies. With the wake of women, trafficking prostitution has continued to increase in the world. Female child prostitution has surfaced with the concept of women trafficking. Female child is usually kidnapped, bought, tricked, or sold by her parents. The figures suggest alarming digits, which express that female child prostitution is at a rising rate around the world.

Nevertheless, others argue that it is not the male dominance rather it is a fruit of the fact that the world is in an economic crunch; and those involved in such activities are able to meet their financial demands. Another element that plays a role in the encouragement of such a hideous act is the globalization of culture that coerces a female child to be sexually subjugated (Robinson, 1997). This idea of economic crunch can be supported with the fact that many brothels today are legalized. Prostitution is encouraged as a profitable business and the existence of brothels, as well.

It is usually argued that brothels are safe to buy sex. Ironically, the customers find their own safety and hygiene while they fore go the existence of women who are involved in the sexual acts. Although, there are developed policies and laws that criminalize the act of prostitution but the authorities have failed to eliminate prostitution. Rather the act of prostitution has prevailed, and the violence still poses a threat. Many argue that the developed laws have replaced the illegal pimps with legal pimps who continue to violate women under the banner of law and authority (Brents & Hausbeck, 2005).

Keeping in mind the above mentioned research there are certain questions that surface. Those who argue that prostitution has no attachment with male dominance must question that fact that if it is true to its essence than why is that there are more female prostitutes in the world as compared to males. However, for those feminists who hold the view that male dominance is the underlying factor that has given birth to prostitution must question and consider those prostitutes who are fighting for their rights and recognition (Sullivan, 2000).

It is essential to mention here that there is not a single answer to the question that can satisfy the researchers. Certain, situations, like mentioned above involve prostitution where the women are financially distressed and find their way to such businesses or are forced into it. However, there are some who expect the government to legalize their business. There is a requirement for further research in the area that must high light those women who want the legalization of such violence acts in order to prove that male dominance is the underlying factor for the rise of prostitution (Sullivan, 2000).

List of References Brents, B. & Hausbeck, K., 2005. Violence and Legalized Brothel Prostitution in Nevada. Journal of International Violence, 20(3), pp.270-95. Doezema, J., 2001. Ouch Wester Feminists' 'Wounded Attachement' to the 'Third World Prostitute'. Palgrave Macmillan Journals, 67, pp.16-38. Robinson, L., 1997. The Globalization of Female Child Prostitution: A Call for Reintegration, and Recovery Measures via Article 39 of the United Nations Convention on The Rights of The Child. Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, 5(1), pp.239-61. Scoular, J., 2005. The ‘subject’ of prostitution: Interpreting the discursive, symbolic and material position of sex/work in feminist theory.

Feminist Theory, 5(343), pp.343-55. Sullivan, B., 2000. Rethinking Prostitution Consent. [Online] Available at: < HYPERLINK http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:_vm8U6tqK_cJ:apsa2000.anu.edu.au/confpapers/sullivan.rtf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk> [Accessed 16 January 2013].