Prostitution is described as a practice of engaging in sexual relations for payment or benefits. There have been two schools of thoughts on prostitutions in society. Depending on the jurisdiction and community, prostitution can be legal or illegal. A global statistics shows that there are about 42 million prostitutes in the world. Prostitution is frequently viewed as a form of exploitation of or violence against women and children. It helps to create a supply of victims for human trafficking. However, there has not been any empirical examination and data of the effects and causes of this social phenomenon in Liberian society, specifically in the in the Center Street community which is the focus of this term paper. Thus, the purpose of this study is to bridge this gap in the literature by providing knowledge of the effects of prostitution among young girls between ages of 18 to 35 in the targeted community.
The Center Street is a local community situated in central Monrovia, which harbors some of Liberia’s leading and professional prostitutes the country had ever known. A prostitute by definition is one who exchanges sex or sexual favors for money, drugs and other desirable commodities. According to academicians as well as public opinions, there are many reasons why women enter the world of prostitution. While many of these reasons may be important to examine, relatively few capture the experiences of women.
As such, I will argue in this paper, after presenting some of the basic underlying assumptions that are frequently associated with this controversial subject, that some approaches to understanding prostitution are more valid than others. Historically, it appears that prostitution is something that is typically looked down upon and viewed as morally repugnant—something in which only women with low self-esteem and low socioeconomic status participate. This, however, is not always the case. Prostitutes as well as the men who use them come from all walks of life; in fact, some prostitutes make a great deal of money. Many people have difficulty in understanding how individuals end up in the prostitution industry. Similarly, many prostitutes have a difficult time leaving prostitution. This paper will explore a high degree of investigation from those involved as well as feminist perspectives to identify the root or background factors that lead someone into prostitution and its effects on girls’ future.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Why Study Prostitution?
3. Causes of Prostitution
3.1 Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse
3.2 Runaway Teens
4. The Economic Factor of prostitution
5. Types of Prostitution
5.1 Forced Prostitution
5.2 Homeless Prostitution
5.3 Streetwalker Prostitution
5.4 Drug-addicted Prostitution
6. Overview of the Feminist Theories on Prostitution
7. Conclusion
8. Recommendations
Research Objectives and Key Themes
The primary objective of this research is to identify and examine the background factors that influence young girls and women to enter the prostitution industry within the Center Street community in Liberia. By adopting a feminist perspective, the study aims to fill a literature gap regarding the specific social and economic triggers of this phenomenon and its subsequent impacts on the future of those involved.
- Analysis of childhood trauma, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse as precursors to prostitution.
- Evaluation of "runaway behavior" among teenagers and the role of domestic instability in entering the sex trade.
- Examination of economic marginalization and the search for subsistence as primary motivations.
- Application of Marxist feminist theory to understand patriarchal control and systemic gender inequality.
- Policy recommendations focused on protective and vocational intervention for at-risk youth.
Excerpt from the Book
Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse
Many who have conducted research in the area of prostitution discuss the relationship between abuse and prostitution. R. Barri Flowers (2001) is one of those researchers who posit that girls in particular, are much more likely to enter into high-risk activities, including prostitution, than girls who have not been abused in some manner. It is important to underscore that abused children often become more vulnerable to high-risk situations than children who have not been abused. Promiscuous behavior is one of the outcomes of sexual abuse. Brannigan and Van Brunshot Gibbs (2002) posit that the abuse thesis is that childhood sexual victimization leads to being a prostitute, a role itself characterized by sexual exploitation teaches the victim to view herself as sexually degraded, which in turn prepares her for entry into adolescent and adult role in which deviant definitions of self are functional. The sexually victimized child learns a sexually deviant identity. (P. 2). When a teenager is exposed to circumstances of sexual and physical abuse over a period of time, running away from the problem may seem to be the best answer. Therefore, many of the teenage prostitutes that are found on the streets are victims of physical or sexual abuse; in their opinion, the only escape is to run away from home.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter introduces the Center Street community and outlines the research objective to investigate the factors leading women and girls into the prostitution industry.
Why Study Prostitution?: This section discusses the complexity of the subject and explains the necessity of using a feminist perspective to understand the specific experiences of women.
Causes of Prostitution: This chapter explores precipitating factors such as domestic abuse and the phenomenon of runaway teenagers as key contributors to entry into the sex trade.
The Economic Factor of prostitution: This chapter analyzes how financial necessity and limited employment opportunities drive women into prostitution as a survival mechanism.
Types of Prostitution: This chapter categorizes different forms of sex work, including forced, homeless, streetwalker, and drug-addicted prostitution.
Overview of the Feminist Theories on Prostitution: This chapter applies feminist and Marxist theories to interpret prostitution through the lens of patriarchal structures and labor commodification.
Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the research findings, confirming the link between childhood trauma and the risk of entering prostitution.
Recommendations: This chapter proposes policy actions for the Ministry of Gender, emphasizing the need for vocational training and protective measures for at-risk girls.
Keywords
Prostitution, Liberia, Center Street community, feminist theory, sexual abuse, runaway teens, economic factor, forced prostitution, patriarchal control, vulnerability, gender discrimination, sex trade, social phenomenon, survival, vocational skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on identifying the background factors, such as abuse and economic instability, that lead young girls and women in the Center Street community in Liberia to enter the prostitution industry.
What are the central thematic fields?
The central themes include the impact of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, the dynamics of runaways, economic survival strategies, and the structural implications of patriarchal society.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to bridge the gap in existing literature regarding the causes and effects of prostitution within the Liberian societal context.
Which scientific approach is employed?
The study employs a qualitative, academic approach grounded in feminist criminology and social research to analyze the experiences of women within the sex industry.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers theoretical frameworks, empirical arguments regarding abuse and economic necessity, and a categorization of various types of prostitution, concluding with policy recommendations.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Prostitution, Liberia, Feminist theory, Sexual abuse, Economic factor, and Vulnerability.
How does the author define a prostitute in this context?
A prostitute is defined as an individual who exchanges sex or sexual favors for money, drugs, or other desirable commodities.
What is the significance of the "second shift" mentioned in the text?
The author uses Arlie Hochschild’s "second shift" concept to highlight the dual burden of labor that women face, which exacerbates their economic vulnerability and may lead them to prostitution.
What role does the criminal justice system play according to this paper?
The paper argues that the criminal justice system often fails to address the unique perspective of female offenders, sometimes applying double standards that influence crime rates and the interpretation of female criminality.
What are the specific recommendations for the Center Street community?
The author recommends that the Ministry of Gender implement policies to remove girls from the streets and provide them with vocational and technical skills to ensure their economic independence.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Julius T. Jaesen, II (Autor:in), 2015, The Effects of Prostitution on Girls’ Future in Post Conflict Liberia, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/381217
