According to article, “Early sexual experience and prostitution” by James and Meyerding (1977), Prostitution is defined as the process of providing sexual services with an overall aim of obtaining a compensation for these services provided. The forms of compensations usually take a monetary form but may be modified to suit the prostitute’s needs. For example in modern societies people have been engaging in prostitution in order to acquire a certain favor such as job promotion, employment, protection in term of security and academic issues to mention but a few. The act of prostitution can be adopted by either gender in the society. However, women and girl children have been the most vulnerable members exposed to prostitution. This is based on the fact that men have been dominating all sectors in all countries in the world
The authors of the article rate Prostitution as one of the social practices or profession which has been in existence in social set up since time immemorial. In the ancient Greek, prostitution was one of the social activities which were adopted by women as a mean of praising their gods. These individuals were fully convinced that prostitution accrued blessings in their lives as a form of compensation. Despite its long existence in the society, prostitution has been viewed as immoral and a social vice which cannot align to modern social settings. Prostitution has been opposed by various groups in the society due to various reasons. They argue that prostitution lowers the dignity of the involved prostitute. This is through conversion of one’s body to be commercial object through which a person achieves his or her goals.
Prostitution has been a major contributor in the spread of sexual transmitted diseases. In such an era where HIV/AIDS has been a dominant issue, prostitution has been pin pointed to be the key area where such sexual related diseases are transmitted. According to research studies which have been conducted in the United States of America, approximately eighty percent of people who have been medically diagnosed to have a sexual transmitted disease have confessed to have attended a prostitution center or have been involved in a sexual act as a prostitute. With such exposure rates, prostitution can be classified as one of the impediments in the economic and social development of a given country (Wardlaw, 1842). Prostitution is not discriminatory on either gender hence it encompasses both male and female. In addition, prostitution may involve homosexual or heterosexual doings. A widespread fallacy of prostitution is that a considerable number of prostitutes are composed of women.
Though prostitution exist in a number of modern societies in the world, the extent at which it is applied can be termed either abusive or as a crime. For instance, children aged between twelve and sixteen years have been reported to engage in prostitution. These are individuals who have not reached the age of majority. In addition, they cannot conclusively make reliable decisions for their own. As a consequence, they are constantly under parental or guardian’s instructions. According to results which were obtained from a survey conducted in the United States of America, approximately five out fifty teenagers in the United States have engaged in prostitutions. The number drastically rises to almost five times the figure in developing countries. Some of the countries which have recorded the highest figure of such prostitution include Korea and other Asian countries and nations found in South America such as Peru.
Ivan, G, et al. (1988) .Adolescent female prostitutes. Archives of Sexual Behavior
Volume 17, Number 5, 431-438, DOI: 10.1007/BF01542483
According to the article, “Adolescent female prostitutes”,by Ivan ,et al (1988) ,Various factors have been indentified to contribute to increased incidences of female prostitution .Poor parental guidance is one of the factors which can be easily identified. Some parents have been engaging in prostitution activities directly in front of their children. Some women invite their male counterparts in their home where they proceed with their sexual activity. This exposes the child to sexual activities which are considered to be taboos in majority of societies in the world. With such incidences, the child obtains a clear picture that prostitution resembles any other profession. The child may emulate such actions which are manifested by their parents.
Extreme levels of poverty have led to the emergence of female prostitution of such young people. According to research results from developing countries especially those found in Africa, child prostitution his mainly contributed by lack of essential or basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter . Though these individuals are much aware that prostitution is a risky business venture, the rate of unemployment in such countries forces these young ladies to venture in the field. Parent can insignificantly make these individuals to shun such activities. This is because they also rely on the earnings obtained by their children.
Poor formulation of governmental regulation to curb child prostitution has contributed in the vice increasing in the modern societies. Child prostitution has evolved itself to meet modern techniques. For instance, female teenagers have been involved in the development of pornographic films and other sexual contents disseminated through media. Such teenagers offer to involve themselves in such action as a mean of earning a living. They are compensated in term of monetary terms after the sale of the developed sexual films. Nevertheless, such activities are initiated by malicious individuals whose intentions are to merely exploit these children sexually and even financially. These individuals use attractive techniques which lure in these young teenagers to engage in such unacceptable activities.
The authors argue that existence of such group of people can be directly linked to the relaxation of the government in addressing the issue of pornography in the society. The involved government and other associated stakeholders should put in place strategic measure essential in eradicating such child abuses in the society.
Some female prostitutes find themselves in prostitution as a mean of satisfying their emotional neediness. According to surveys results from American societies, a significant number of prostitutes engage in such risky activities as a mean of obtaining emotional satisfaction. Lack of affectionate and family bonding in a family set up can lure a person to search such attention and affection from other areas. Unfortunately, majority of the affected individuals find themselves in early prostitution. Conversely, some women who used addictive drugs earlier before involvement in prostitution behaviors have mentioned drug addiction as a considerable reason for engagement in prostitution activities. In addition, prostitution exhibited by females aged between twelve and sixteen years can be linked to influence from peer group. To align herself to the peer needs, a teenager finds herself in prostitution activities. For example, cases have been reported from institution of higher learning where students engage in prostitution with a lecturer with an overall aim of getting higher grades in their academic performance. With existence of such actions, a teenage girl may try her luck through engagement in such prostitution based activities .
Basing on the facts a female aged between twelve to sixteen years cannot make conclusive decision on the impact of prostitution in their life, they usually fall as the victims of the action itself. Though they may benefit either monetary or in other forms, their actions may be regrettable in later days of their future. Unlike prostitution activities between two adults, child prostitution should be intensively shunned in the society. Prostitutes are not victims of the linked sexual action itself; nevertheless, they are usually victims of associated crimes linked with prostitution. These actions may include physical assault, sexual assault and drug abuse.
According to Ivan, G, et al. (1988), various International feminist groups have collaborated to eradicate child prostitution in the society on the basis that prostitution is a manifestation of patriarchal-enforced functions of respective gender. This clearly manifests itself where the social position of a woman is essentially one of subservience to the opposite gender. In addition, the work associated with women is often linked to the domestic servicing or sexual links with their men with an overall purpose to achieve a monetary and social support.
In addition majority of governments especially the government of the United States has been in front line to eradicate the existence of child prostitution. Heavy fines and even jail sentences may be accrued to any adult who is found to victimize a child through prostitution acts. In addition, various measures such as subsided government loans have been offered by the US government to boost the financial background of American youths. Through such actions, they are less likely to engage in prostitution as a mean of meeting their financial break through. Other measures include; stringent measures against development of pornographic films, fine and jail terms for parents found to be neglecting their children and provision of counseling centers to mention but a few .
In relation to the articles, Prostitution is one of the social practices or profession which has been in existence in social set up since time immemorial. A Prostitute can be either male or female. It may also encompass a transgender issue as well as encompassing heterosexual or homosexual doings. In conclusion, though prostitution exist in a number of modern societies in the world, the extent at which it is applied can be termed either abusive or as a crime. For example, engagement into prostitution action with a person who as not acquired the age of majority.
References
James,J & Meyerding,J (1977). Early sexual experience and prostitution. American Journal
of Psychiatry ; 134:1381-1385
