Blog 2: The Dangers for Women in the Sex Industry

The subject of woman in the sex industry has always been a taboo. Whether they are forced or desperate, women are put in danger everyday by entering the world of sex industry. Sex workers are women at work — supporting children as single parents, trying to save money to go to school, surviving economically in a job market that underpays women at every economic level. As their acts are illegal, not regulated and not protected, they usually do not report the incidents they face and the culprits know that. The fact that they don’t puts the workers in even more danger. The victims of this vicious cycle have fallen in a series of traps set up by predators. Sex trafficking and prostitution are the two of the many problematics in the sex industry.

By definition, according to womenshealth.gov, human trafficking is a form of slavery. It happens when a person is forced or tricked into working in dangerous and illegal conditions or having sexual contact with others against their will. The victims are usually drugged, locked up, beaten, starved, or made to work for many hours a day. This form of modern day slavery generates an estimated $150 billion in annual profits. There are an estimated 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally. Of those, 4.5 million are trapped and forced into sexual exploitation. This treatment takes an emotional and physical toll on the body. It also strips away all the woman’s basic human rights. We’ve seen many ruses, including children and hysteric teens, that have been used to lure and trap young victims. These tricks have been passed around the internet by influencers and Once taken away, victims do not see their families for years at times and go though severe physical trauma. It is extremely hard for victims to re-adapt to a normal routine when rescued.

Prostitution has become a gateway for human trafficking. Prostitution is the the practice of engaging in relatively indiscriminate sexual activity, in exchange for immediate payment in money or other valuables. Prostitution generates an estimated annual revenue of over $100 billion worldwide. It is a game changing factor in today’s economy. Many people have seen sex work as a business venture. In some states in the United States of America, brothels have been legalized to make prostitution safer. Multiple countries have adopted the practice of a “red light district” in order to profit from the sex trade. A red light district is a designated part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses are found. Countries were pushed to create such spaces in light of research that has shown that many women have been killed and attacked by clients or their pimps. Many have been severely abused and raped but do not go report it in fear of getting arrested. Prostitution is now seen as an easy way to make money but it comes with a dangerous lifestyle. Moreover, girls are being tricked by pimps pretending to be their boyfriends. The predators first single out girls with low self esteem, then they spoil them and make them feel wanted. After they get attached to their “boyfriend”, he quickly removes his makes and puts in place his ruse to make her work for him under the pretext of “love”. There is a show on TVA called Fugueuse, which dives into the subject of prostitution and drug abuse.

Here’s a short documentary that explains risk of prostitution and the legalization of brothels: https://youtu.be/LRQqN0qPEus

Bibliography:

• https://www.britannica.com/topic/prostitution
• http://www.havocscope.com/prostitution-statistics/
• https://www.womenshealth.gov/relationships-and-safety/other-types/human-trafficking
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-light_district
• https://traffickingfund.charity.org/?gclid=CjwKCAiAj-_xBRBjEiwAmRbqYlH4Svl20KAFxl0ZIFmmsT7Y_uAYEWB53qv7PN5T_EebwP8hJhRIDRoCAc8QAvD_BwE#.XjxQ2xNKhQI