Julie Bindel wrote a fascinating piece on why men use prostitutes, based on a research study that involved 700 men. They were interviewed for an international research project which aimed to uncover reasons why men buy sex.
I have been shocked by the online comments to her article, and also blog posts that have sprung up, which attack her journalism, women in general and her sexuality (as if the fact she is a lesbian has got anything to so with it!). See this one for example.
What seems to annoy the men who have commented (let’s call them Bindel’s critics) is the claim that women may be exploited. Now, there are a few women who choose to be prostitutes and are proud of it, and indeed this is unfortunately glamorised by the likes of Belle de Jour.
But, in the majority of cases, women are vulnerable and easily exploited and controlled. I have found some UK figures that that come from Home Office research or academic papers:
• Up to 70% of women in prostitution spent time in care, 45% report sexual abuse and 85% physical abuse within their families
• More than half of UK women in prostitution have been raped and/or seriously sexually assaulted. At least three-quarters have been physically assaulted
• Up to 95% of prostituted women are problematic drug users, including around 78% heroin users and rising numbers of crack cocaine addicts
• 68% of women in prostitution meet the criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the same range as victims of torture and combat veterans undergoing treatment
• 75% of women involved in prostitution began when they were under 18
• 74% of women cite poverty/the need to pay household expenses and support their children as a primary motivator for entering prostitution
Can Bindel’s critics still claim that most prostitutes want to do it?
It seems to me that all the critics want to cling on to the fact that women want it and are therefore asking for it.
One person who commented even accused Julie Bindel of ‘oppressing’ him. This is of course laughable, given that women have been oppressed since time began, but it does make me think that we might be on our way to stamping out sexism. We might just have got to the nub of it.
Julie Bindel has made some men feel uncomfortable and angry (enough to lash out, exposing their homophobia), and I don’t think it’s because of what she says.
It’s because of what she found.
The men who were interviewed in the study were found to be one of two things. Either blatant misogynists, with no regard whatsoever for the welfare of the prostitute they were using, or men who did have some feeling. Feelings of loneliness, neediness and desperation, which we can only feel sorry for.
And Bindel’s critics do not like that they are people to be pitied.
As you link to my post I would explain again my point.
ReplyDeleteBindel uses as part of her argument that the simple presence of a pimp (or a madam) is evidence of either exploitation or coercion.
I point to and quote extensively from field research into prostitution which shows that some prostitutes actively attempt to engage the services of a pimp. That those who do (in at least the study I quoted) gain higher incomes for fewer tricks than those who do not engage the services of a pimp.
In this particular instance my point is simply this: the presence of a pimp does not by itself indicate either exploitation or coercion.
The reason for this specific point being made is that Bindel has form on such points. An earlier piece of research she was involved with insisted that the presence of non-UK citizens in the sex trade was in and of itself proof of sex slavery and involuntary trafficking. When of course it is proof of absolutely no such thing. It's proof that people are willing to move countries to work in the sex trade.
As to the wider points you make above I'm afraid I'm a bit of a pragmatist. I've lived in countries where prostitution was and is legal. I've lived in others where it was and is not. Whether legal or not it's been easy enough to find for those who wish to (a number which does not include myself, no) and nowhere has managed to wipe it out through legal means. But the effects of illegality upon those who are prostitutes seems to be worse than the effects of the prostitution itself.
As I said, you are right that the presence of a pimp does not by itself indicate either exploitation or coercion. However, most prostitutes are drug users or are running away from sexual abuse (see the statistics in my post above) – which makes them highly vulnerable. The conclusion is that the likelihood of exploitation is far greater than not.
ReplyDeleteYou are also right that the presence of non-UK citizens in the sex trade is not proof of sex slavery and involuntary trafficking. But again, given the statistics above, do you seriously think that hundreds of women from overseas would voluntarily flock to the UK (four out of five women working in London brothels are believed to be foreign nationals) to subject themselves to this kind of life? (More than half of UK women in prostitution have been raped and/or seriously sexually assaulted. At least three-quarters have been physically assaulted.)
As for your third point - that the effects of illegality upon those who are prostitutes seems to be worse than the effects of the prostitution itself – maybe you haven’t heard of what’s happening in Scandinavia. Sweden, for example, has criminalised the purchase of sexual acts and prostitution has fallen 10-fold, according to an academic study. Public opinion in support of this law has increased from half to over three-quarters of the population. The study that Bindel refers to shows that men would be less likely to use prostitutes if they risked a punishment. If they got in trouble for doing it, they wouldn’t do it.
Delilah, I haven't read all the comments to Ms Bindel's piece - I did read the article and your blog - but never mind the academic papers, 103 blokes being interviewed in London, vox populi re sexual acts in Sweden: there is in men (and women!) a very basic need to mate. Plain and simple! Go to any nightclub, bar, restaurant in any city, in any country and see the mating ritual being played out. White, black, Asian. Rich or poor. Teens, thirtysomethings, mature. Why has this relevance to prostitution because in every city, generation, race there are those who simply lack the skills with which to have (hopefully!) fulfilling, loving relationships and it is those, I suspect, frequent brothels. I don't care about academic stats they will never be accurate as if the probable, real truth were known, how many marriages/relationships would come to an end? I still feel, even post the film 'Bruno' (I didn't see the film!!) that sex even in the 'Tens' is still has some taboos. Ask any layman about Economics and he'll Demand and Supply and I feel the same applies to sexworkers. But criminalising would undoubtedly reduce 'frequenters' but may drive it underground which could be worse! And also bring shame and dishonour to some ostensibly upright men - and women! - who get caught paying for sex. Serves them right you might say but remember the sad end to F1 chief Max Mosley's son - he committed suicide - when his father was exposed as consorting with prostitutes! The likes of Jordan, Katie Price, are doing women, especially feminists, few favours. She is rich, high profile, considered desirable by some men and for what is she best known for - augmented breasts! I have no solutions but I don't really believe that all sexworkers are coerced into it and they're all on drugs, supporting their multiple kids, have repeatedly been raped and are 'trafficked' into cities to 'cater' for sad blokes. I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteI think it's clear that there is a lot of exploitation in sex work, to try and deny that many (probably most) sex workers are in some sense coerced is to deny the facts. The question as I see it is: Is this coercion an inherent part of sex work, and if so how do we stop sex work, or rather is it a problem with sex work as it exists now in this country?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that there is widespread coercion in a lot of low paid and dangerous jobs, typically the kinds of jobs taken by migrant workers. But the fact that people get exploited picking cockles in Morecambe bay for instance doesn't tell us that cockle picking is inherently a bad thing, it tells us that there needs to be a far better system to ensure this industry can thrive but not at the expense of the workers.
Cockle picking doesn't involve invasion of your body and integrity, which men's buying of women's bodies does. Of course, men can choose not to harm a woman they buy, but it is his decision, and the woman lives in fear that he may be violent and abusive, emotionally and physically.
ReplyDeleteAsk yourself the following questions about prostitution:
Would you be happy to do it or let your daughter, girlfriend or sister do it?
Do you wonder why it is generally women who do it, not the other way round?
Do you notice that men are disparaging about women they buy for sex. 'Whore' is an insult that comes from men, not women.
I see. I can quite understand your concern if it is the client's decision if the worker is harmed or not. It's clearly wrong for any situation to exist where one person can harm another with impunity. I wonder in this context what you think about the protection offered by a brothel? Do you think it is possible to protect the worker if sex happens in a controlled environment with a bouncer at the door, or do you think that this would never be enough to protect the worker?
ReplyDeleteOf those I only have a sister, and I would be worried about what precautions she took to keep herself safe, but ultimately if she wants to have sex with someone I'd feel uncomfortable, but that's it.
I'm quite interested in the gender differences. The same is true in porn and the explanation is doubtless complex. I have a few ideas of partial explanations, but I'd love to hear more. The difference in expression of sexuality are interesting in general actually, there certainly are many women with a stronger libido than most men, but to find these women being represented is rare. Short answer, dont know.
It's not a relevant point because it's just about my social circle, but I hear the word whore used almost exclusively by women, likewise slut. But I agree that sex workers are treated very badly, indeed women who appear sexually active in general are. (The difference between a stud and a slut is an observation made so often it's almost not worth me saying it). This is a big problem with society's attitude (though I might suggest not just men's) to male and female sexuality. I'm very interested in what we can do to change it so that women can be expected to have the same freedoms with their bodies as men.