Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon1 The World of Commercial Sex: A Disneyland for Adults? Chapter 19 This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 2 The World of Commercial Sex Prostitution  Sex on the Run Pornography and Obscenity

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 3 Prostitution  Sex on the Run Prostitution Sale of sex for money Illegal in the US A few Nevada counties have legalized prostitution, but only the use of state-licensed brothels is legal Most prostitutes are female, and most clients are male Prostitution dates to ancient times and was very common in medieval Europe and in the U.S. during the 19th century.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 4 Prostitution  Sex on the Run Incidence of Prostitution in the United States Today It is still quite common, but incidence has dropped Types of Female Prostitutes Streetwalkers: prostitutes who solicit on the streets; at risk of abuse by customers and pimps Most common type of prostitution Are the bottom rung of the hierarchy of prostitutes Tend to have history of poverty and of being abused Most at risk for arrest Drugs and disease are a way of life

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 5 Prostitution  Sex on the Run Brothel prostitution Occupy a middle status in the hierarchy of prostitutes Live in the brothel, but split their profits with management Some may be there against their will. The massage parlor Many serve as fronts for prostitution Often found in malls in middle-class suburbs Masturbation and oral sex are the most common services Strip clubs Often limited to dances only Extra services may be bought for tips in the VIP rooms

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 6 Prostitution – Sex on the Run Escort services Many prostitutes who are escorts come from middle-class backgrounds and are well educated. Some provide escort services only, but most are fronts for prostitution Call girls Have the highest status and make the most money Overlap with escorts Most attractive and well-educated prostitutes Usually work on their own

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 7 Prostitution  Sex on the Run Getting into “The Life” Poverty, sexual and/or physical abuse, and family dysfunction are common in the backgrounds of most prostitutes. Some enter because they have learned that sex can gain them attention or love from adults. The major motive is money.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 8 Prostitution  Sex on the Run “Johns”  The Customers of Female Prostitutes Men who hire prostitutes represent all socioeconomic and ethnic groups. “Occasional johns” versus “habitual johns” “Compulsive johns” Try to fulfill psychological or sexual need Some suffer from a whore-Madonna complex. Women are either sinners or saints. Enjoy sex only with prostitutes or only ask prostitutes to engage in certain acts View marital sex as an obligation

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 9 Prostitution  Sex on the Run Motives for using prostitutes Sex without negotiation Sex without commitment Sex for eroticism and variety Prostitution as a social outlet Sex away from home Problematical sex

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 10 Prostitution  Sex on the Run Male Prostitution Gigolos, male prostitutes who service female clients, are rare. Hustlers Men who engage in prostitution with male customers Customers of hustlers are called scores Are generally young and have little education Many come from families with a history of alcoholism or physical or sexual abuse May be gay, bisexual, or heterosexual Money is the main motive for male prostitution.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 11 Prostitution – Sex on the Run Kinds of male sex workers Strippers Kept boys Call boys Punks Drag prostitutes Brothel prostitutes Bar hustlers/street hustlers

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 12 Prostitution  Sex on the Run HIV/AIDS and Prostitution The risk of HIV/AIDS is linked to both female and male prostitution. In countries where HIV is spread mainly by male-female sexual intercourse, sex with prostitutes is a main method of transmission. Prostitutes often do not use condoms. Many prostitutes and their clients inject drugs and share contaminated needles.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 13 Prostitution – Sex on the Run Should prostitution be legalized? Countries in which prostitution is legalized and regulated have low rates of STIs Turns sex workers into taxpayers Provides a safer venue for prostitution Degrading to women and family values Still may not be a free decision Sex trafficking

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 14 Pornography and Obscenity What Is Pornographic? Pornography Sexually explicit material produced to elicit or enhance sexual arousal Is popular and controversial Some are opposed due to moral issues. Feminists are opposed due to its portrayal of women.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 15 Pornography and Obscenity Prurient Tending to excite lust; lewd Determining what constitutes pornography is very subjective. Pornography may be hard-core (X-rated) or soft-core (R- rated). Obscenity Offends people’s feelings or goes beyond prevailing standards of decency or modesty Usually laws are written about obscenity rather than pornography. Snuff film

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 16 Pornography and Obscenity Pornography and the Law The Comstock Act (1873) Antiobscenity bill that also outlawed the dissemination of birth control information Roth v. United States (1957) Portrayal of sexual activity was protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution Miller v. California (1973) Another obscenity case that acknowledged the definition of obscene varies with “community standards”

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 17 Pornography and Obscenity Pope v. Illinois (1987) Another obscenity case that attempted to define what is obscene Hinges on whether a reasonable person would find literary, artistic, political, or scientific value in the material Stanley v. Georgia (1969) Possessing obscene material in one’s home is not a criminal act. Child pornography is a different matter, however.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 18 Pornography and Obscenity Prevalence and Use of Erotica and Pornography Males are more likely to view pornography About 1 man in 4 and 1 woman in 10 had rented an X-rated movie or video within the past year. Sex differences in response to pornography Both men and women can become physiologically aroused by pornography. However, they may not share the same subjective response to it. Women prefer romantic scenes to explicit ones

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 19 Pornography and Obscenity Cybersex Addiction 1/3 of internet visits are to sexually oriented sites Some men spend hours online viewing and masturbating to pornographic images Some engage in online sex through chat or webcam May be as addictive as drugs Tolerance can develop Some addicts have opportunities for sex available to them, but cannot draw themselves from the online opportunities

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 20 Pornography and Obscenity Pornography and Sexual Coercion The Commission on Obscenity and Pornography In 1970 concluded that there was no evidence that pornography led to crimes of violence or sexual offenses The Meese Commission Report In 1985 claimed to find a causal link between sexual violence and exposure to violent pornography Found no evidence linking exposure to nonviolent, nondegrading pornography and sexual violence Critics contend that they failed to distinguish between the effects of sexually explicit material and the effects of violent material.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 21 Pornography and Obscenity Pornography and sex offenders Research found little or no difference in the level of exposure to pornography between incarcerated sex offenders and other felons However, pornography, especially violent pornography, may stimulate sexually deviant urges in certain subgroups of sex offenders and increase sexually aggressive behavior.

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 22 Pornography and Obscenity Violent pornography According to research, men exposed to violent pornography are more likely to become aggressive against females and to show less sensitivity toward women who have been sexually assaulted. Depictions of women becoming aroused by victimization may legitimize violence against women in the viewer’s mind Violence, rather than the sexual explicitness, that may cause negative attitudes toward rape victims

Copyright 2008 Allyn & Bacon 23 Pornography and Obscenity Nonviolent pornography Males and females who received extended exposure to pornography Gave more lenient punishments to a rapist Males’ attitudes toward women became more callous and negative Evidence exists that repeated exposure to nonviolent pornography Can loosen traditional sexual and family values Can foster dissatisfaction with the physical appearance and sexual performance of one’s intimate partner