The Prostitution Industry

16 Pages 4072 Words

INTRODUCTION

A prostitute is defined by the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary as “a person who offers herself / himself for sexual intercourse for money.” Legally, Prostitution is the sale of sexual services. The services may consist of any sexual acts, including those which do not involve copulation. While payment may be any nonsexual consideration, most commonly it is in the form of money.

In what seems to be a world historical pattern, an upsurge in prostitution followed the effects of urbanization and wage labor. In Africa and Latin America this trend was heightened by industrial development, which greatly accelerated extensive displacement of people from traditional kinship ties. Women often supplemented their low wages with occasional prostitution, or, in the absence of employment, turned to prostitution as full-time work.

Although a persistent phenomenon throughout human history, it remains difficult to view prostitution in an objective light as various cultures have alternately tried to ban it on religious or moralistic grounds, or stigmatize it under a “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” sort of veneer which was a barely-tolerated but necessary evil of society. It is interesting to note that despite an increasingly secularized attitude towards sexual relationships, as seen in society’s increasing tolerance of homosexuality or pre-marital sex, prostitution retains much of its social stigma.

TYPES OF PROSTITUTION

Street prostitution is the most common form of prostitution. It occurs when the prostitute solicits customers while waiting at street corners or walking alongside a street usually dressed in skimpy, suggestive clothing. This can be seen on Koinage Street in Nairobi.

A variation of this is where prostitution is more open and solicitation is done at bars. Examples of this in Kenya can be seen at Florida 2000, Modern Green on Latema Road and Sabina Joy Bar and restaurant.

Brothels are establi...