Major Causes of Prostitution Explained

1.05.2013 | By: Alex F.

One of the causes of prostitution is poverty. But not everything is so grim.

One of the causes of prostitution is also enjoying sex. (PhotoXpress)

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Middle-class prostitutes work in massage parlours, nightclubs and brothels. Prostitutes predominantly come from Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Poland and the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Causes of prostitution: Sexual abuse

Women who were sexually abused in their childhood, and women whose mothers played the role of a sexual object, are very likely to decide to become prostitutes. Traumatic experiences where other people have the power over their bodies taught them to separate emotions from the body and this is one of the most predominant causes of prostitution. This way of perceiving the body helped them survive. Some prostitutes even say that sex with a client doesn’t affect them at all.

Causes of prostitution: Economic reasons

Some authors claim that women become prostitutes solely for economic reasons. They are forced into prostitution by the labour market, as they have no other option. However, other authors give, along side economic reasons, other possible causes of prostitution, such as pleasure (which also has a financial side).

Causes of prostitution: Pleasure

Another of the causes of prostitution was discovered by Popov. In his research, Popov came across prostitutes who enjoyed sex and this job was a logical consequence for them, but he found that there weren’t many such prostitutes. Another author, Kanduč, has found that the work of a prostitute offers women an exciting life, a certain type of independence in doing this “job”, interesting interpersonal relations, meeting different people and a number of other experiences of which the “traditional” women are deprived. This was also confirmed by one of the prostitutes: “In my line of business I don’t have a prepared schedule according to which I have to work. I start working whenever I want. I stop whenever I want. I don’t have a boss who would constantly keep an eye on me. I’m independent”.

Causes of prostitution: Isn't it all about escaping poverty?

It’s true that women largely decide to become prostitutes for economic reasons, but they almost never take such a decision because of “real” poverty. They pursue this activity simply because they want to have a better income.

This means that some women already have a job and work as prostitutes to earn an additional income. Most of them see it as a transitional work, an opportunity to increase their income, and then they want to return to a “normal” society as soon as possible.

Such women don’t consider themselves prostitutes because they believe that they’ll have this job only for a short time. They believe that they haven’t got into prostitution so deeply that they wouldn’t be able to dig themselves out and enter the world of average people, as Rebeka says: “Although I have sex for money, I’m not a whore. I also have my pride.”

Causes of prostitution: Removing these causes?

It turns out that there’s a long way out of prostitution. And quite a lot of prostitutes don’t improve their lifestyle despite a high income, which could theoretically negate almost all causes of prostitution. Instead, they end up lower on the ladder than where they started. They don’t accumulate money, but they spend it on acquiring high-status consumer goods. Some sort of compensation. When they leave prostitution, they don’t have more money because of it. Rebeka says: ...“After you finish work, there’s a party and drinking./.../That’s how I spent most my money that I earned. And there was quite a lot of it.”

Causes of prostitution: Accessibility

“Bar prostitution” is booming and doesn’t have such fluctuations as massage parlours. Work is performed by “hired work force” called “masseuses”, “dancers”, “artists”, etc., since their job is to dance (striptease) and, according to owners, they’re strictly prohibited to work as prostitutes. However, in agreement with a client, they still offer complete sexual services.

But even with all the causes of prostitution uncovered, there will always be those that will deny the positive sides of prostitution and those that will deny the negative sides of prostitution. But everyone can agree that without the "slave trade" part of organized crime prostitution rings, life would be better for everyone involved.