FACTS:
There are 40 million prostitutes in the world. To help people understand exactly how many that is, the author, Dye, states that the total number of prostitutes in the world exceed the entire population of Canada (which is 33 million people) as well as the entire population of Australia (which is 21 million).
In the United States, approximately 500,000 women work as prostitutes a year.
As of 2012, prostitution was completely legal in 22 countries. Some of those countries include: Austria, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico, Australia, and Columbia. The United States has banned prostitution is all areas of our country with the exception of a few counties in Nevada. That isn't to say that it doesn't occur in other places here, it just isn't legal in those places.
204 out of every 100,000 prostitutes are murdered in a years time, making it one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
In the United States, approximately 500,000 women work as prostitutes a year.
As of 2012, prostitution was completely legal in 22 countries. Some of those countries include: Austria, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico, Australia, and Columbia. The United States has banned prostitution is all areas of our country with the exception of a few counties in Nevada. That isn't to say that it doesn't occur in other places here, it just isn't legal in those places.
204 out of every 100,000 prostitutes are murdered in a years time, making it one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
GENDER:
80,000 Americans are arrested during a year for prostitution. While it is more common to see females provide sexual services to males, males do in fact provide sexual services as well. Out of those 80,000 that are arrested, 70% make up the women who are providing the service, 20% make up the males who are providing the service, and 10% make up the customers or people who are paying for the service.
1 out of 10 males in the world have at some point hired a female prostitute. Men between the ages of 35 and 44 are the ones who are most commonly hire prostitutes.
The laws of prostitution are more strictly enforced against the women who provide the service compared to the men who receive the service.
RACE:
The article by Linkon titled, "Bad Girls: Social Class, Gender, Race, and the World's Oldest Profession," informs the reader that the majority of prostitutes tend to be white. However, she also states that even though the majority of prostitutes are Caucasian, African American prostitutes tend to be the ones who get arrested more. That was in 2009. As of 2013, the Uniform Crime Report shows that now 54% of Prostitutes arrested are Caucasian, 41% are African American, and then the remaining 5% was made up of other racial groups.
SOCIAL CLASS:
Social class is a good indicator of whether or not people will turn to prostitution. According to Linkon, the majority of women only turn to prostitution due to their poor financial situations. About 90% of those who are arrested for prostitution are in the lower social class. Factors that stem from being in the lower social class that lead to prostitution are unemployment, lack of educational opportunities, and even the lack of transportation (Linkon 2009).
REASONS FOR PROSTITUTION
There are many reasons why people go into prostitution. Some possible reasons are:
1) Being physically abused as a child- In one study that was done, 87 prostitutes were interviewed. Out of those 87, it was found that 60% of them had been physically abused as a child.
2) Being sexually abused as a child- the article mentions that childhood sexual abuse causes people to change how they see the world. It also causes them to change how they see themselves. It typically leads to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. According to Berg and Kramer, childhood sexual abuse increases the likelihood of re-victimization in adulthood which leads to becoming involved in sex jobs. The study showed that those who had been sexually abused as a child were significantly more likely to become involved in prostitution.
3) Being involved in drugs- Out of the 87 prostitutes that were interviewed in the study, 67% percent of them said they grew up in a home where at least one of their parents used drugs or alcohol. 5% of them said that they had been given illegal drugs, 23% percent said they had been given alcohol, and 16% said they had been given both all before the age of 11. Due to starting drug use at a younger age, they become addicted. In order to support their addictions, they have to make money. So sometimes prostitution was an easy way to do that. In some situations, the customers have been known to just give the prostitute the actual drugs in exchange for sex.
4) Prostitution isn't always a choice though. Sometimes people go into prostitution due to being forced.
1) Being physically abused as a child- In one study that was done, 87 prostitutes were interviewed. Out of those 87, it was found that 60% of them had been physically abused as a child.
2) Being sexually abused as a child- the article mentions that childhood sexual abuse causes people to change how they see the world. It also causes them to change how they see themselves. It typically leads to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. According to Berg and Kramer, childhood sexual abuse increases the likelihood of re-victimization in adulthood which leads to becoming involved in sex jobs. The study showed that those who had been sexually abused as a child were significantly more likely to become involved in prostitution.
3) Being involved in drugs- Out of the 87 prostitutes that were interviewed in the study, 67% percent of them said they grew up in a home where at least one of their parents used drugs or alcohol. 5% of them said that they had been given illegal drugs, 23% percent said they had been given alcohol, and 16% said they had been given both all before the age of 11. Due to starting drug use at a younger age, they become addicted. In order to support their addictions, they have to make money. So sometimes prostitution was an easy way to do that. In some situations, the customers have been known to just give the prostitute the actual drugs in exchange for sex.
4) Prostitution isn't always a choice though. Sometimes people go into prostitution due to being forced.