NCJ Number
84083
Journal
Youth and Society Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: (June 1982) Pages: 471-500
Date Published
1982
Length
30 pages
Annotation
A recent study involving 200 female prostitutes in the San Francisco Bay Area revealed that entrance into prostitution was motivated by an attempt to escape extremely negative home and work conditions rather than by attraction to the lifestyle.
Abstract
The average age of the study subjects was 22. A total of 69 percent of the subjects were white, 68 percent were single, and 44 percent were Catholic. Interviewers were members of a self-help residential facility known for its successful treatment of prostitutes, criminals, and drug addicts. A lengthy questionnaire was employed to elicit information regarding subjects' backgrounds, motivation, history of sexual assault, street experience, and future plans. Findings revealed that most subjects came from homes marked by crime, violence, and substance abuse, where many were abused physically, emotionally, and sexually. Most subjects stated that they had no other options when they became prostitutes. In terms of precipitating factors, most reported having serious emotional and financial problems. The three circumstances which were identified as influencing entrance into prostitution most were deprivation, abuse, and overindulgence. A total of 60 percent of the subjects were considered easy or promiscuous as juveniles. Responses suggest that prostitutes remain with pimps not for emotional reasons, but because the pimp represents someone of power and control which the women lack. Tables and 19 references are included.