NCJ Number
56477
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MAJOR CHANGES IN THE CHARACTER OF PROSTITUTION AND ITS MARKETING FORM IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICA ARE EXAMINED, ALONG WITH THE GENERAL MOTIVATION FOR BECOMING A PROSTITUTE.
Abstract
CONTEMPORARY PROSTITUTES ARE LESS DEPENDENT ON PIMPS, MADAMS, AND BROTHELS THAN THEIR PREDECESSORS IN THE 1930S, NOT ONLY BECAUSE WOMEN ARE MORE INDEPENDENT IN GENERAL, BUT BECAUSE MOST OF THEM HAVE DEVELOPED OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN THE LARGER SOCIETY. THE RANKS OF MODERN PROSTITUTES INCLUDE EX-MODELS, JOBLESS ACTRESSES, AND BORED HOUSEWIVES, WHO ADD UPWARD OF $60 PER CONTACT TO THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET. ASIDE FROM THEIR COMMON ACTIVITY, THERE IS LITTLE THAT DISTINGUISHES THESE WOMEN AS A GROUP. THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY INDEPENDENT OPERATORS UNSUPPORTED BY A SOCIAL STRUCTURE WITHIN WHICH THEY CAN OR WOULD WISH TO ADVANCE. FOR MANY, THERE IS STILL LONLINESS, ISOLATION, AND THE NEED FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, WHICH MAY LEAD THEM TO SEEK OUT SOMEONE WHO WILL PLAY THE ROLE OF A PIMP. IN ANALYZING MOTIVATIONS FOR BECOMING A PROSTITUTE, IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO CONCEPTUALIZE PROSTITUTION AS PATHOLOGICAL AND SEARCH FOR ITS ETIOLOGY OR TO EMPHASIZE ITS ANTISOCIAL ASPECT AND ATTEMPT TO UNCOVER ITS CRIMINAL ROOTS. PSYCHOANALYSTS HAVE CONTENDED THAT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSE MECHANISM OF ISOLATION WHICH SEPARATES TENDER FROM SENSUAL FEELINGS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR BOTH PROSTITUTE AND HER CLIENT. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO 'CANNOT DESIRE WHERE THEY LOVE, AND THEY CANNOT LOVE WHERE THEY DESIRE.' FOR THEM, PROSTITUTION PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN STABILIZING THEIR LIFE, BECAUSE IT PERMITS THEM TO ISOLATE THIS OBJECTIONABLE SENSUALITY FROM EITHER THEIR MARITAL RELATIONSHIP OR ANY OTHER IMPORTANT INTERPERSONAL TRANSACTIONS. APART FROM PSYCHOSOCIAL ANALYSES, ECONOMIC INTERPRETATIONS CONTEND THAT FOR WOMEN WHOSE PSYCHE PERMITS, PROSTITUTION IS AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE ROUTE TO POWER AND MATERIAL REWARDS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE USE OF OTHER SKILLS. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. (RCB)