Prostitution and the illusion of career choice in poverty

¶ … Career in Prostitution

'CHOOSING' A CAREER IN PROSTITUTION

Criminality, Sex, and Work

'Choosing' a Career in Prostitution

'Choosing' a Career in Prostitution

The concept of 'career' has been defined by economists as "… the means through which human capital is accrued through experience and education" (Murphy and Venkatesh, 2006, p. 132). Sociologists on the other hand, propose that the definition of 'career' also includes nurturing a positive social role. Mainstream America would probably define 'career' using both these concepts, in addition to others. For example, most Americans would probably include a significant degree of choice and commitment to a specific type of occupation.

While most Americans would probably not imagine crime as a possible career choice, many of the same core concepts of 'career' seem to be present when speaking of drug dealers, thieves, and prostitutes, as they are depicted in the HBO television series The Wire (Simon, 2002-2008). On the other hand, the concept of 'choosing' a career in crime seems ludicrous when most residents of impoverished neighborhoods are simply trying to survive by any means possible.

This essay will discuss the primary elements of a career, including education, training, positive social contribution, commitment, and choice, as they may apply to the sex worker industry. I argue that regardless of how a sex worker may perceive their profession, the dominant social and psychological forces that arise from poverty, or its threat, precludes defining prostitution as a career.

Prostitution as a Career Choice

When imaging a typical American high school or college student debating their career choices, rarely does coercion enter the picture. Parents may play a decisive, if not coercive role, but the actual choice is still viewed as a personal decision by the student. Poverty could motivate inner city students to succeed academically and thus escape their parents fate, but for many the path out of poverty lies elsewhere.

The immediate threat of poverty will impel many students and young adults from poorer neighborhoods to turn to crime for relief. Interestingly, the social network of the 'student' still plays an influential role. The women who enter the sex trade do so primarily as a result of suggestions by someone they are close to, whether boyfriend, husband, family member, or friend (Murphy and Venkatesh, 2006, p. 134). The primary motivations for following through with this advice are financial and improved stability and security.

The other career elements, such as education, training, positive social contribution, and commitment, seems absent from the survivalist reasoning behind becoming a sex worker. Most prostitutes working the streets do so with an attitude that their activities are a stopgap measure until they can find something better (Murphy and Venkatesh, 2006, p. 131). Exotic dancers, despite being able to exploit male fantasies for monetary gain, still feel the psychological pain of having to suppress their real feelings and personality to maintain the illusion for hours at a time (Egan, 2003). In The Wire (2003), season two, episode nine, an overseas sex trafficking operation triggers a police sting operation because a shipping container is found filled with dead women supposedly destined to staff a Baltimore brothel. It seems unlikely that they would have chosen this destiny if they had been informed of the risk.

Harsh Reality

The reality of social position of sex workers in society though, did not change when they moved indoors, arrived in the U.S., or through the loyalty of a regular customer in an exotic dance club. The long-term career options of indoor prostitutes are limited and legal barriers prevent them from obtaining health insurance, bank accounts, and retirement plans (Murphy and Venkatesh, 2006, p. 146). Although their exposure to violence and arrest appears to be diminished, it still far exceeds that of people working in legitimate jobs. At the end of episode nine, season two of The Wire (2003) one of the handlers remarks after hearing about the arrests of the prostitutes that 'there are always more children' where these came from. Exotic dancers may convince themselves that they control their regular customers, in order to survive psychologically, but the money the regular customer provides chains them to their occupation as well (Egan, 2003, p. 114).

Summary

If the definition of 'career' depends on the inclusion of education or training, positive social contribution, commitment, and choice, prostitution as an occupation for women trapped in poverty would have to be excluded. Despite improved working conditions, promises of a bright future in a free country, or engaging in self-delusions of success and fulfillment, most would probably admit this is not the future they had envisioned when still a child, or still envision. The grip of poverty remains, if only loosened temporarily. This same appears to be true of other victimless crimes, including drug dealing (Bourgois, 2003, p. 97-98).