Poverty and prostitution have entwined in numerous ways. Research has demonstrated that women and girls living in impoverished conditions are often coerced and trafficked into commercial sex work, with poverty chosen as the greater evil. In addition, poverty is seen as a major factor in the increase of exploitation of individuals engaged in prostitution, as many settle for lower wages and worse living conditions due to lack of economic options. Beyond coerced prostitution and exploitation, poverty is also seen as a contributing factor in the vulnerability of individuals to trafficking, especially those of socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds.
Thus, studies suggest that commercial sex work is deeply connected to a person's economic situation, and recognizing this intrinsic connection between poverty and prostitution is key in understanding the social impact of both poverty and prostitution. Though individual motivation and choices regarding prostitution are seen as key to examining the social impact of prostitution, the underlying precursors to those choices cannot be ignored.
Economic Data
Statistical data from various countries suggest that the demand for sexual services is driven by a combination of factors beyond that of poverty. dating websites include a demand from well-off and high-income customers, prevalence of sexist and patriarchal social structures, gender-based violence, widespread impunity, and lack of social conditions for the empowerment of women and people with low income.
Across the world an estimated 4.8 million people are in modern slavery due to trafficking and forced labour, with exploitation in the form of sexual exploitation seen exclusively among those subject to severe forms of exploitation. This includes sex trafficking and prostitution with estimated victims in just 2018 being 470,000 across the globe. Of these victims, it is estimated that 76% are women and girls, with some estimates suggesting than less than 1% are recognized within anti-trafficking initiatives.
Experts Perspectives
Researchers and experts widely agree that the exploitation of individuals engaged in prostitution is driven by economic discrimination. Studies report that those in more marginalized, socio-economically and geographically disadvantaged conditions tend to be more vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation due to their greater lack of economic options. Studies also suggest that due to more economically powerful customers and a higher demand for sexual services, individuals in economically disadvantaged areas are more likely to accept lower wages and worse living conditions as a result.
Experts also suggest that even when individuals make conscious decisions to enter sex work, poverty and limited economic options can play an integral role. Without the visibility and legal recognition of commercial sex work in many countries, individuals are unable to access the economic benefits related to their labor and thus remain in an economically deprived position.
Analysis
Poverty remains of of the main drivers in the exploitation of individuals engaged in prostitution, with vulnerable individuals facing severe economic constraints. Studies support the argument that individuals living in economically and socially disadvantaged positions are more likely to accept exploitative labor conditions as a result of their constrained economic options. Furthermore, it is clear that wider economic conditions and systemic inequalities bely the key drivers of exploitation and prostitution, with experts recognizing the need to address underlying socio-economic precursors to exploitation.
Education and Engagement
From an ethical perspective, it is argued that people should not be subject to exploitation due to poverty and economic circumstances. Thus, addressing the underlying causes of exploitation is essential in order to ensure that individuals have viable economic options. This means advocating for the visibility and legality of prostitution, in order to enable individuals to have access to economic protection and representation. In addition, social protection policies are necessary to enable individuals to access economic benefits and engage in more desirable labor arrangements.
Active Voice and Emotional Triggers
By recognizing the economic motivations behind exploitation, changes to societal attitudes can help in reducing it. People must start by addressing the economic discrimination and systemic inequalities that underlie the exploitation of those engaged in prostitution. By empowering people to access economic options and regain control of their labor, exploitation can be wholly or at least partially ameliorated.
Affected individuals must not be forced to enter prostitution as the only option, since doing so perpetuates cycles of poverty, vulnerability, and exploitation. Instead, individuals must be viewed as actors that have the agency and capability to combat poverty in order to make decisions that better serve their economic and social interests.
Immediate Measures
It is also essential to prioritize a comprehensive understanding of the social and economic impact of exploitation and identify immediate opportunities to reduce such exploitation. This includes greater economic support systems to enable individuals to access wage labor and better economic opportunities. Simultaneously, law enforcement and anti-trafficking initiatives can focus on targeting exploitative practices and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
It is also necessary to raise public awareness on the social impacts of exploitation and prostitution. In particular, educating people on the factors underlying exploitation can help move society away from the traditional moralistic attitudes towards prostitution. Instead, people should be encouraged to view prostitution and exploitation as two separate entities, since engaging in one should not be confused with the other.
Government Intervention
Finally, it is imperative to recognize the role of the government in alleviating the exploitation of those engaged in prostitution. Governments should prioritize the development of laws and policies that promote gender equality and reduce economic and social discrimination. Additionally, governments should look to develop economic investments that places individuals engaged in prostitution at the forefront, in order to enable those individuals to have access to economic stability and better working conditions.
In sum, recognizing the value of individuals engaged in prostitution requires understanding the underlying factors of poverty and exploitation that perpetuate their social and economic marginalization. Only by acknowledging the role of poverty in exploitation can societies and governments begin to reduce the exploitation of those engaged in prostitution.
