Literature Review
Prostitution is one of the oldest professions known to mankind. In the last decade, studies have been carried out to try and understand why people engage in this behavior which abuses the moral fiber of society. From a sociological point of view, prostitution is socially deviant and morally repugnant behavior. Traditionally, prostitution has been known as a “female profession” paying little attention to the presence of male prostitutes in society. In addition, researchers have failed to agree on the reasons why people especially young males engage in prostitution compared to their older counterparts.
Prostitution, age, and marriage status
According to Carpenter (1998), the need to buy sex is driven by the fact that most of the prostitutes’ clients have the conviction that they cannot have access to sex in any other form which is socially acceptable other than using money or material things with monetary value. In addition, clients feel in control when they buy sex compared to when they get it from their wives. Although few married men engage in buying sex, those who buy it as stated by one of the prostitutes are that men love their wives as well as children but engage in prostitution to get something extra (Carpenter, 1998).
Clients on the other hand have acknowledged that their underlying motive is based on a natural drive to have sex. As a result, they occasionally go and acquire sex from prostitutes to fulfill that urge. Other reasons why either married or unmarried men may engage in prostitution is because they are either lonely, ugly, incarcerated, or sexually incapacitated and prostitutes are the only people who understand them hence the drive to have sex with a prostitute. However, the shocking news is that married men who buy sex and visit brothels enjoy the company of prostitutes more than their wives (Carpenter, 1998). According to Perkins (1999), married men seek sex because there were either being rejected, denied their conjugal rights or they enjoy being in the company of sex workers.
Plumridge, Chetwynd and Reed (1997), note that there is a relationship that exists between the interaction of a client and a commercial sex worker. In their study, they found that males who initiate sex and take control over a commercial sex worker thus gain the societal respect a man gets from a woman. The study that was carried out on male clients between 23 and 78 years old found that once in a while, men would save money and use it to buy sex. Out of the subjects used, only seven were married which indicates that even married men are part of the prostitution circle. However, some of the men were divorced, separated, or single.
The married men noted that after rejection from their wives, they would seek alternatives of sexual pleasure from outside which was achieved via commercial sex workers (Plumridge et al., 1997). The two preceding statements can confirm that men buy sex because prostitutes are always there for them despite the problems they are going through. Married men also noted that, unlike their wives, prostitutes would initiate sex and be in control.
This spiced what they had from their wedded wives hence the preference to buy sex. This can be supported by a study carried out by Perkins (1999) which found that married men who visited sex workers claimed that they were denied sex, their sexual partners did not offer sexual pleasure, sex workers were less complicated, or they enjoyed having sex with several sex partners.
Men who have developed an intimate relationship with a sex worker are more likely to have unprotected sex. In addition, the young generation sees nothing wrong with having unprotected sex compared to the older males. This is because the young generation is on the verge of trying to experiment with things while the older generation buys sex from a prostitute because they need something extra.
The statements can be supported by Haque and Soonthorndhada (2009) who note that married men who engage in commercial sex are less likely to engage in protected sex. This is because the intimate relationship developed with their wives is transferred to prostitutes. In their study, Haque and Soonthorndhada (2009) found that most of the people especially the young of between 20-24 years in their study had engaged in unprotected sex upon the use of alcohol. Shocking, most the participants 62.1% used condoms not to prevent themselves from STIs but prevent pregnancy and other reasons.
Prostitution is not as always smooth as it is expected in the case of a client who buys sex from a worker and gets it. The statement can be supported by Karandikar and Prospero (2010) who do not that violence is sometimes encountered in prostitution especially from pimps, clients, and police officers. In their study, they found that prostitution had harm especially when the clients sexually abused the sex workers.
In addition, the sex workers would be forced to have unprotected sex which leads to HIV, depression, suicide attempts, or substance abuse. The cruelty, rape, and sex without consent on the prostitutes are some of the examples that are associated with prostitution. Furthermore, transmitting sexually acquired diseases such as HIV as a result of not using condoms is another harm that affects both the clients and the workers.
Perkins (1999) carried out research to find the frequency and the age group that engaged in prostitution. Out of the participants, 40% were never married and were between ages 26-40 years. This age group according to the study, engaged in buying sex with the aim of buying sex and enjoying alternative modes of sex. The researcher concluded that compared to the early 90s, few married men would visit sex workers compared to currently when fewer unmarried men seek sex workers compared to the married men. The contributing factor to this change of trend has been because of greater availability of sex outside both marriage and prostitution.
The middle aged men especially the married ones engages in prostitution because middle age is regarded as the period when sexual stagnation is very high and prostitution offers them adventurous variations in terms of sexual pleasure and satisfaction. Other results revealed in the study was that men who had been married for a longer period have high likelihood of visiting a sex worker compared to newly married (Perkins, 1999). This is because they get bored of having sex from their partners. In addition, sex workers are professionals and they take them from the bondage or stress associated with marriage.
The age group between 18 and 25 has been associated with high levels of alcoholism and sex (Wegenaar, Toomey & Lenk, 2005). This group indulges in high consumption of alcohol especially when at college levels. As a result, the younger group is more likely to engage in prostitution as part of leisure, entertainment, and discovering themselves. This kind of mentality makes them engage in sexual behaviours that do not conform to the societal norms. As such, they tend to perceive prostitution as a less risky venture compared to the older male counterparts. The preceding statements can be supported by Brown (2006) who acknowledges that the youth engage in prostitution even at early age.
Farley (2003) note that alcohol consumption by the young increase their sex drive and as result, they end up engaging in prostitution or paid sex which they consider as part of entertainment. This kind of behavior is catapulted by the fact that alcohol acts as a kind of aphrodisiac. Despite the fact that the young generation sees no harm with prostitution, Brown (2006) is keen to observe that the young not knowingly end up being sexually abused, or sexually exploited. This can be supported by Haque and Soonthorndhada (2009) who adds that the young especially of age between 22-24 years engage in unprotected sex with more than one sex workers not putting into consideration associated with having sex with multiple partners.
Hirschi’s Social Bond/Social Control Theory
The theoretical framework for the study will be developed based on the adoption of theoretical concepts and theory. Hirschi’s social bond/social control theory will be adopted as it better explains how society and deviant behaviour relate from a societal and sociological perspective.
Prostitution occurs in a society which is governed by social norms, beliefs, and culture. It is also considered as social deviant behavior which is repugnant in nature. Therefore, to better understand prostitution from the societal perspective it is imperative to have a look at Hirschi’s social control theory. According to Hamilton (2000), people who have high levels of social control compared to those with low social control are less likely to engage in what the society sees as antisocial behaviour such as prostitution and other crimes.
Based on the social control theory, both self control and social control acts as pre-requisite in engaging in an act that would be considered as not morally outright. The combination of the two defines the propensity to criminality or engaging in antisocial or deviant behaviours. As expounded by Travis Hirschi on the social control theory, society plays a great role in defining the behaviour of the people in the society. In addition, most of the delinquent behaviours occur as a result of unmonitored behaviours and social control especially by the family.
Hirschi’s social bond/social control theory assumes that weak social bonds makes people engage in deviant behaviours. The theory is based on four elements/bonds as devised by Hirschi which are attachment, commitment, involvement and beliefs (Hirschi, 1969). Attachment has been defined as the level of psychological affection an individual has to the social institution such as family and schools. According to Hirschi (1969), young people who have close and strong relations with the societal institutions have high levels of social control. In reference to prostitution, people engage in it as a result of rejection or self denial which leads to low self control.
On the second bond which is commitment, Hirschi (1969) note that the social relationships that people value are more safeguarded and people cannot engage in antisocial or deviant behaviour in fear of jeopardizing the relationship. For example, people are less likely to engage in deviant activities that jeopardize their marriage bonds or employment. According to the theory, people who have commitments have less likelihood to deviate from the social norms because of the risks associated with the acts (Hirschi, 1969). For instance, individuals who are heavily committed are less likely to engage in deviant acts such as prostitution and alcoholism.
According to Edlund & Korn (2002), the levels of involvement by an individual determine the activities in which they are likely to get committed to. In most of times, engaging in the socially approved activities reduces the chances of one to engage in activities labeled as being socially deviant. This can be supported by Hirschi who note that getting involved in socially acceptable behaviours reduces the chances of engaging in antisocial acts.
Lastly, belief which is the last social bond is used to refer to the level into which an individual engages in activities that conform to the societal norms, values, and law (Hirschi, 1969). The assumption made is that if the values are high to a person then they are less likely to engage in deviant behaviour. For example, if a youth perceives prostitution to be less harmful then they are more like to engage in prostitution. The most important component of the theory is that, the social bonds coalesce to indirectly have control over the behaviour of the people. This ensures that people get committed and involved in behaviours in which they highly value and as a result, they are less likely to deviate from them.
The theory will be adopted in the design of methodology as it explores the society, deviant behaviour and why people engage in activities which have been regarded as socially or morally deviant such as prostitution.
Reference List
Brown, K. (2006). Participation and young people involved in prostitution. Child Abuse Review, 15, 294-312.
Carpenter, B. (1998). The prostitute and the client: Challenging the dualisms. Women’s Studies International Forum, 21(4), 387–399.
Edlund, L., Korn, E. (2002). A Theory of prostitution. Journal of Political Economy, 110(1), 181–214.
Farley, M. (2003). Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress. New York: Haworth Press.
Hamilton, M. (2000). Theoretical framework. Web.
Haque, M. R., & Soonthorndhada, A. (2009). Risk Perception and Condom-use among Thai Youths: Findings from Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance System Site in Thailand. J Health Popul Nutr, 27(6): 772–783.
Hirschi, T. (1969). Causes of delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Karandikar, S., & Prospero, M. (2010). From client to pimp: Male violence against female sex workers. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25(2), 257-273.
Perkins, R. (1999). How much are you, love? The customer in the Australian sex industry. Social Alternatives, 18(3), 38-47.
Plumridge, E, Chetwynd, J. & Reed, A. (1997). Control and condom in commercial Sex: Client perspective. Journal of Sociology of health and illness, 19, 2, 228-243.
Wagenaar, A. C., Toomey, T. L., &Lenk, K. M. (2005). Environmental influences on young adult drinking. Alcohol Research & Health, 28(4), 231-235.