Prostitutes are to be found throughout history, but they tend to be most visible in a number of towns famous for prostitution (e.g. Nairobi, Johannesburg, New Orleans, Buenos Aires, Shanghai, Bombay, Sydney, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, London and Paris). Prostitution has been practised in a number of labour relations, Prostitutes ...
(Show more)Prostitutes are to be found throughout history, but they tend to be most visible in a number of towns famous for prostitution (e.g. Nairobi, Johannesburg, New Orleans, Buenos Aires, Shanghai, Bombay, Sydney, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, London and Paris). Prostitution has been practised in a number of labour relations, Prostitutes have been wage workers, self-employed, slaves, bonded labourers, and as madams have run small businesses. It is one of the most important occupations in slavery today: the ILO estimated in 2008 that of the victims of trafficking 43 % were exploited sexually, 32 % as labour, and 25 % both. About half of them were minors, and child labour has been a persistent aspect of slavery.
As a prelude to a comparative IISH project, the contribution will look into the development of labour relations within prostitution worldwide and over the past four centuries. The contribution will be based on literature, and no guarantee can be given that all towns mentioned above can be treated (but a smallish collection of relevant literature has been collected). As much as feasible based on the existing literature, an attempt will be made to sketch the development of labour relations in prostitution. Among the factors considered, depending on the available literature, may figure:
a. Push and pull factors
i. Urbanization and industrialization
ii. Proletarization and pauperization
iii. Demographic transition (delayed marriages and family formation)
iv. War and development of garrison towns, naval ports and other male only sites.
v. Women’s economic emancipation: decline or growth of prostitution?
b. Changes of working conditions throughout time and place:
i. In-door; out-door soliciting
ii. Independent work or under protection of madams, pimps or escort agents?
iii. Prostitution during wartimes and near military concentrations in peace times
iv. Prostitution as casual or permanent employment: part- or full-time activity?
v. Relation to other forms of sex work (dancing, stripping, massage) or related professions (masseuse, nightclub hostess)
c. Prostitutes’ social profiles
i. Religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds
ii. Migration
iii. Employment prior or parallel to prostitution
iv. Family situation (married; unmarried; children…)
v. Age structure; temporary or life-long activity?
d. Prostitute/employer/client-relationship:
i. Conditions of compliance and towards clients, employers and/or labour intermediaries (pimps, madams, brothel keepers, escort agents, owners of massage parlours or barber shops…)
ii. Material conditions of subservience imbedded in a wider structure of gendered, economic, class or racial subservience
e. Society and prostitutes
i. (State and non-state) Persecution and violence
ii. State regulation
(Show less)