Prostitution is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment, commodifying sex as a good or service. The legality of prostitution often falls into a grey area. While some countries declare prostitution legal, related activities such as public soliciting, operating brothels, and pimping are frequently prohibited.
Similar to the legal perspective, feminism has long debated its stance on prostitution. This discussion can generally be divided into two contrasting views.
First, there are anti-prostitution feminists who argue that prostitution exploits women and perpetuates male dominance over them, actively contributing to the maintenance of a patriarchal societal order. They assert that prostitution reinforces the notion of women as objects, specifically sex objects, to be used by men. As John Berger observed in his book Ways of Seeing, “Men ‘act’ and women ‘appear.’ Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.”
On the other hand, pro-prostitution feminists advocate for recognizing sex work as an act of free will, chosen by individuals, regardless of gender. They emphasize the importance of distinguishing between prostitution and forced prostitution. Proponents of this view argue that feminists should focus on condemning abuses perpetrated by both the sex industry and the legal systems that harm sex workers.
As someone who opposes the legalization of prostitution, my primary argument centres on the issue of consent. Proponents of consensual sex work often overlook the structural and systemic factors that drive individuals into prostitution, such as coercion by pimps, human trafficking, poverty, substance abuse, and mental health challenges. If a man has to pay a woman to have sex with him, the act cannot genuinely be considered consensual because his superior financial power effectively coerces her into sex. An act of sex can only be consensual if it falls under these conditions:
1. The individual must have effective access to alternative options
2. The individual has complete and accurate knowledge of all relevant information
3. The chooser is assured that the decision does not result in harm to themselves or others.
Prostitution, driven by systemic inequalities and exploitation, fails to meet these criteria.
Research highlights the exploitative nature of prostitution. According to Migration Yorkshire, over half of the 30,000 women involved in off-street prostitution in England and Wales are migrants, with 2,600 trafficked into the industry. Additionally, the UK Parliament reported that seventy-four percent of women in prostitution cite poverty, the need to pay household expenses, and the necessity of supporting their children as primary motivators for entering and remaining in prostitution. These findings demonstrate that adverse conditions, rather than free will, drive many individuals into sex work, making true consent impossible.
Immanuel Kant provides a compelling critique of prostitution, stating, “To allow one’s person for profit to be used by another for the satisfaction of sexual desire, to make of oneself an Object of demand, is to dispose over oneself as over a thing and to make of oneself a thing on which another satisfies his appetite, just as he satisfies his hunger upon a steak.” Immanuel Kant argues that allowing oneself to be used for profit as an object of sexual desire reduces a person to a mere commodity, ignoring their humanity. He viewed prostitution as akin to treating individuals as animals, satisfying appetites without regard for their personhood.
Kant’s argument can also be used to reinforce the claim that prostitution is a form of male dominance over women. In many cases, women engaged in prostitution do not derive pleasure from the sexual acts themselves. Instead, they are placed in a subordinate position, reduced to mere instruments of sexual gratification for their clients. This dynamic underscores the power imbalance inherent in prostitution. Many feminists argue that men often use sex workers to assert authority and power, exercising control over them during sexual activity. Catherine MacKinnon aptly characterizes prostitution as not just sex but “You do what I say” sex, emphasizing the coercive nature of the exchange.
Feminists further assert that prostitution is harmful as it perpetuates the notion that women are sex objects whose purpose is to fulfil men’s desires. It reinforces the dangerous idea that women can be bought and used solely for male satisfaction, further entrenching patriarchal values.
These claims are supported by data, showing the violence and exploitation that often accompany prostitution. Statistics from the UK Parliament revealed that seven out of ten women involved in prostitution have experienced violence from their clients. This underscores how prostitution provides a platform for men to exercise power and autonomy over women, often leading to physical and emotional harm.
Additionally, prostitution has profound negative effects on mental health, both psychologically and emotionally. Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation estimates that the prevalence of major depressive disorder among sex workers ranges between 24% and 61.5%, illustrating the significant mental health challenges faced by individuals in this field. Furthermore, sex workers experience higher rates of PTSD symptoms than combat veterans, with nearly a third affected.
Dissociation is also commonly reported among prostituted individuals. This mental process, often triggered by uncontrollable traumatic events, involves a person disconnecting from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of identity. Dissociation is a protective mechanism, but its prevalence among sex workers highlights the severe psychological toll of their experiences.
These findings emphasize that prostitution is not merely a transactional exchange, but a system rooted in exploitation and harm, perpetuating gender inequalities and undermining the dignity and autonomy of those involved.
Reference List:
https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/prostitution/
http://susan.sered.name/blog/prostitution-decriminalization-and-the-problem-of-consent/
https://philosophynow.org/issues/21/The_discarded_Lemon_Kant_prostitution_and_respect_for_persons
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/dissociative-disorders
