Morality, Gender and Society Cross cutting issues when discussing prostitution/pornography (also abortion) Morality/views on sexuality Gender structure of society The market – including organised crime The relationship of policies to regulate issues of sexual morality to other political and policy objectives

Moral Stand points There can be a range of views on an issue or opinion can coalesce around a defined view Abortion is wrong in all circumstances or it is a necessary part of a women’s rights. All sex outside of marriage is wrong, prostitution is a legitimate choice and sexual activity Policy can view issue as a continuum (distinguishing acceptable levels) or it can ban an activity

Gender structure of society Prostitution and Porn – Exercise of power – this is primarily an exercise of male power given the current social structures Objectifies and degrades subject Frequently linked to violence and torture Established link military and conflict Abortion A ban on abortion negates the rights of individual women and ignores their welfare. This is only possible in a society were the status of women is contingent on social conditions and different to that of men

Morality and the market The ‘sex industry’ is profitable which is why organised crime is so involved – but selling ‘sex’ is also profitable for legitimate business. Two issues Market in ‘sex’ and ‘abortion’ makes deepens existing inequalities The ‘sex industry’ is becoming more normalised and part of the main stream market

Market in ‘sex’ and ‘abortion’ makes deepens existing inequalities Prostitution/Porn workers in sex industry are overwhelmingly from marginalised groups Sex tourism and trafficking for sexual exploitation are part of international trade and the international division of labour Abortion Large numbers dead or injured from illegal/non medical abortions are poor and marginalised primarily in developing state Criminalisation of abortion an assertion of influence by more economically powerful groups

The ‘sex industry’, normalising and part of the main stream market? Society divided between a ‘respectable’ core and a sub culture fringe Sub culture fringe – place were ‘sex industry’, prostitution, porn, sexual perversion and organised crime interface with society Sex Industry contained so it does not threaten core structures of society

Has the inter face blurred and become more permeable? Importation of language and protagonists into main stream culture and arts More pronounce use of sex in ads Public displays of soft porn in no adult environments Explicit sex and soliciting on TV Public engagement in groups sex acts and displays Sexualisation of childhood and toys

Polanyi and the double movement Writing about the industrial revolution on England and its social impact Argued that social fabric was destroyed by the rise of the market and the commodification of society – especially of labour Social relations and safety nets weakened – sudden mass urbanisation, appalling working conditions, mass malnutrition and starvation Society reasserted itself to protect itself from the market – social reforms of the late 19 th - early 20 th century Factory acts, trade union Public housing, health and education

Neo liberalism and the unrestricted market Neo liberalism promotes both and unrestricted market and individualism Has this led to the ‘break down’ of some social barriers as ‘legitimate enterprises’ seek to sell sex Sex is commodified, packaged and reaches out to a wider audience – women and gay men ‘Ideas’ from sub culture become ‘normalised’ and part of main stream thinking – questions of personal choice [Also applies to Assassins!!!]

Policies on ‘sexual morality’ and other political and policy objectives The issue of Trafficking Is current discourse more about illegal immigration that controlling prostitution? UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime - Palermo Protocol 2003 – designed to assist cross border police co-operation Focus is on trafficking as movement across borders not primarily ‘sex industry’

Distinction between forced and voluntary trafficked individuals PROJECT ACUMEN – research on trafficking for prostitution in England and Wales – off street prostitution 6,000 businesses and 30,000 women involved in prostitution. 17,000 are migrants

9,000 are considered to be vulnerable. Although they have elements of vulnerability to trafficking, most are likely to fall short of the trafficking threshold. There may be cultural or financial factors which prevent them from exiting prostitution (or seeking help to do so) but they tend to have day to day control over their activities, and although they may have large debts they generally do not consider themselves to be debt-bonded. The majority of women in this category are from Eastern Europe (4,100), followed by those from China and South East Asia (3,700). The remaining women are from South America and Africa.

2,600 are trafficked. These are highly vulnerable people. Although most are not subject to violence themselves, many are debt- bonded and strictly controlled through threats of violence to family members. 1,300 of these women are from China, and most of the rest are from South East Asia (primarily Thailand) and Eastern Europe.

5,500 do not meet the ‘trafficked’ or ‘vulnerable’ thresholds. These women were aware before leaving their home country that they would likely become involved in prostitution, live and work largely independently of third party influence, keep a significant proportion of the money they earn and are not subject to debt-bondage or threats of violence. 85 per cent of migrants in this category are from Eastern Europe, and there are relatively few barriers preventing them from existing prostitution and returning to their countries of origin.