PROSTITUTION AND ADDICTION (FROM PROCEEDINGS OF FIRST INTERNATIONAL ACTION CONFERENCE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE, NOVEMBER 1977, V 3 - INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION)

• NCJ Number: 60031
• Author(s): M ST JAMES
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 23 pages
• Corporate Author: Do It Now Foundation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

NUMEROUS ISSUES RELATED TO DRUG ADDICTION AMONG PROSTITUTES ARE DISCUSSED INFORMALLY AND ANECDOTALLY BY A FORMER PROSTITUTE.

Abstract

ESTIMATES OF THE PROPORTIONS OF PROSTITUTES WHO ARE ALSO DRUG ADDICTS RANGE FROM 5 TO 8 PERCENT OF PROSTITUTES WORKING IN MASSAGE PARLORS TO 35 TO 90 PERCENT OF STREET PROSTITUTES, WHO COMPRISE ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL PROSTITUTE POPULATION. MOST ADDICT PROSTITUTES WERE DRUG ADDICTS BEFORE BECOMING PROSTITUTES. PROSTITUTION WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR THEM TO EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR HABITS. ADDICT AND NONADDICT PROSTITUTES FORM TWO DISTINCT GROUPS, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND IN OTHER WAYS. BOTH RACISM AND SEXISM EXIST IN THE TREATMENT OF PIMPS AND PROSTITUTES. TREATMENT BY POLICE, COURTS, AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DEGRADES PROSTITUTES. POLICE WANT TO KEEP PROSTITUTION ILLEGAL IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR INFORMANT NETWORKS. A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PROSTITUTES HAVE INCEST AND RAPE IN THEIR BACKGROUNDS. THE ORGANIZATION COYOTE ACTS AS AN INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE AND SPEAKERS BUREAU TO BRING THE SUBJECT OF PROSTITUTION INTO PUBLIC VIEW, ESPECIALLY THROUGH TALKS AT HIGH SCHOOLS. LEGALIZATION OR LICENSING OF PROSTITUTION WOULD BE DESIRABLE, BUT TAKEN ALONE WOULD NOT HELP ADDICT PROSTITUTES, WHO WOULD REMAIN OUTSIDE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. DRUGS SHOULD ALSO BE DECRIMINALIZED. OTHER TOPICS ADDRESSED INCLUDE COURT PROCEEDINGS, WAYS PROSTITUTES WORK, PROSTITUTES' INCOME, AND EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN TO DECRIMINALIZE PROSTITUTION. NUMEROUS CASE EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATING SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND OTHER PROBLEMS OF PROSTITUTES ARE CITED. (CFW)