The Sexual Arousal Industry

1. The Sexual Arousal Industry

2. What is the arousal industry? • Any product, human or object, designed to stimulate sexual excitement.

3. This generally includes: Pornography –visual incitement Explicit vs. Pornographic Pornographic has been confused with Obscene

4. What is the definition of obscene? • It appeals to a shameful and morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion • without “socially redeeming value- lacks serious artistic, literary, political or scientific merit”. • “applying community standards” • shows sexual conduct in “patently offensive ways”. • (The Supreme Court)

5. These include ( Supreme Court opinion) Acts of intercourse, heterosexual or homosexual , normal or perverted , actual or simulated Acts of Masturbation Acts involving excretory functions or lewd exhibition of the genitals Acts of bestiality or the fondling of sex organs of animals Sexual acts of flagellation , torture, or other violence indicating a sadomasochistic sexual relationship.

6. Do you think pornography should be illegal?

7. Multi Billion dollar industry • Between 10-14 billion annually- more than annual revenue of either the NFL or NBA- or Baseball---combined. • Forrester Research, Cambridge, Mass.

8. This isn’t just little sex shops.. • It’s major hotel chains – in room movies.. • Direct TV- owned by larger corporate interests

9. Thousands of movies released.. • Started with “flip cards” in 19th century • Silent films • Now 11,000 plus in a given year (hollywood-400)

10. Reverse discrimination Women make more than men- and become “stars” Jenna Jamison

11. At Vivid • Can make six figures plus • Competition now from the “amateur “ market on the Web • Facebook and fan pages- can double/triple incomes by • subscription pages • interactive

12. Are these films harmful? • Negative side- They give an unrealistic expectation of what sex is • And how women respond- • They give unrealistic expectations of what women look like- and men’s and women’s body parts • They de -sensitize viewers to pairing sex and romance • They over inform people about technique and under inform them about how to deal with human emotions • They denigrate women ( and, secondarily, men) • They feed rape fantasies

13. “Pro” side What's the big deal? They change no one • They are exciting for couples or individuals to watch- what’s wrong with that? • Everyone knows these aren’t average people • People can learn from them and not be freaked out when they have sex—they can help people get over their hang ups • It’s a free country- this is a private sphere and we have no business regulating it.

14. The Device Business has also grown.. • Sex stores go mainstream • Fantasies • Lovers • Drugstore.com- Walmart • Trojans, Durex, other condom companies

15. Been around longer than you think! • Hamilton Beach patented its first take home vibrator in 1902 • It was the 5th electrical appliance to be introduced into the home after the sewing machine but before the iron! • By 1917 there were more vibrators than toasters in American homes! • Part of the feminist movement in the 70s- Betty Dodson starts masturbation groups for women –with the Hitachi Wand • Beginning of wide spread of sex shops--

16. and then came the “vibrator trials in the 1990s… • Trials in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi , Florida , South Dakota --and others…

17. Now only a few, still percolating in Georgia, Alabama…

18. What about sex for hire? • As individuals- ( heterosexual and homosexual men) • For Business– Corporate provision of beautiful women

19. Almost all for men: • Exceptions: • Escorts • Gigolos • “Chippendales”

20. The industry creates additional jobs: • Cab drivers ( just about every one of them in Bali) • Bellmen • Selling drugs • Two hour rooms etc….

21. Services vary: • Its about how far you can go and not get arrested— • The big tips are for what the women will do: • From lap dancing to “massages” to full scale prostitution

22. Regulation varies by city, country, country • King County- “ how close a lap dance can be” • Nevada- Prostitution legal by County ( classic: Mustang Ranch) • Countrywide in Holland, Germany

23. Trafficking, however is illegal everywhere- • But a huge business • Basically, sexual slavery • signs warning young women in • Baltic Countries, Russia, Scandinavia… others..

24. Millions of girls/women enslaved • SE ASIA alone estimated some 200 million women From impoverished countries: China ( 1991-1996) freed 88,000 women and children kidnapped for sex India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh , -15 million?

25. “sex tourists” • Thailand, others- brothels surrounded by electrified wire..- • Bugis street in Singapore (now defunct) • Big buyers-Sweden, • Big tourists-Japan, Philippines

26. Nothing “Pretty Woman “ about it.. • In Thailand- averaging about 15 customers a day- most not getting that revenue • Very likely to be HIV infected • Study found girls found from Soviet Union in New York, Bethesda Maryland and Los Angeles..

27. We will talk about volitional prostitution-with this caveat • A certain amount is due to poverty-or drugs- and that is rarely volitional.

28. Why are we so fascinated with prostitution? • The romanticization of the sexually free woman • The idea of a woman that will do anything • Woman as sexual outlaw • Paradoxically, a woman who will always say yes- for a price-

29. Or_ • The ”whore with a heart of gold” • “different for me” • “rescuer fantasies” • Needed money otherwise she never would have done it….

30. Is it just sex? In general, sex workers are also “EMOTION WORKERS”— “counterfeit intimacy” flattery, seduction, “caring”

31. Characteristics of Sex Workers • AGE - GENERALLY YOUNG • Begin at average age of 22 but a significant number are under age sixteen– start to earn money for a drug habit

32. Backgrounds: • Childhood abuse for both adolescent boys and girls • Start using sex to please –and get their way • Self loathing..

33. Different class levels: Street • 1- Approximately 10% are streetwalkers • 2-Usually entry level for adolescents • 3= most visible, and likely to be arrested • 4- Most vulnerable- raped, robbed or hurt by customer(study: 90% report sexual assault) • 5- Usually 5 days a week, 4or 5 clients a day • 6-Fellatio most common activity(less than 25% have intercourse)

34. Brothel workers: ( The Brothel) Safer where it is legal and regulated (as in Nevada) • More camaraderie, more repeat customers • Different from massage parlors that are more likely to hide identities Generally richer, more secret clientele Will cater to more quirks ( long term customers)

35. Part Time Workers • Housewives, College Students, “Show Girls” and Opportunistic- • Gifts that turn into cash that turn into being kept – • a period of time or occasionally

36. ‘”Call” Girls/ Gigolos We call some prostitutes and some not- what's the difference? Only one customer Definition of the situation Highest aid-1000 plus a night Best educated ( need to be able to “pass”) Work through referrals/contacts

37. And may pose problems for HIV work and helping women out of “the life”. • However, phones are now standard equipment.

38. MALES- MOSTLY FOR OTHER MALES TEND TO ENTER EARLY AT AGE 16 MOST COMMON BEHAVIOR FELLATIO

39. DIVIDED INTO THREE SUBCULTURES: 1. YOUNG, CRIMINAL ASSOCIATIONS , STREET CULTURE “CHICKENS” “CHICKEN HAWKS” HUSTLERS –MAY NOT THINK OF SELVES AS GAY 2. GAY SUB-CULTURE 3 TRANSVESTITE CULTURE

40. GIGOLOS FOR WOMEN ESCORTS- SURROGATE – SF ONLINE – LOOKING FOR SOMEONE “GRATEFUL”, GULIBILE OR WHO WANTS SOMEONE YOUNGER TO PLAY WITH Men from poorer countries with resort women

41. For men: What ordinary needs are met? • ”Release ” • Flattery (with women they could not date) • Loneliness/Companionship

42. What exceptional needs are met? • Fetishes cream puff guy woman pretending to be a corpse masochism ( sharp high heels)

43. Why hate or fear them? 1- Public Health Concerns 2-Competition with family for male dollars and attention 3-Secondary and Tertiary Crime 4-The idea of sex as an economic asset

44. 5-An economic asset that reverses the control of the sexes 6-An alternative way for men to have sex that is outside of the control of the wife, girlfriend or community 7-Untaxed income.

45. Who are the customers? • Kinsey: 90% of all white males had paid for sex from a prostitute. • 1994 NORC study- 17% men-2% women “Johns” half occasional, half repeat only a few “compulsive”

46. Atlanta study: • Average guy- 35 • 54% white, next highest African American, close behind , Asian • One or two years of college • Men had an average number of 2 paid partners in the preceding months

47. Why do men hire it? They will do acts your wife or girlfriend might not like • (oral sex, anal sex, fetish etc) • You can have sex with another man and no one you know will know..

48. They are low emotional cost non- monogamy • They are perceived to be discreet • They will reflect your “ideal” fantasy picture of yourself • There is no need for reciprocation

49. Why Don’t Women? 1- Women want emotion workers- even if they know it’s not genuine. • 2- It goes against cultural norms • Swiss/Italian brothel failure • 3- They can do it if it isn’t “ quite” prostitution • Jamaican bar guys • Kuta Cowboys

50. Why do we try and regulate it? • Historically- we did not. Civil War time: General Joe Hooker’s girls… • Washington and Richmond ( both capitals) known for their brothels. Pre-war time fear of disease– act of 1864- The First Contagious Disease Act of England- repealed 1886 • compulsory genital inspection of single men (assumed no married men would do such a thing..)