Pornography & Prostitution: Themes, Effects, and Perspectives

1. Chapter 15 Pornography & Prostitution

2. Pornography • Written, visual, or audio-taped material that is sexually explicit and produced for purposes of eliciting or enhancing sexual arousal • Explicit, raw • Might be viewed as obscene, disgusting

3. Erotica • Books, pictures, etc. that have to do with sexual love and beauty • Sexual material that is artistically produced or motivated by artistic intent • Artistic • Sensual rather than sexual • Themes of love and romance rather than SEX

4. Pornography Under Siege • Video (5 minutes)

5. Group Activity VIII: Pornography • In mixed gender groups of 4-5 students: • Rate each of the next 4 pictures using this scale: 1 2 3 4 5 Erotica Neutral Obscene/Porn Do this first by yourself, then discuss and come up with a group rating.

6. Group Activity VIII: Pornography • Now address the following issues: • What themes seem common to pictures you rated low/high? • Is pornography harmful or harmless? Why? • Is there a gender difference in your group? • If so what is it and why do you think it exists?

7. Reaction Paper VII: Porn & Sexual Coercion • Do you think viewing pornography is related to incidences of sexual coercion (rape)? • Why or why not? • Based on your response do you think all pornography should be outlawed?

8. Pornography & Sexual Coercion • Conservative-moralist position • Condemns all sexually explicit materials • Threat to social institutions (family) • Feminist position • Sexually explicit materials degrade women as objects, promote sexual violence • Liberal position • Sexually explicit materials are harmless • Educational & helpful to overcome inhibitions

9. Pornography & Sexual Coercion • Commission on Obscenity & Pornography • 1970 government commission • Concluded that porn was not harmful, no casual link to sexual violence against women • Pornography and sex offenders • No link to sex offenders • BUT may arouse existing deviant urges

10. Pornography & Sexual Coercion • Meese Commission (1985 - Reagan) • Concluded causal link between sexual violence & violent pornography • No link for nonviolent pornography • So does it or doesn’t it? • Yes & no

11. Donnerstein & Malamuth (1997) • Non-violent pornography has no consistent effects on sexual aggression • Angered males who are aroused can become aggressive (but this is thought due to general arousal) • May impact negative attitudes towards women • Dehumanization • Objectification

12. Donnerstein & Malamuth (1997) • Violent pornography impacts sexual aggression • Increases tendency to be aggressive towards females • Especially when victim portrayed as aroused • Disinhibition (rape not so bad) • Encourages belief in rape myths • Discourage empathy w/ rape victims

13. Day 2

14. Prostitution • Sale of sex for money ($7 Billion-$9 Billion/year business) • Most are women and motive is money • Coercion rare • Most customers are male and motives vary • Incidence • Kinsey • 2/3 males visited prostitute > once • Fewer college educated males • Current < 10%

15. Class Data (N = 104, Females = 74) • Have you ever paid someone else to perform a sexual act for your sexual gratification? • YES! • Males - 20.7% • Females - 0.0%

16. Type of Prostitutes • Hierarchy reflecting cost, status & adjustment • ~2 million in US • Streetwalkers (bar)- bottom & short-term • Cheapest, least desirable, drug abuse, pimps • Dysfunctional, sexually abused, teen runaways • Sexual enjoyment (Savitz & Rosen, 1988) • Many report work-sex very satisfying sometimes • 60% report O w/ customers • Non-work sex enjoyable also

17. Type of Prostitutes • Brothel - middle • Legal (Nevada) or massage parlors • Live at brothel to service customers 24/7 • More desirable, more expensive, better adjustment, adult movie stars, less drugs & sexual abuse, no pimp • Married, normal life

18. Type of Prostitutes • Call girls - top (Heidi Fleiss) • Most desirable, high fees • Educated & middle class, well adjusted socially, charming company (not drug addicts) • Act like a lover

19. Customers of Female Prostitutes • Male, married, middle-class, occasional, healthy • Motives - why visit a prostitute? • Sex w/o negotiation or commitment • Sexual variety • Sex away from home • STARVATION

20. Characteristics of Prostitutes • Being a prostitute (especially lower levels like streetwalker) is associated with: • Poverty • Sexual or physical abuse • BUT only 12% abused become prostitutes • Dysfunctional family (runaway) • Psychological problems • Farley (1998) - 66% have PTSD (v. 30% of vets) • Personality: Impulsive sensation seekers

21. Legalization of Prostitution (Rio, 1991) • Argues for decriminalization of prostitution • 1959 UN concluded it should not be a crime • Many organizations demanding decriminalization • ACLU • NOW • COYOTE • Rationales for laws poor

22. Legalization of Prostitution (Rio, 1991) • Society views it as immoral • Studies suggest majority support decriminalization • Laws prevent spread of VDs • Prostitutes account for only 5% of VD in US • Europe: VD rates decrease after legalization • Laws prevent crimes associated w/ prostitution • Few prostitutes are addicts, criminals • Laws encourage attacks (customers, pimps)

23. Legalization of Prostitution (Rio, 1991) • Prostitution is harmful to prostitutes • ONLY streetwalkers exhibit pathology • Addicts,PTSD, sexually abused, etc. • Higher-level prostitutes~controls on pathology, abuse • Decriminalization still would outlaw juvenile Ps • Laws deter prostitution • ~2 million prostitutes in US • Don’t deter customers

24. Legalization of Prostitution (Rio, 1991) • Decriminalization could have positive effects • Less physical abuse to prostitutes, customers • Less pandering, incidental crime, VD • Save millions in prohibition attempts • Seattle spends $1 Million/year • Could tax this $7 Billion/year

25. Reaction Paper VIII: Legalization • Do you think prostitution should be legalized? Explain your position in light of Rio’s arguments. • PLEASE TURN THIS IN AFTER CLASS!

26. Conclusions • Commercial sex common • Pornography • Non-violent not harmful? • Violent harmful • Prostitution • Complex causes • Legal, moral issues