Prostitution: Sex Work, Policy & Politics

This textbook addresses key areas in the study of sex work and the sex industry. It discusses different theoretical and sociological/criminological perspectives, including theories of involvement in sex work, the historical constructions of the prostitute, feminist debates about victimhood and exploitation and agency and choice, activism among sex workers and campaigns for rights, and the sociology of sex work; the cultural context of the sex industry and different types of sex markets; and the socio-demographics of female, male, and transgender workers, as well as routes in and out of sex work, violence and safety, and health and drug use. Other chapters consider sexual exploitation and the involvement of children and young people; people who buy sexual services, their motivations, what they buy, criminalization, and the commodification of sex; sex workers, labor rights, and unionization around the world; legal and sociocultural aspects, particularly in the UK; the relationship between criminal justice policy and the management of prostitution, including impacts on communities and services for sex workers; globalization and the sex trade, including trafficking, migration, and sex tourism; and methodological issues relating to researching the sex industry. This edition adds updated summaries of policy and law, especially in relation to UK legal changes from 2008 on; discussion of ethics, fieldwork, and participatory action research; and new images and case studies from the authors’ research. Annotation ©2018 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)