Prostitution &: Poverty

This series is called “Prostitution &.” The series will highlight the complex and multifaceted phenomenon that is commercial sexual exploitation. Today, I will discuss prostitution and how it relates to poverty. You may also want to read previous posts in the series, “Prostitution &: An introduction” and “Prostitution &: Public Health.”

Individuals who are sexually exploited experience push and pull factors associated with exploitation that cycle throughout their lives. One of these factors is poverty (Monroe, 2005). In many communities, there is a chronic shortage of unskilled, paid work. These jobs are predominantly held by Americans of Color, and disparities for these workers have existed since the Fair Labor Standard Act of 1938 which excluded tip-based jobs from fair wages (Long, 2007). The Act created the class of the working-poor who continue to be exploited by large corporations to this day because they have no protections (Rank & Hirschl, 2014).

Women and children are disproportionately impacted by poverty, are less likely to be able to access the limited number of jobs available, and are most at risk to the worst forms of exploitation, including labor and sex trafficking (The Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative, 2018). Concentrated poverty, a relic of segregation, exacerbates these disparities and upholds white supremacy (Long, 2007).

The next portion of the series — “Prostitution &: Segregation” — will be out next week!