Thursday, June 28, 2007

Pornography Myth and Fact Sheet

PORNOGRAPHY MYTH AND FACT SHEET
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Myth 1: Pornography is a necessary outlet or a safe release for violent feelings, and a cure for sexual addiction.
Fact 1: If we really believed that pornography is a necessary outlet or safe release for violent feelings, then we would be dealing with a variety of social problems much differently than we are at present. For instance, in order to prevent physical abuse of children we would systematically flood our society with magazines, films, and videos which show children being beaten and tortured. An outlet to sexual addiction? You can't cure an addiction to let's say Twinkies unless you replace it with nourishing foods.

Myth 2: It's okay to argue about pornography as long as we don't get moralistic about it.
Fact 2: Why not get moralistic about pornography? Those who are pro-pornography proponents often argue that people should not get moralistic about pornography. I argue, that they themselves are just as "moralistic" in their support for pornography. It is just that the pro-pornography proponents have repressive whitemale centric morality that reflects the perpetrator culture of patriarchy and Capitalism. On the other hand, anti-pornography proponents have a humane egalitarian morality that is liberating and revolutionary, not patriarchal or Capitalistic.

Myth 3: There is a hysteria around pornography by anti-pornography proponents.
Fact 3: Firstly, "hysteria" is an antiquated term coined and used by 18 century misogynistic psychiatrists and physicians - a Greek word for "the rising of the womb", to diagnose and label assertive females who were outspoken against sexist patriarchal oppression. The only "hysteria" out there is from the anti-pornography "family values crowd" who want not to protect females, but to uphold patriarchal values and traditions, to preserve male- defined morality, and endorse male supremacy and your propornography so-called "pro-sex feminists".

Myth 4: Those who claim that pornography causes violence are clearly distorted by and allied with right-wing religious conservatives or the "family values crowd".
Fact 4: Even though the most base right-wingers or "family values crowd" also recognize pornography as cultivating a range of types of violence toward women, this in no way reflects an alliance between Marxist feminists with rightwingers or "family values crowd". The notion Marxist feminists are distorted allied with right-wing conservatives or family values crowd is a red herring argument. It is a scare tactic employed by sexists and pedophiles who will vehemently fight to avoid legal control of pornography at any cost for their ill intent. The fact is is that the right winger or "family values crowd" are anti-pornography, not to protect females, but to uphold patriarchal values and traditions, to preserve male- defined morality, and endorse male supremacy. No one suggests that feminists are wrong to oppose the American Star Wars initiative because the Roman Catholic church (male centric institution) also opposes Star Wars. No one told the trade unions are wrong in their support for the Eaton's strikers that because the Catholic Church also supports the strikers.

Myth 5: Reading the Bible is more likely to produce anti-woman psychopaths.
Fact 5: Sane males are actually the majority who practice misogynistic traditions of the patriarchy and Capitalism. There are many Atheist-Marxist feminists' and Agnostic-Liberal Feminists who argue that pornography is inherently sexist and promotes violence as it sexually eroticizes the objectification, domination, control, and submission of females on a violence continuum, contributing and perpetuating the objectification of women. They criticize the bible for it espousing that females are inferior to men, but also agree that the bible does not go as far as eroticizing female oppression. Unlike pornography, the bible does not operate as a "How To Manual" eroticizing the objectification and degradation of females by requiring them to stop eating the night before she is going to get fucked in the ass or be gang raped for money. Even if it was the case that the bible produced anti-female "psychopaths", this would not negate the fact that pornography along with it's buddy elements, such as strip clubs, brothels, massage parlors, escort services, street prostitution, bachelor parties, and sex tourism, etc... within the sex industry, produces anti-female "psychopaths". At least the bible has some good teachings.

Myth 6: There are no scientific studies to prove that pornography contributes to violence upon women.
Fact 6: R. Jensen argues that in pondering the question of pornography we need to go beyond simplistic cause-and-effect models (which are not particularly useful in explaining any human behavior). The argument is not that pornography causes individual males to commit violence toward females, but rather that it produces and sustains notions of femininity and masculinity that perpetuate violence against females. No critic of pornography ever argues that pornography is the sole cause of violence toward females. Pornography is only one out of the many of human rights and dignity violations in the whole sex industry that contributes, propagates, and fosters violence toward females. No one argues that.if pornography disappeared, rape would disappear. However, if patriarchal-class property relations, patrist-inheritence, and bourgeois right of the Capitalist economic condition disappeared, so too would the whole sex industry along with it's buddy "rape".

Diana Russell in her essay "Pornography As a Cause for Rape", argues, the laws of social learning, such as classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, and social modeling apply to all the mass media, including pornography. If you assume that your child can learn from Sesame Street how to count one, two, three, four, five, then males can learn equally from sexist literature and images how to harass, degrade, beat, rape, and kill females. Many people have the opinion that men who consume pornography but who have never raped a female disprove the theory that pornography can cause rape. This is comparable to arguing that because some cigarette smokers don't die of lung disease, there cannot be a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer, According to Ray Wyre, a specialist in sexual crimes, argues that it is impossible not to believe that pornography plays a part in sexual violence. As he confronts sexual offenders, their distorted views, much like the views in pornography, legitimizes the objectification of females. Wyre states that at the very least pornography makes sexism sexy.

Multiple Causation versus Simple Causation- Per Diane Russell on the meaning of "Cause": Given the intense debate about whether or not pornography plays a causal role in rape, it is surprising that so few of those engaged in it ever state what they mean by "cause." A definition of the concept of simple causation follows:

• An event (or events) that precedes and results in the occurrence of another event. Whenever the first event (the cause) occurs, the second event (the effect) necessarily or inevitably follows. Moreover, in simple causation the second event does not occur unless the first event has occurred. Thus the cause is both the SUFFICIENT CONDITION and the NECESSARY CONDITION for the occurrence of the effect (Theodorson and Theodorson, 1979).By this definition, pornography clearly does not cause rape, as it seems safe to assume that some pornography consumers do not rape female, and that many rapes are unrelated to pornography. However, the concept of multiple causation is more relevant to this question than simple causation.

• With the conception of MULTIPLE CAUSATION, various possible causes may be seen for a given event, any one of which may be a sufficient but not necessary condition for the occurrence of the effect, or a necessary but not sufficient condition. In the case of multiple causation, then, the given effect may occur in the absence of all but one of the possible sufficient but not necessary causes; and, conversely, the given effect would not follow the occurrence of some but not all of the various necessary but not sufficient causes (Theodorson and Theodorson, 1979).

One woman's testimony, in Political Psychology, 1983 goes so far as to say, "I don't need studies and statistics to tell me that there is a relationship between pornography and real violence against women. My body remembers." We now know that sexist propaganda cultivates sexism like racist propaganda perpetuates racist behaviors, and like colonialist propaganda perpetuates violence onto a whole nation of people.

Myth 7: Pornography should not be equated with racist propaganda such as Nazi and KKK literature. Racist propaganda has the intent of leading to action in promoting terror and division within the working class. As offensive as pornography's depictions of female usually are, it is far from a call for genocide.
Fact 7: D. Russell argues, "Dehumanizing oppressed groups or enemy nations in times of war is an important mechanism for facilitating brutal behavior toward members of those groups. However, the dehumanization of females that occurs in pornography is often not recognized because of it's sexual guise and its pervasiveness." Sexist propaganda has the intent to promote sexual terrorism and division within the working class just as equally as racist propaganda has the intent to promote racial terrorism and division within the working class.

The gender politics of sexist propaganda such as in pornography, the whole sex industry in general, and in the flourishing Trafficking and Modem-day Slavery of women, children and some men is femicidal and genocidal like the racial politics of racist propaganda (graphic images portraying blacks like sambos, etc ... ) and the Slave Trade of Blacks enslaved black males, women and children is genocidal. Just like white slave holders micro-examined blacks on the auction blocks, so to do pornography voyeurs, bachelor party gang-bangers, street pimps and johns, strip-club pimps and johns, brothel pimps andjohns, and micro-examine females. R. Jensen argues, "Pornography offers people a politics of sex and gender. And that politics is patriarchal and reactionary."

Myth 8: Control of pornography would cause it to go underground.
Fact 8: My argument is that that is where it belongs. We all know that there are people who " kill for hire", but no one suggests that we should make it legal to advertise for murderers in the personal pages of newspapers.

Myth 9: Pornography is just sexually arousing material.
Fact 9: Try to tell a black person that degrading images of them are just arousing material. To assume that pornography is just sexually arousing material is to ignore the economic marginalization and social inequality of women and children with in patriarchal class Capitalist system. Pornography is a multi-billion dollar a year industry that profits off the super-exploitation and vulnerability of females. Pornography is an incubator for oppression of women and children. Pornography, through bigotry and contempt for females, depicts the subservience of females, which, in turn, leads to a variety of harms, such as workplace discrimination, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Pornography creates and maintains sex as a basis of social stratification. Pornography is anti-female propaganda.

Myth 10: There is no rational argument for a fixation on pornography as a promoter of sexism and violence against females when T.V.'s everyday depictions of females are sexist, too.
Fact 10: Resources Against Pornography, in Toronto argues, if every variety store carried 30 magazines published by the Klu Klux Klan which advocated either non-violent objectifying images of blacks or / and violent objectifying images of blacks, one would not be surprised to discover less extreme forms of racism being promoted in some advertising and certain mainstream films as well. But, no one who is genuinely concerned about eradicating violence against or the degradation of blacks would use the fact that advertising was also somewhat racist as a reason for doing nothing about the more extreme form of racism promoted in the Klu Klux Klan publications. If anything, the fact that so much violent and degrading imagery has infiltrated our mainstream media should be cause for alarm and increased resolve to stop this trend.

Myth 11: The call against pornography is a call for censorship.
Fact 11: The abolition of prostitution and pornography is not some kind of simplistic ban on freedom of speech, like nonthinkers would like you to believe. When black people call for reforms, regulations, or bans on racist practices and racist propaganda, people don't cry for "Freedom of Speech!" However, when females call for reforms, regulations, and bans on sexist practices and propaganda, the Freedom of Speech argument is not only simplistic, but is a cheap shot. When we vehemently clamor to protect "Freedom of Speech" for profiteers, pimps, and johns, we clamor for the freedom to stomp all over females as full-human beings. "Freedom of Speech" is important, but more so, is the right of women and children to safety and equality. We must decide that the right of females to safety and equality is more important than safeguarding the sellers and buyers of the objectification of females. The First Amendment protects political speech, not pornography. It does not give anyone the right to debase and dehumanize females. There is "no freedom to objectify females" clause in the First Amendment. According to the United Nations Human Rights declaration, it is a fundamental right to be free of sexual exploitation in all its forms. Women and girls have the right to sexual integrity and autonomy. The fact that pornography continues to be a running "constitutional" battle in the courts is indicative of the deep sexism and misogyny in our society.

Myth 12: Attempts to outlaw pornography would threaten other basic civil rights with endless censorship laws.
Fact 12: This is a slippery slope argument. According to Patrick J. Hurley, who wrote the book, A Concise Introduction to Loizic, 5th ed., a Slippery Slope argument rests upon an alleged chain reaction and there is not sufficient reason to think that the chain reaction will actually take place. Patrick J. Hurley gives a great example of a Slippery Slope argument :

"Attempts to outlaw pornography threatens basic civil rights and should be abandoned. If pornography is outlawed, censorship of newspapers and news magazines is only a short step away. After that there will be censorship of textbooks, political speeches, and the content of lectures delivered by university professors. Complete mind control by the central government will be the inevitable result."

It is not logical to think that censoring/banning sexist materials is going to cause other people's civil liberties to be violated anymore than banning marijuana has caused liquor to be banned.

Myth 13: Even if the state could effectively ban pornography, that would not bring anyone one hairs width closer to women's liberation, or spare women from the conditions of living in a sexist society today.
Fact 13: Much like the black auction blocks where black people's physical and sexual features were examined, strip clubs are female auction blocks where women and adolescents genitals are micro-examined. Black auction blocks are specific to the despair of black people in the days of black slavery and female auction block are specific to the despair of women and adolescents in modem day slavery. So, if we are morally justified in banning black auction blocks and abolishing slavery of blacks, so we are too, justified in banning female auction blocks and abolishing modem day slavery. A call for the abolition of modem day slavery is no more a bourgeois ban, no more illegitimate than the call was for the abolition of black slavery. Abolition of slavery is a transitional step toward liberation. Most black people will tell you that their current existence is much more liberating than their past existence under slavery, however, not complete emancipation. It is our job, in the long run, to continue to work on abolition all slavery and to seek emancipation of all oppressed, by dismantling the patriarchal Capitalist offender culture.

Myth 14: We need to keep the state out of our bedrooms when it comes to sexuality.
Fact 14: As long as women and children are systematically sexually abused in the public sphere, systematic oppression of women and children happens in the private sphere, in secrecy behind closed doors. We should not end Child and Adult Protective services because we want to wait forever for the working class to one day arise from their slumber and fight for more than just economic demands, to fight against the systematic sexual abuse of women and children. In the mean time, society has to have some laws that protect women and children while in their homes from this "sexuality", i.e., patriarchal Capitalist sexuality which is based on objectification and degradation, violence.

Myth 15: What about public education instead of censorship?
Fact 15: Resources Against Pornography argues, "Education is certainly important but we must remember that the allpervasive barrage of pornographic imagery in our society is also educating people. It teaches that violence against, and the degradation of, females is acceptable. Public education is an important tool, but it is not an alternative to regulation. It can't compete with a pornography industry which grosses between 10 and 50 billion dollars per year in North America alone. Arguing that public education would do the trick, is like arguing that public education / public education campaign on the issue of wife assault would be enough to stop wife batterers from battering women. No battered woman would agree that public education is enough.

Myth 16: Wouldn't outlawing pornography lead to outlawing erotica or works of art?
Fact 16: According to Resources Against Pornography (RAP), "It would be a mistake to equate artistic or other liberty with the right to produce material that promotes the relentless humiliation and physical torture of women and children. A true work of art which portrayed the humiliation or physical abuse of women and children (or, of anyone, for that matter) would do so only for the purpose of exposing and condemning the abuse. Such a work of art would not be proscribed by the law. People for whom this is a concern cannot provide valid examples of great works of art which would be affected by law prohibiting sexually violent or very degrading pornography. It is interesting to note that this concern is never raised with respect to other sections of the Criminal Code. No one argues that a forgery is any less of a forgery because it is expertly done or that an article is not hate literature because it is well-written. Surely no photography which seeks to sexually stimulate the viewer with a display of degradation or torture, no matter how "artistically taken", no article which seeks to excite it's reader sexually with a description of humiliation or mutilation, no matter how well written, its worthy of the title, "work of art". Neither is it worth a woman's life.

The Resources Against Pornography (RAP) also argues that there is a big difference between pornography and erotica. Pornography is designed to sexually stimulate the consumer by showing a power imbalance among the participants; showing sexual violence against, or the degradation of females. Erotica is non-violent, non-degrading sexual material which does not seek to sexually stimulate the consumer by showing or describing a power imbalance among the participants; it is mutually affirming. It is so interesting how we live in a society that fihds it difficult to distinguish between material which shows or describes loving, egalitarian relationships and material which shows or describes violent, degrading, or objectifying ones.

Myth 17: It is a difficult question. How can we decide what to do?"
Fact 17: Reforming the Tax Act is also difficult; Yet, no one offers that as an excuse for not reforming a Tax Act. What kind of society claims that prohibiting the advocacy of violence against or the extreme degradation of females is too difficult to undertake? Only a society in which females have fewer rights than pornographers.

Myth 18: Those feminists that criticize pornography are just prudes.
Fact 18: It is illogical to pigeonhole Socialist Atheist Feminists or Marxist Feminists as being prudish or as coming from the same paradigm as the religious right. Robert Jensen argues, when we criticize pornography, we are typically are told we are either prudes, anti-sex, or repressive, but just the opposite is true. That works to keep people quiet. For people to criticize pornography is not anymore repressive or prudish than people who criticize racist propaganda. The criticisms of pornography are crucial in the struggle to end not only domestic and sexual violence, but all violence for the creation of a healthy culture. The only prudes are those who are doing the exploiting, those who are working in concert with others to exploit.

REFERENCES

Engels, Frederick. (1884) The Origin of the Family, Private Property. and State. New York: International Publishers

Hurely, Patrick J. (1994) A Concise Introduction to Logig,15 th ed.). California: Wadsworth Pub. Co. Belmont,

Jensen, R. ( 2004, January / February). Cruel to Be Hard: Men and Pornogrghy. Sexual Assault Report, 33-48

Jensen, R. (2004, May) Pornography and Sexual Violence (2 nd Draft)

Marx, Karl. (1875) Criticism of the Gotha Program: Foreign Language Press Peking Resource Against Pornography (RAP): P.O. Box 695, Toronto Postal Station C, Toronto, Ontario M6J3SI.

Russell, Diana E. H., (1994) "Pornography As a Cause for Rape", Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm Berkeley, California: Russell Publications,
www.dianarussell.com/pomtoc.html

Woman's Testimony, (1983) Political Psychology.

Prostitution Myth and Fact Sheet

PROSTITUTION MYTH AND FACT SHEET
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Myth 1: Prostitution is the oldest profession in the world.
Fact 1: Prostitution is not the oldest profession in the world. It is, in fact, very new in comparison to how long humans have been on this earth. Humans have existed on this earth for approximately say I million years as Early Hominids. Humans have existed as Homo Sapiens for the last approximately 200,000 years (give or take a few thousand years). Within this let's say 200,000 years of human existence, patriarchy has only been around for approximately 6000 years. Within the 6000 years of patriarchy, matriarchal societies still existing here and there in traditional forms, such as with the Iroquois Indigenous peoples prior to European patriarchal invasion, etc... or in altered forms mixed with patriarchy, such as the Mayan & Aztec's. Patriarchal society has existed in relatively short amount of time in all of human existence. Concurrently, as the matriarchal conditions transitioned into patriarchal conditions so did pairing marriages transition into monogamy and clans transition into families and so did the subjugation of women take place. Here the domestication of animals, the breeding of herds, and the cultivation of plants developed into an unsuspected kind of wealth and created a new social order. All the former hunting and gathering societies became replaced with agricultural society (domestication and breeding of animals and cultivation of plants). Private ownership of land, herds, and people came into play. This is the time when ownership of people through slavery and prostitution arises. Engels states that the "overthrow of mother right was the world historical defeat of the female sex. (Origin of FPS, 120) The man took charge of the home, the woman degraded and reduced to servitude; she became the slave of his lust (prostitute) and a mere instrument for the production of children. Prostitution, therefore, is not the oldest profession-- is not some inevitable aspect of the human condition.

Myth 2: It is all right to argue about prostitution as long as we don't get moralistic about it.
Fact 2: Why not get moralistic about prostitution? Those who are for the legalization and decriminalization of prostitution often argue that people should not get moralistic about prostitution. I argue, that they themselves are just as "moralistic" in their support for prostitution. It is just that their morality is repressive white-male centric morality that reflects the perpetrator culture of patriarchy and Capitalism. On the other hand, those who are against the legalization and decriminalization of prostitution have a humane egalitarian morality that is liberating and revolutionary, not patriarchal or Capitalistic.

Myth 3: According to police statistics, Copenhagan has a very low rate of violence upon women by men despite it being the smut capital of the world, especially after it lifted all censorship against pornography and has decriminalized prostitution.
Fact 3: . Firstly, the normalization of mass sexual exploitation of women and children has been greatly enhanced by the legalization/decriminalization of the sex industry in many parts of the world. According to Resources Against Pornography in Toronto, scientific research shows that every since Copenhagan lifted all censorship and decriminalized prostitution, sex crimes have increased. According to Janice Raymond, of the Coalition Against the Trafficking of Women, every since prostitution has been legalized in Australia and New Zealand illegal, hidden, street prostitution, and sex trafficking has increased. In Eastern Europe alone, the rise of organized crime capitalizes on the demand for prostitution and the desperation of trafficked women from poorer countries. One report found that 80% of women in the brothels of the Netherlands were trafficked from other countries" (Budapest Group, 1999) According to the Coalition Against the Trafficking of Women, "Men buying women in prostitution don't just want the local women - they want exotic women from other countries who, according to their racial preferences, may be stereotyped as more pliable, more willing or more sexy. Decriminalization of prostitution has been a gift to traffickers and pimps who, overnight, become legitimate businessmen. When prostitution becomes a public good, governments become state pimps gaining enormous revenues from it's legal legitimization, legitimizing the super-exploitation of women and children all over the globe. "Houses of protection" for women in prostitution, are not new solutions to deal with prostitution, but very old and very repressive measures. Prostitution is not only Modem-day Slavery, but is rape for pay!

Secondly, don't rely on police for accurate statistics to be reliable. Both the police and international "security" forces are crooks who work hand and hand with organized crime figures in the commercial sex trade industry.

Myth 4: How is fighting against prostitution by using the power of the state, the court system, without organizing the working class under working class leadership, going to wipe humanity clean of inequality?
Fact 4: As a Marxist feminist I find this "power of the State" argument rather odd that it is being put forward socialists. It is true that the state represents the interest of the bourgeoisie, however, many socialists often in favor of using the "power of the State" to prevent landlords from raising rents, to prevent employers from hiring strike-breakers, and to legalize abortion. Rapists, wife-batterers, pornographers, defenders or pornography, and child molesters would be delighted if women and children did not use the power of the state.

Myth 5: Even if the state could effectively ban prostitution, that would not bring anyone one hairs width closer to women's liberation, or spare women from the conditions of living in a sexist society today.
Fact 5: Lets take a look at strip clubs for example. The term strip club is a euphemism for female auction blocks where desperate women and adolescents are legally bought and sold to sexually service sexist pigs who want to own and control vulnerable people in society. Much like the black auction blocks where black people's physical and sexual features were examined, women and adolescents genitals are micro-examined. Black auction blocks are specific to the despair of black people in the days of black slavery and female auction block are specific to the despair of women and adolescents in modem day slavery. So, if we are morally justified in banning black auction blocks and abolishing slavery of blacks, so we are too, justified in banning female auction blocks and abolishing modem day slavery. A call for the abolition of modem day slavery is no more a bourgeois ban, no more illegitimate than the call was for the abolition of black slavery. Abolition of slavery is a transitional step toward liberation. Most black people will tell you that their current existence is much more liberating than their past existence under slavery, however, not complete emancipation. It is ourjob, in the long run, to continue to work on abolition all slavery and to seek emancipation of all oppressed, by dismantling the patriarchal Capitalist superstructure.

Myth 6: We need to keep the state out of our bedrooms when it comes to sexuality.
Fact 6: As long as women and children are systematically sexually abused in the public sphere, systematic oppression of women and children happens in the private sphere, in secrecy behind closed doors. We should not end Child and Adult Protective services because we want to wait forever for the working class to one day arise from their slumber and fight for more than just economic demands, to fight against the systematic sexual abuse of women and children. In the mean time, society has to have some laws that protect women and children while in their homes from this "sexuality", i.e, patriarchal Capitalist sexuality which is based on objectification and degradation, violence.


Myth 7: As feminists we should support the unionize sex workers who choose prostitution as work?
{As feminists(b) we should support the unionize(c) sex workers(d) who choose(a) prostitution as work(e)}

Fact 7 (a): ["Choice"] But let's say when a prostitute argues that she is freely choosing prostitution, then is it free choice? Prostitutes who argue, "It is my free choice to be a prostitute!" capitulate to prostitution as a result of internalized oppression. Internalization of oppression entails repeated exposure to oppression, subtle or direct, may lead vulnerable members of the oppressed group to internalize the oppressive image projected by the external oppressor -- the 'oppressor without'. The external oppressor may be the ruling class patriarchal society and / or an individual, such as a sexual abuser of a child. Internalization of this image and repression of the rage associated with oppression may lead to loss of worth or identity, dissociation, and destructive behaviors toward self and others as oppressed people become 'auto-oppressors' participating in their own oppression - self oppression. Sexual abuse, as well as global sexism in general, causes the victims alienation form her self, i.e., the prostitute becomes alienated from her self as she has conceded to being a commodity, not a human. A large reason for women turning to prostitution, out side of economic vulnerability, is that most of them have been sexually assaulted as children.

Is prostitution a free choice even if a prostitute argues that it is free choice? Is it all right when someone lay's on the ground and "freely chooses" or asks to be stepped on, for us to go ahead and step on that person because it was his or her "free choice"?

Prostitutes capitulate to prostitution as a "free choice" for reasons that are really not free choice. Does any prostitute who argues, "I am a prostitute out of free choice" realize the oppressive context as to why she is arguing this? Even if she did, does insight matter? She ultimately has to survive.

In any of the cases below (next page), is it all right to exploit women in prostitution?


Case 1: The primary reason for her being in prostitution is sheer poverty whether that extreme poverty exists in a dependent Capitalist country or Imperialist Capitalist country. (Economic abuse). Mabye victim of trafficking and Modem Day Slavery, maybe just the Modem Day Slavery. Maybe she has insight about the context of her oppressive condition, but survival is primary. Weather she is also a survivor of child or adolescent sexual abuse, physical abuse, homelessness, or not she may argue that prostitution is her free choice-- as a defense mechanism in order to feel empowered because the "work" is so degrading, even though a false sense of power.

Case 2: She is a prostitute who is just trying to desperately survive as there is no other alternative, in her mind, because of low self worth from being a victim of sexual and / or physical abuse. (Economic abuse).

• Maybe she has insight about the context of her oppressive condition, but survival is primary.

• She can dissociate easily from the prostitution as she is a victims of child or adolescent sexual abuse, which survivors of sexual assault are able to do. Because her boundaries have been violated when she was sexually or physically abused growing up, she does not have an healthy base that she can identify with as to what is healthy attention, and what is not.

• As a survivor of child or adolescent sexual abuse, physical abuse, homelessness she will argue that prostitution is her free choice --as a defense mechanism in order to feel empowered because the "work" is so degrading, even though a false sense of power.

Case 3:

• She is a prostitute who is part of a prostitute political organization that seeks to reform the oppressive condition through unions versus toward the abolition of the conditions of prostitution gaining a false sense of empowerment. Her political struggle is limited to the scope of patriarchal construct. (50 economic abuse).

• She may or may not have the insight of women's historical oppressive condition. In any case, she does not have the faith that it is possible now for complete emancipation anyway.

• As the prostitute who ferverently defends prostitution, she is much like the house slave versus the field slave. If the master's house is burning down, the house slave will do anything to save the master's house, even if the master is running away from the house.

• Most likely she is a victim of child or adolescent sexual abuse, and that's why she so ferverently argues that prostitution is her free choice so as a defense mechanism to feel empowered, even though it is a false sense of power.

Case 4:

• She may be a prostitute who fervently defends prostitution as a free choice because she may be making money off of other prostitutes. (Still economic abuse).

• She may or may not have the insight of women's historical oppressive condition. In any case, she does not care.

• She is suffering from auto-oppressor / internalization of oppression.

• Most likely she is a victim of child or adolescent sexual abuse, and that's why she so fervently argues that prostitution is her free choice so as a defense mechanism to feel empowered, even though it is a false sense of power. But, one can not even touch upon this issue with her without her denying some kind of abuse ever happened to her.

Case 5:

• Unlike 1-4, Prostitutes who seek Radicalization, ie., are in either in spirit with or/ and are able to politically active for radical change like creating an abolitionist movement to abolish the patriarchal classist condition as to why prostitution exists in the first place. (Economic abuse.)

• Women and girls don't simplify prostitution as "free choice". These prostitutes are more in line with the field slave. If the field slave sees the master's house burning down, she will do anything to see that the master's house burns down.

• Women and adolescents may be a survivor of child or adolescent sexual abuse, physical abuse, homelessness, and will never argue that prostitution is her free choice.


Fact 7(b): ["Feminists"] Any "feminist" or so-called "pro-sex feminist" who supports the prostitution of women is not feminist of any sort. She or he is not a revolutionary socialist feminist fighting for the complete emancipation of women, nor is she or he even a reformist bourgeois feminist or a theologian feminist. She or he may, however, be a bourgeoisie or a bourgeoisie wannabe who supports bourgeois ideology, traditions, and practices of patriarchy though. The title "feminist" for someone who supports prostitution is semantic trickery and a spin on the meaning of feminism. This hurts the ears no less than when hearing Bush say he is pro-life, but supports the killing of Iraqis civilians or when hearing Bush say he is fighting for freedom and democracy for the Iraqis, when this is obviously not true.

Fact 7(c): [Unions?] We don't seek to unionize slaves, we seek to abolish slavery! Just imagine a union of prostitutes, pimps, and tricks all sitting around a table negotiating contracts about the frequency of fucks and blow jobs per day. Would child prostitutes be part of the round table? This is not liberating for women or children prostitutes.

Fact 7(d): ["Sex Worker"] The term "sex worker" implies that women freely chose prostitution when they don't. The term "sex worker" is a euphemism like calling a black slave, "field worker". The term "sex worker" also implies that prostitution is labor and not a sex commodity. The term sex worker does not address that fact that women and children have entered into prostitution because of severe economic oppression and discrimination. Furthermore, "sex worker" does not address that fact that most prostitutes are victims of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is boot camp for prostitution. Prostituted women who argue in favor of unions or to be referred as "sex worker", argue this because they have capitulated to the patriarchal Capitalist archetype and condition of women, i.e., internalized the projected image and condition set upon them by their oppressor. Most prostitutes who capitulate, like most people in general, don't have an understanding of the classist historical materialist reason as to why prostitution exists in the first place. They don't see their plight in relation to the broader picture, the historical material condition of prostitution. And, those who are not prostitutes, but argue in support of unions and the label "sex worker", are just opportunistic sexist pigs. This semantic trickery or labeling prostitutes "sex worker" only serves to legitimize the objectification and degradation of women.

Fact 7(e): ["Work / labor"]

During the 1,000,000 years of human existence during matriarchal communal property relations women's labor (gathering) was considered most useful, more useful then men's labor of (hunting), and there was no prostitution of women or children.

Not until 6,000 years of patriarchy when people started to have the idea of private ownership of land and animals, did female inheritance Oust communal property passed down through the female line,) transfer to male inheritance (mass production, animals, and people to be inherited), did women's labor became uselessàat this point women become private property such as via the patrist marriage formation and prostitution, along with land, animals and slaves. So, prostitution matches up with labor uselessness of women, not labor of women. There is a distinction between private property and labor. Women and children are prostituted as property as useless labor and as a result of useless labor, not as labor. Prostitution because it can be identified with useless labor; therefore, is the antithesis of labor.

Furthermore, labor is where people work with their hands or / and minds in harmony manipulating their environment as shown all throughout human existence. Even animal males never prostitute female animals and refer to it in animal terms as labor.

Furthermore, as prostitution is discriminating toward the super-exploited, mostly women and children, this can not be considered labor. Prostitution is not so-called labor. Prostitution is a human rights issue. Prostitution is discrimination, sexual abuse, and it is physical abuse, rape for pay all intertwined. What does this say about ftie institution we live in when women make more money as a prostitute then through labor? What does this say about the institution we live in when women make more money as victims of this perpetrator culture, than as labors?

Myth 8: Well she makes a lot of money selling her body.
Fact 8: For one thing, this is a sad commentary about our society that women make more money having to be prostituted than through any line of work. Secondly, much of the prostitutes money is divvied out to those who protect her or to drugs. Some goes to feed her children, school, etc...., but rarely do they even finish school. Thirdly, this is a good measure as to how much males are willing to exploit women and children.

Myth 9: It is a difficult question. How can we decide what to do?"
Fact 9: Reforming the Tax Act is also difficult; Yet, no one offers that as an excuse for not reforming a Tax Act. What kind of society claims that prohibiting the advocacy of violence against or the extreme degradation of women is too difficult to undertake? Only a society in which women have fewer rights than pornographers.

Myth 10: Prostitutes choose to go into prostitution.
Fact 10: As a result of the development of patriarchy, which is inherently discriminating, economically marginalizing women and children causing many of them to fall victim to a position of servitude as they are now property (via patrist marriages or prostitution). If there was no sexual and gender discrimination, men would equally be prostituted. Wrong! If there were such a society with no gender discrimination, then it would have to be non-patriarchal, egalitarian. In an egalitarian socio-economic material condition women and children would not only be respected, but they would feel secure. If women and children were economically secure living with great respect toward them, then prostitution would not exit. Look at Cuba. During the Batista era, you had prostitution, gambling, poverty, etc.... When Castro came to power and he began to socialize the country, prostitution became rare. However, later, when Castro had to capitulate to the US Imperialist dollar, prostitution began to flourish.

Research shows that children who are victims of violence, (incest, rape, battering) often lose their sense of physical integrity. This loss of feeling that their body belongs to them explains why women seem to "choose" when in fact there is no choice. Women who are in situations which are economically, socially or emotionally difficult, often have very little choice in the matter. Although Andrea Dworkin may not be a revolutionary Marxist feminist, she does make a good point when she argues, "Incest is boot camp for prostitution."

The euphemism "sex worker" rather than prostituted women or woman used in prostitution, implies that women choose to be prostituted. This semantic trickery only serves to objectify the women and dignifies the sex industry, not women.

Not only did prostitution of women come about with the patriarchy alongside the practice of monogamy for only women, but also there existed an element of fear by men of loss of control over women as their legal and economic property in marriage. To maintain control, patriarchal domination configures and re-configures domination over women by producing a social, economic, and public condition of sexual subordination that follows women in the public life, in the life of prostitution. The socio-economic control of women is reinforced in the patriarchal world by invoking women's pseudo-consent (because what choices are out their for women) to prostitution of sexuality for prostitution and pornography. Within the patriarchal construct, when women attempt to become economically independent & emotionally autonomous in their desire to evade domestic and/ or sexual reductionism in marriage, the patriarchal system has instituted public sexual exploitation as an attempt to revert women back to sex object reductionism. Pornography is the graphic representation of the patriarchal reduction of women to prostituted sex. Prostitution is the enacted form of pornography where the graphic representation of women comes to life. Revolutionary feminists are not interested in defending traditional patriarchal masculine sex norms, nor in making them legally public as in prostitution. Prostitution is incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human condition.


References

Budapest Group (1999, June). The relationship between Organized Crime and Trafficking in Aliens, Austria: International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

Coalition Against the Trafficking of Women: www.catw.org

Resource Against Pornography (RAP): P.O. Box 695, Toronto Postal Station C, Toronto, Ontario M6J3Sl.