ESSAY
Prostitution refers to the sexual behaviour of a female outside or without
wedlock on a commercial basis. Prostitution is regarded as a vice, a sinful
or degrading indulgence of a natural appetite for itself alone. It is a moral
problem. Prostitution is forbidden by religious and civic groups. It is also
prohibited by law in some societies.
A prostitute and her pimp are vatted with a mixture of pity, scorn,
fascination and persecution. Prostitution often results into drug addiction,
scandal, veneral diseases, AIDS and deterioration of the neighbourhood in
which it occurs.
A sociological analysis of prostitution calls for understanding of its
persistence and its causes. It is an ubiquitous institution. It is deplorable in
the eyes of all. However, in some societies, it has been legitimised,
whereas in others it is prohibited, both legally and morally.
It involves a high degree of sexual promiscuity that fulfills no publicly
recognised societal goal. Prostitution may be defined as “engaging in a
primary contact in a secondary relationship”. Promiscuity means willingly
indulging in sexual contact with numerous persons, and even with
strangers. A prostitute sells her sexual favours without any emotional
attachment but for economic gain.
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Geoffery J. May (1958), in the Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences,
defines prostitution as characterised by three elements:
(I) Payment, usually involving the passing of money, although gifts or
pleasures may constitute equivalent consideration,
(2) Promiscuity, with the possible exercise of choice; and
(3) Emotional indifference, which may be inferred from payment and
promiscuity.
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The sexual relation between the buyer and the seller is illegitimate,
ephemeral and condemned. The causes of prostitution may be varied, but
psychological and sociological factors are important. Sex is used for
various ulterior purposes, as is the case when pretty girls are employed in
stores and charity drives, and used in advertisements. These factors lead
to promiscuous sexual relations. Alfred C. Kinsey (1948) points out that
some aspects of prostitution are useful for certain male individuals.
However, this does not mean an advocacy or promotion of this age-old
institution. It is found both in unorganised and organised forms. Unions of
sex workers and dance bar girls are quite strong in Indian metropolises,
particularly in Mumbai. Recently, prostitutes have even formed unions in
some big cities and towns.
Prostitution in India:
It is difficult to find an exact estimate of the incidence of prostitution in India
because it is still considered a sin to visit a brothel.
There are at least three types of prostitutes:
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(I) Common prostitutes, working openly in brothels;
(2) Private prostitutes, mistresses or keeps of particular individuals, who
work as singers, dancers and naikins; and
(3) Clandestine prostitutes, who work in secrecy, and maintain their
respectability and social position.
Thus, prostitution is a complex phenomenon. It is directly not clearly visible.
Several years ago, a study of 425 prostitutes was conducted by S.D.
Punekar and Kamala Rao (1955) in the city of Bombay (now Mumbai). The
findings of this study are quite educative and useful.
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One-third of the common prostitutes were devadasis (temple prostitutes).
Backward communities from rural areas sent girls to the city for prostitution.
There are reports that some persons allure poor, young rural girls to towns
and cities with the promise of getting them a job or of getting them married.
Recently, it was reported that nearly 25 girls were sold in a Bihar village
bordering Nepal to people in Mumbai with a promise of setting them
married and of leading a comfortable life. Poverty of the parents was the
main cause for selling the girls. Many girls from Nepal are sold to people in
Mumbai. The fact is that dalals visit the vulnerable people to effect the
deals. It is a ‘business’. In fact, they sell them to brothel-keepers either
directly or through middlemen.
Prostitution is ultimately adopted by them as a profession though they do
not intend it to be the source of their livelihood. Devadasis pursue
prostitution as a profession. They claim to have a right to this profession.
Since they claim to have a right to prostitute, they may attract others to
involve in prostitution.
In cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi there are prostitutes from all parts
of the country. Foreigners too are said to be a part of this network. Punekar
and Rao’s study shows that more than half of the prostitutes are from the
state of Karnataka, particularly from the Bijapur, South Kanara and
Belgaum districts.
Eighty-six per cent are Hindus, and half of these are Harijans. Ten per cent
of them are literate, and they are of mentally average calibre. A large
majority of them are from rural areas, and belong to poor peasant families.
The common prostitutes (the lowest class of prostitutes) are from the
lowest economic and social strata. However, it cannot be said that poverty
is the most important cause of prostitution.
There are some prostitutes who were indifferently brought up by their
parents. Defective socialisation, destitution, carelessness of parents and
lack of love and affection have been reported as the main causes of
prostitution.
Out of the non-devadasis, two-thirds were married. They are the ones who
became widows at an early age. There are also run-away wives. Among
the married ones, unhappy married life is mainly responsible for
prostitution. The causes of unhappiness included ill-treatment,
drunkenness and unfaithfulness of the husband and unequal marriages.
More than half of the unmarried girls reported that nobody saw to their
settlement.
Less than two-third prostitutes were regularly working as farm labourers
and half of them left their jobs with the definite idea of entering into
prostitution. Over half of the prostitutes left their homes between the age of
11 and 20 years.
The devadasis were generally at the age of 13 to 14 years when they
joined prostitution. All of them left their homes to join prostitution, but only
half of the non-devadasis left homes to take up this socially degraded
occupation.
Nearly 50 per cent of their clients were middle-aged persons, and 70 per
cent of them were businessmen. Gujaratis were predominant among them.
Two-thirds of them were married, and were satisfied with their routine life.
Only 10 per cent of the prostitutes were willing to give up this way of life as
they always thought of the difficulties in their rehabilitation.
Thus, prostitution has become a sort of institution which has various forms.
It is practised in a hidden way. No law can completely eradicate this social
evil. Some tangible improvement can be brought about by effective social
reforms and a crusade against this. The upper sections of society
encourage prostitution in the form of ‘keeps’ and ‘call girls’. Others visit
brothels to meet common prostitutes. The Suppression of Immoral Traffic
Act (SITA) has not been very effective so far.
Recently, homosexuality and lesbianism have gained some ground.
Though these are not the same as prostitution, because the latter is a
commercial activity. Homosexuality between two men or two women is not
commercial, and it is by consent of the interacting individuals. However, it is
not legal. Some countries have legalised homosexuality. A similar demand
has also been made in India.
