Valerie Jenness | We Believe - UCI

Legalized Prostitution & Selling Sex

Prostitution is long thought of as the longest standing profession in the world. It is simply one of the most profitable markets in the world, even though it is also a taboo of modern (and past) society. There are many ethical questions that are presented in prostitution that touch on a number of general morals of the population and this will be explored here. 

Legality

Out of 100 countries, there are an astounding amount of countries that have legalized or instituted limited legality of prostitution. According to ProCon.org’s (2016) analysis of legal prostitution, there are 49 countries that have legalized prostitution in some form, 12 countries that have limited legal prostitution and only 39 countries that have completely illegalized prostitution. Now, what this tells the average reader is that many countries have acknowledged prostitution as viable sources of income when both parties are consenting and of legal age in each country.  In many of the countries where selling sex has been made illegal, it has been done in order to prevent sex trafficking and to reduce negative incidents that can be created within the business of prostitution. 

Ethics of Selling Yourself

If one resides in an area where prostitution is legal, and one is considering the idea of selling themselves for quick cash, there are many concepts that should be considered. First up is disease testing (basically on a constant basis) and in some countries, an actual registration of prostitution. Basically, you’re telling your local authority how you’re making your money and that you’re clean enough to perform the job you’re offering. The second thing to consider is how comfortable are you sharing your body with people? Not everyone is comfortable with being flirty and physical with a strange person. 

Finally, and most importantly, safety of the location where you will be performing your services and the agreements between parties. Consent is an absolute must, and in prostitution, consent can be difficult because some customers will not want to take no for an answer since you have a reputation of selling yourself.

Sexually Transmitted Disease Concerns

One of the biggest concerns, separate from sex trafficking, is the spread of sexually transmitted disease (STD’s). Medical care and health maintenance can be expensive or unavailable in some countries and without knowing that you and your paying partner are clean of STD’s , they can be very easily spread and become major issues for the country you reside in. AIDS is still spreading rapidly, as well as herpes and other permanent diseases, and these must be controlled in order to develop a healthy and happy populace. So, if you’re out there earning money with your body, be sure you’re up to date on your testing and use every precaution available to ensure that disease is not being spread.

Overall, there are many aspects that should be inspected when considering this profession, including legality and general safety precautions. However, as sex is a constant need for humanity to meet the needs of contact and intimacy, prostitution is likely to stick around, whether you like it or not.

Reference

ProCon.org. (2016, May 18). 100 Countries and Their Prostitution Policies. Retrieved from http://prostitution.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000772

Valerie Jenness

Valerie Jenness on Transgender Prisoners and Sufferings

In today’s modern society, it is undeniable that discrimination is still existent. From workplaces to public spaces, a lot are still discriminated, especially transgender. This extends all the way to prisons. There is a growing debate as to whether they should be placed in male or female cells. Reports were also abundant emphasizing how many transgender suffer from rape and hate crimes inside the prisons. 

Professor Valerie Jenness is one of the experts who have explored more on this issue. Highlights of her study will be further discussed below. An expert in criminology, law, and sociology, Valerie Jennesshad some interesting findings in her studies. 

Gender Segregation in Prisons 

One of the issues that have been explored by Valerie Jenness deals with how inmates are segregated. Up until now, prisons are segregated based on binary genders — male and female prison cells. There is no dedicated cell for transgender prisons, which is exactly one of the reasons why they are referred to as the “forgotten group”. In one study that involved more than 300 transgender women in prisons, the conclusion was that most of them would prefer to be with men, in spite of being at high risk of assault. According to those that have been interviewed, they put little emphasis in physical protection and for them, affirming their sexual identity is more important. 

The Prevalence of Rape

It has also been pointed out by Professor Valerie Jenness that almost half of the population of transgender prisoners was raped. In some instances as part of the prison culture, some would just simply submit themselves into being raped rather than suffering from physical assault. 

In a study entitled Violence in California Correctional Facilities: An Empirical Examination of Sexual Assault, it has been concluded that 59% of transgender women in men’s prisons were raped. More so, only 4% of men in women prisons suffer from the same fate.

Who Are At Risk

The study of Valerie Jenness with other authors has also explored the characteristics of the victims. More than just being transgender, there are other demographics that will increase the likelihood of suffering from sexual assault in prison. For instance, most of those who have been raped from the sample have mental health conditions and were sentenced for violent crimes. Among non-heterosexual inmates, African Americans are also the ones who are most likely to be victims of rape and other crimes while in prison.

Policy Recommendations

While Valerie Jenness recommends further research on the issue, she also emphasized the need for changes in policy. More than just housing assignments, or the segregation of transgender prisons, she also highlighted the need to address overcrowding in prisons, specifically in California. New policies will prove to be highly significant in improving the life of transgender prisoners.  

Valerie Jenness | Making Hate A Crime