Full Description
In the early twentieth century, abolitionists sought to stamp out sex work by penalizing all involved. In the generation that followed, neo-abolitionists looked at the sex industry from a feminist perspective, claiming that workers were victims caught in a patriarchal matrix. Yet both agreed that sex work was a destructive and corrupting force that should be eliminated.
In this lucid and fearless volume, five academics and activists convey their vision of prostitution as work, albeit stigmatized and marginalized labour. In chapters that consider the nature of sex work, the legal framework that seeks to control the sex industry, the historical debates over its existence, the spectre of human trafficking, and community-based activism from within the industry, the authors assert the central place of sex workers in discussions about their lives and work. This book opposes discourses that position sex workers as victims without agency.
Contents
Introduction / Colette Parent, Chris Bruckert, Patrice Corriveau, Maria Nengeh Mensah, and Louise Toupin
1 The Current Debate on Sex Work / Colette Parent and Chris Bruckert
2 Regulating Sex Work: Between Victimization and Freedom to Choose / Patrice Corriveau
3 The Work of Sex Work / Chris Bruckert and Colette Parent
4 The Idea of Community and Collective Action: Reflections on Forum XXX / Maria Nengeh Mensah
5 Clandestine Migrations by Women and the Risk of Trafficking / Louise Toupin
Index
