Rethinking Prostitution
Subtitle: Purchasing Sex in the 1990s
Publisher: Routledge
Published: December 26, 1996
Language: eng
Number of pages: 240
ISBN-13: 9780415122269
First sentence: In contemporary society prostitution, for some women, offers a good enough standard of income for shorter working hours and some degree of autonomy and independence for those working for themselves.
Description: The growth of AIDS has focused renewed attention on the institution of prostitution. In contrast to the moral panic reaction of some sectors of society, very different initiatives are being displayed by other groups in relation to the need to scrutinize the social, moral and legal status of prostitution and to reflect on the arguments in support of or against legalising brothels, paying particular concern to prostitutes' own health.

Rethinking Prostitution covers male as well as female sex workers and considers in detail their status in law; drugs; issues of health and health care; the changing nature of sex work; partners, boyfriends and pimps; and the potential for redefining prostitution.

By drawing on the expertise of researchers across all aspects of the industry, this up-to-date text focuses on an institution and industry ripe for re-assessment. Rethinking Prostitution will be of considerable interest to students, lecturers and researchers in medical sociology and women's studies, social workers in training and practice as well as the general reader as an area of topical interest and concern.