media analysis

docx

School

Brock University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

3Q95

Subject

Medicine

Date

Dec 6, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by LieutenantInternet5123

LABR 3Q95- Media Analysis May 12, 2023

It is important to recognize that sex work is a complex issue that involves numerous factors, such as migration, human rights, and trafficking. There are many types of sex workers (Valverde, 2018), including strippers in strip clubs, porn actors, phone sex operators, webcam performers, erotic masseurs, and street-based sex workers. Moral judgments, stereotypes, and misconceptions are often present in this issue. In addition, the term "sex work" has two limitations: voluntary sexual work involves the voluntary involvement of a client without any coercion or pressure, while involuntary sex work, or sex trafficking, involves the coercion or force of a sex worker to engage in sexual acts with a client (J. House, 2023). Taking Kempadoo et al. (2015), Shaver (2012), and Lam (2018) as points of reference, this media analysis will analyze two news articles about sex work with a Canadian and international focus. In particular, this analysis considers the connection between these news articles and Bill C-36, a Canadian law that criminalizes the purchase of sexual services. For decades, proponents of sex work have advocated for its rights and protections, while opponents argue that it should be abolished. The first article titled "Sex workers rally against Canada's new prostitution laws," published in 2014 by CBC News, discusses the passing of Bill C-36, a law that criminalizes the purchase of sexual services but not the sale of such services. There has been a debate over the law, with many sex workers arguing that it is making their lives more dangerous as it reduces the demand for prostitution. Among the difficulties involved in evaluating policies like Bill C-36, Kempadoo et al. (2015) argue that they fail to acknowledge the agency and complexity of sex workers. According to Kempadoo et al., policies that criminalize the purchase of sexual services can actually make sex work more dangerous by pushing it further underground. Therefore, sex workers are forced to work in riskier conditions without the ability to negotiate safer working conditions or screen potential clients.

Additionally, measures that just target human trafficking and exploitation fall short of addressing the larger social and economic pressures that push people into the sex industry, according to Kempadoo et al.The issues brought up by sex workers and the study by Kempadoo et al. show that a more nuanced approach to sex work and the acknowledgement of sex workers' autonomy and rights are necessary. Sex workers are not passive victims; instead, they actively choose to participate in the sex industry for a variety of reasons, including survival. Policies that prohibit sex work do not address the underlying reasons why individuals work in the sex business, such as poverty, discrimination, and a lack of opportunity. Furthermore, these laws fall short of giving sex workers the safeguards and assistance they require to do their jobs safely. Sex workers' rights should be protected and policies should be created to support them. Decriminalizing sex work will enable sex workers to access assistance services and work in safer environments without worrying about legal repercussions. According to Shaver (2012), decriminalization would give sex workers more control over their employment, empower them to bargain for better working conditions, and provide them access to social and medical assistance. By acknowledging their agency and autonomy, such rules would help alleviate the stigma and prejudice experienced by sex workers. The COVID-19 pandemic's effects on sexual service providers throughout the world are covered in the news piece from The Guardian. The article makes the case that lockdowns and restrictions connected to the pandemic have made it more difficult for sex workers to work securely and have raised their risk of abuse and exploitation. Many times, in order to make ends meet, sex workers have been compelled to work in dangerous settings or with customers they would not otherwise accept. As sex workers throughout the world have struggled to work

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

securely and receive support services under lockdowns and other restrictions, the COVID-19 epidemic has brought these challenges to light. In addition, the Canadian government's Bill C-36, which criminalizes the buying of sex and related activities such as advertising, has been criticized for its potential to harm sex workers. As Lam (2018) argues, anti-trafficking investigations and policies can often conflate sex work with trafficking, leading to the arrest and deportation of migrant sex workers who may not be victims of trafficking at all. This can leave sex workers more vulnerable to exploitation and violence, as they are forced to work in more dangerous and isolated situations. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these issues, as sex workers around the world face increased risks and vulnerabilities. Given this, it is crucial that politicians and society as a whole adopt a more compassionate and nuanced perspective on sex work that prioritizes the security, well-being, and autonomy of sex workers. This can entail abandoning criminalization and implementing harm-reduction strategies that put human rights first. In conclusion, these pieces demonstrate how living in a nation where sex work is not legalized may be detrimental to sex workers and how the government should assist them and give them a voice rather than keeping them mute. Additionally, they provide light on how legislation like Bill C-36 may make sex work riskier and expose sex workers to abuse and exploitation. The readings by Kempadoo et al. (2015), Shaver (2012), and Lam (2018) provide further context and analysis of these issues, highlighting the need for policies that recognize the agency of sex workers and address the broader social and economic factors that drive people into sex work. Ultimately, this essay suggests that policies that criminalize sex work, like Bill C-36, are unlikely to be effective in reducing the harms associated with sex work and may actually have sex work more dangerous for those involved.

Work Cited House, Jordan. (2022). "Introduction/History of Sex Work”, LABR 3Q95. Brock University. Kempadoo, K., Sanghera, J., & Pattanaik, B. (2015). Trafficking and prostitution reconsidered: New perspectives on migration, sex work, and human rights . Routledge. Lam, E. (2018). Behind the rescue: how anti-trafficking investigations and policies harm migrant sex workers. Toronto: Butterfly Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network . Shaver, F. M. (2012). Sex Work and the Law: A Critical Analysis of Four Policy Approaches to Adult Prostitution. Thinking about Justice: A Book of Readings , 190-216. Shaver, F. M. (2005). Sex work research: Methodological and ethical challenges. Journal of interpersonal violence , 20 (3), 296-319.

media analysis

Related Documents