Prostitution and Sex Workers - Prostitutes in the Sex Trade

Prostitution By the Numbers:

Of the estimated one million individuals who have worked as prostitutes in the United States, the overwhelming majority are women.

Statistics are grim for sex workers. Prostitutes have a significantly greater risk of experiencing violence, rape, physical abuse, and death than other women in the general population.

In the sex trade, men pay and women perform...no matter what.

Prostitution as a So-Called 'Victimless Crime':

Many argue that women choose prostitution - that it can be lucrative work and that legal or illegal, men will always seek out women they can pay for sex. The 'victimless crime' perspective changes, depending on who's on top.

• "Victimless Crime" Argument Exposes Gender Gap
• How Some Men Rationalize Sex With a Prostitute

World's Oldest Profession Most Dangerous One for Women:

Two characteristics hold true for prostitutes: a high percentage have been sexually abused as children, and a high percentage will be physically abused and even raped after entering the sex trade.

• Sexual Assault of Prostitutes & the Aileen Wuornos Case
• Judgment, Not Justice, For Prostitute Who is Raped

Each New Scandal Fuels Sex For Sale Debate :

It doesn't matter whether it's Hollywood celebrities or political figures (such as former NY governor Eliot Spitzer) caught with high-priced call girls - scandals involving prostitutes force us to revisit the effects of prostitution on our society. The jury is still out on whether or not sex workers should be legalized, ignored by the authorities, or simply vilified by the court of public opinion.

• Spitzer Scandal Sparks Debate Over Prostitution
• How Media Bias Influenced One Prostitute's High-Profile Image