Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress

371 Pages·2004·3.232 MB·English

by  Melissa Farley

Prostitution, Trafficking,
and Traumatic Stress
Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress has been co-published si-
multaneously as Journal of Trauma Practice, Volume 2, Numbers 3/4
2003.
Prostitution, Trafficking,
and Traumatic Stress
Melissa Farley, PhD
Editor
Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress has been co-published si-
multaneouslyasJournalofTraumaPractice,Volume2,Numbers3/42003.
First Published by
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Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic Stress has been co-published si-
multaneously as Journal of Trauma Practice, Volume 2, Numbers 3/4
2003.
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Cover design by JenniferGaska.
CoverphotographbyMelissaFarley.©MelissaFarley2000.AllRightsReserved.Forphotopermissioncon-
tactMelissaFarley,Box16254,SanFrancisco,CA94116-0254oremail:[email protected]
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Prostitution, trafficking, and traumatic stress/ Melissa Farley, editor.
p.; cm.
“Simultaneously published as Journal of trauma practice, volume 2, numbers 3/4 2003.”
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7890-2378-4 (hardcover :alk. paper)–ISBN 0-7890-2379-2 (softcover:alk. paper)
1.Post-traumaticstressdisorder. 2.Prostitution.
[DNLM:1.Prostitution.2.StressDisorders,Post-Traumatic.3.DomesticViolence.WM170
P966 2003] I. Farley, Melissa.
RC552.P67P7452003
616.85′21–dc22 2003018824
Dedicated to Aileen Carol Wuornos
A prostituted woman who was executed
by the state of Florida, October 9, 2002
Melissa Farley’s statement about the cover photograph
I originally interviewed these three women in Mexico City as part of re-
search on the effects of prostitution (that data is found in “Prostitution and
Trafficking in Nine Countries” in this volume). They told me about a cere-
monyhonoringwomenwhohaddiedinprostitutionthattookplaceduringthe
Mexicanholiday,DayoftheDead.*Seekingnonexploitiveimagesofprosti-
tutionthatwouldillustrateitsharm,IreturnedtoMexicoCitytophotograph
the Day of the Dead festivities.
Thethreewomenassistedmeintakinganumberofphotographs.Twoof
them were homeless, living in a small Mexico City park. After a number of
hoursofworkingtogether,oneofthewomenchosethecoverphotograph’slo-
cation in front of a horror mask shop.
Althoughweseemedtohaveafriendly,easyrapport,likeothersurvivorsof
human-inflictedtrauma,theyneverreallytrustedmeduringthehourswespent
together.AlthoughIwasawoman,Iwasalsoforeverapartfromthembecause
Iwasprotectedbytheprivilegesofclass,race,andeducation.Peopleencoun-
teredintheirworld,especiallythosewithmorepowerthanthey,couldnever
beassumedtobesafe.Untiltheend,thewomenassumedthatIwaseventually
goingtoaskthemtotaketheirclothesoff.Theyweresurethatwe’dproceedto
thelastphotographandI’dchangeintothefamiliarjohn/pornographerwith:
“OK girls, keep the masks on and take your clothes off.”
Havingbeenprostitutedformanyyears,thethreewomenassumedthecon-
stant inevitability of sexual exploitation. This left me with a sadness in my
heart.
*TheMexicanDayoftheDeadisatraditionalfallholidaythatbearsonlyaslight
resemblancetoHalloween.Rather,itisadeeplyspiritualcommunityeventthathonors
thedead.Itsspohisticatedperspectiveondeathisplayful,humorous,andespecially
ironic.
Prostitution, Trafficking,
and Traumatic Stress
CONTENTS
Preface:Prostitution,Trafficking,andTraumaticStress xi
Melissa Farley
Introduction:HiddeninPlainSight:
ClinicalObservationsonProstitution 1
Judith Lewis Herman
UNDERSTANDING PROSTITUTION AND TRAFFICKING
AS ORGANIZED INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE
SisterOppressions:
AComparisonofWifeBatteringandProstitution 17
Christine Stark
CarolHodgson
ProstitutionandTraffickinginNineCountries:
AnUpdateonViolenceandPosttraumaticStressDisorder 33
Melissa Farley
Ann Cotton
Jacqueline Lynne
SybilleZumbeck
FridaSpiwak
Maria E. Reyes
DinorahAlvarez
UfukSezgin
Prostitution and Trauma in U.S. Rape Law 75
Michelle J. Anderson
Gay Male Pornography’s “Actors”:
When “Fantasy” Isn’t 93
Christopher N. Kendall
RusErvinFunk
Prostitution Online 115
Donna M. Hughes
From Duty to Despair:
Brothel Prostitution in Cambodia 133
Wendy Freed
Prostitution and Trafficking of Women and Children
from Mexico to the United States 147
Marisa B.Ugarte
Laura Zarate
Melissa Farley
ProstitutionandTraffickinginWomen:
AnIntimateRelationship 167
DorchenA.Leidholdt
HEALING FROM PROSTITUTION AND TRAFFICKING
Emotional Experiences of Performing Prostitution 187
Lisa A. Kramer
Dissociation Among Women in Prostitution 199
Colin A. Ross
Melissa Farley
Harvey L. Schwartz
ProvidingServicestoAfricanAmericanProstitutedWomen 213
VednitaCarter
The Importance of Supportive Relationships
Among Women Leaving Prostitution 223
Ulla-CarinHedin
SvenAxelMånsson
PEERS:
TheProstitutes’Empowerment,Education
andResourceSociety 239
JannitRabinovitch
Been There Done That:
SAGE, a Peer Leadership Model
Among Prostitution Survivors 255
NormaHotaling
AutumnBurris
B. Julie Johnson
YoshiM. Bird
Kirsten A.Melbye
Living in Longing:
Prostitution, Trauma Recovery, and Public Assistance 267
Margaret A. Baldwin
Ten Reasons forNotLegalizing Prostitution
and a Legal Response to the Demand for Prostitution 315
Janice G. Raymond
Author Index 333
Subject Index 341
Preface:
Prostitution, Trafficking, and Traumatic
Stress
Melissa Farley
FormervictimofprostitutionClaudeJagetdescribedherexperienceofbe-
ing picked out of a brothel lineup:
I’dfreezeupinside...Itwashorrible,they’dlookyouupanddown.That
moment,whenyoufeltthemlookingatyou,sizingyouup,judgingyou...
andthosemen,thosefatpigswhoweren’tworthhalfasmuchastheworst
ofus,they’djoke,makecomments....Theymadeyouturnandfaceinall
directions,becauseofcourseafrontviewwasn’tenoughforthem.Itused
tomakemefurious,butatthesametimeIwaspanic-stricken,Ididn’tdare
speak.Iwasn’tphysicallyfrightened,butitshook my confidence. I felt
really[demeaned]....Iwasthethinghecameandliterallybought.He
hadjudgedmelikehe’djudgecattleatafairground,andthat’srevolting,
it’ssickening,it’sterribleforthewomen.Youcan’timagineitifyou’ve
neverbeenthroughityourself.(Jaget,1980)
Theinternalravagesofprostitutionhavenotbeenwellunderstoodoranalyzed
inpsychology.Eveninthefieldoftraumaticstress,thereisadearthoflitera-
turethataddressestheexperienceofprostitutionfortheprostitute.Forexam-
Melissa Farley, PhD, is at Prostitution Research & Education, Box 16254, San
Francisco CA 94116-0254 USA (Email:[email protected]).
Printed with permission.
[Haworthco-indexingentrynote]:“Preface:Prostitution,Trafficking,andTraumaticStress.”Farley,Me-
lissa.Co-publishedsimultaneouslyinJournalofTraumaPractice(TheHaworthMaltreatment&Trauma
Press,animprintofTheHaworthPress,Inc.)Vol.2,No.3/4,2003,pp.xvii-xxviii;and:Prostitution,Traf-
ficking,andTraumaticStress(ed:MelissaFarley)TheHaworthMaltreatment&TraumaPress,animprintof
TheHaworthPress,Inc.,2003,pp.xi-xxii.Singleormultiplecopiesofthisarticleareavailableforafeefrom
TheHaworthDocumentDeliveryService[1-800-HAWORTH,9:00a.m.-5:00p.m.(EST).E-mailaddress:
[email protected]].
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/product.asp?sku=J189 xi
xii PROSTITUTION, TRAFFICKING, AND TRAUMATIC STRESS
ple,thereisafailuretocomprehendoreventoseewhatJagetdescribes:the
traumaticrevulsionatbeingrepeatedlylinedupforselection,withjohnsmak-
ing their choices much like butchers select cows.
In 1995 I spoke with Sara, a woman prostituting in what was called a
high-class brothel in Johannesburg, South Africa. She asked me why I was
there.Itoldherthetruth:Ithoughtthatprostitutioncausedtremendousharmto
women, but since there were few studies that asked about the experience of
prostitutionacrossdifferentcultures,Iwantedtoknowabouther(andothers’)
experiences of rape, physical assault, psychological distress, and childhood
trauma.Wetalkedaboutposttraumaticstressdisorderandwetalkedabouther
lack of trust in people, including psychologists. Looking over the research
questionnaires,shesaidthattherewerethingsinsideherthatshe’dnevertell
anyone.Saratoldmehowdifficultitwastogetoutofprostitution.AsItalked
withher,IfeltasifIhadjumpedintoabunkerinthemiddleofawar,asking
questions about stress reactions to combat. I spoke to her about my concern
thatIwouldbeaskingaboutherlifeatamomentintimewhenitwouldcause
heradditionaldistress.Shesaidthatifherresponseshelpedothers,itwouldbe
worth it to her.
We had a conversation about our children. She had a son who was seven
yearsoldatthetime;hewasthereasonshewantedtostayalive.Shewasvery
proudthatshecouldaffordtosendhimtothebestschoolintown.Shewasada-
mantthatshenever,everwantedhersontoknowthatshewasworkingasa
prostitute.Witheyesthatwereemptywithpain,shetoldmeaboutoneofthe
mostanguishedmomentsinherlife.Oneeveningafterherchildcareworker
arrivedtospendthenightatherhomecaringforherson,shechangedintoher
prostituteclothesandmakeup.Assumingthathersonwasasleep,shequietly
openedthefrontdoortoleavethehouse.Unexpectedly,hersonwokeupand
rantoher.Seeingher,hestoppedinhistrackscrying,“Mommy,I’mscaredof
youreyes.Whereareyou?”Sarawasdevastated.Shehadswitchedintosome-
onewhowasnotherselfinordertoprostituteandheryoungsonsawthat.As
has been well documented in psychological investigations of other forms of
torture,overwhelminghumancrueltyresultsinfragmentationofthemindinto
differentpartsoftheselfthatobserve,andreact,aswellasthosethatdonot
know about the harm. Sara’s dissociation was an escape strategy to handle
overwhelmingfearandpainbysplittingthatofffromtherestofherself(see
Ross, Farley & Schwartz, this volume).
Thisharmismadeparticularlydifficulttoseebecauseoftheinvisibilityof
prostitution’sharmtowomeninthemainstreammedia.Awomaninprostitu-
tiontoldmethattheonelineinthemoviePrettyWomanthatwasnotaliewas
when the john (Richard Gere) asked the prostitute (Julia Roberts) what her
namewas,andsheresponded“Anythingyouwantittobe.”Inprostitution,she