I discuss the topic of sex work, which in society is considered a stigma of human weakness in both a figurative and literal sense. I discuss vocabulary and categorize individual services. I observe how the function of female sexual work has changed and what social changes have accompanied it. I discuss the history of the world's oldest profession, the concept of sexuality, health and safety issues, while also referring to feminist criticism, legal models, and the discourse on commodification.
I try to show different perspectives of the examined industry. The verbal terms I use for women who work in sex are presented in their original form in quotations or referring to the times when they functioned as a neutral phrase and are not intended to stigmatize women.
Sex drive is an integral part of human life. Naturally, a person reaches sexual maturity with his intellectual and emotional development. Throughout all the centuries, even behind the scenes, he stimulated and satisfied his sexual desires and took advantage of the attractiveness of arousing desire.
"Based on the principles of Christian morality, the law condemned prostitution, but life went its own way, contrary to the law, so people had to make concessions."
F. Giedroych Wolfing houses. Project of internal organization of shelters in Poland, Warsaw, 1912
The history of the sex industry
The origins of sex work date back to the ancient Chaldea, divided into two the peoples inhabiting it. The first, characterized by guest prostitution and the second by prostitution ritual, also known as cult. In the first volume of "History of Prostitution" FS describes them Pierre Dufour:
"Guest prostitution was a kind of exchange of pleasantries with a stranger, unknown, who became both a guest and a friend. Cult prostitution brought the grace of God and the blessing of priests in exchange for the sacrifice of chastity. We can consider its cradle to be the city he founded on the Euphrates in 1402 BC Nimrod, uniting the peoples of Chaldea. In Babylon, which was the place of worship of Venus and Melitta, there was a law according to which every woman was obliged to offer her body to a strange man once in her life, when he, choosing her from other servants in the temple, threw her coins in homage to the goddess.
“There was no people more depraved than this one,” says Quintus Curtius, one of the historians describing the conquest of Babylon, “nor more refined in the art of pleasure and sensuality. Fathers and mothers allowed their daughters to sell themselves to their guests for money, and husbands were
equally lenient towards their wives in this regard. The Babylonians were especially fond of fornication and the vices associated with it. At the beginning of the orgy the women seemed decent, but then they took off their clothes one by one and finally, when they had completely lost their shame, they remained completely naked. And these were not ordinary harlots selling themselves for profit, but women from the noblest families - matrons and their daughters."
equally lenient towards their wives in this regard. The Babylonians were especially fond of fornication and the vices associated with it. At the beginning of the orgy the women seemed decent, but then they took off their clothes one by one and finally, when they had completely lost their shame, they remained completely naked. And these were not ordinary harlots selling themselves for profit, but women from the noblest families - matrons and their daughters."
These Babylonian rites reached as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus, and then became widespread in Egypt, Persia, Africa and Asia. Although the worshiped deity took on different names depending on the region, ritual sex was an invariable element of the ceremonies honoring it. Goddess, no matter what we call her, she everywhere symbolized the essence of woman, fertility and feeling of love.
Years later, when sexual rituals were still cultivated in Hindu temples, in Greece beautiful and intelligent hetaeras accompanied the aristocracy and church representatives. Euletrides with dancing and musical skills catered to middle-class society. Independent, tax-paying dicteria provided services to the lowest classes of society, and dicteriades, usually illiterate women, devoted their time to education in sexual techniques.
In 200 BC, the courtesans were joined by dancers, singers, acrobats and musicians experienced in the art of love. Prisoners and slaves also worked in Roman brothels, on whose maintenance the state wanted to save money. Official lupanars were established near places of culture and entertainment, such as theaters, circuses and fairs. Yeah the tradition was carried to Paris and London until modern times. At the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, attention was drawn to a significant increase in sexual violence. For this reason, the feudal-clerical society decided to recognize the sexual temperament as a natural human feature and its satisfaction as a legal privilege of citizens. Then, in cities, often in the vicinity of churches, baths and brothels began to be established, and daughters of joy, considered as full members of society, were given gifts, took part in competitions, and even accompanied officials in celebrations and welcomed visitors. A trend of decreasing sexual violence has been observed, along with an increase in interest in places of debauchery.
Over the years, sex workers have been both celebrated and shamed. More than once they were deprived of jewelry and refined clothes, and were ordered to wear clothes that camouflaged their assets. Elsewhere, women were allowed complete freedom in clothing and were only required to pay high taxes. In some regions, women offering sexual services were punished by death, imprisonment or mutilation. In others, welcome parades of heads of state and other important figures could not take place without their company.
For hundreds of years, brothels, despite mixed opinions, always operated under the patronage of the church or state. When a certain Bishop of Winchester began to control the operation of the sex industry, the public familiar with this fact began to call courtesans Winchester geese. As Monica Garcia Massague writes in "The History of Brothels" - "Closing brothels only resulted in the loss of control over their activities, which - after the outrage of citizens - moved to the streets. Therefore, such bans tended to be short-lived and the 'Winchester geese' model was readily adopted, which turned out to be a much more pragmatic - and undoubtedly profitable - way of controlling this lucrative and widespread sex industry.
Over the years, sex workers have been both celebrated and shamed. More than once they were deprived of jewelry and refined clothes, and were ordered to wear clothes that camouflaged their assets. Elsewhere, women were allowed complete freedom in clothing and were only required to pay high taxes. In some regions, women offering sexual services were punished by death, imprisonment or mutilation. In others, welcome parades of heads of state and other important figures could not take place without their company.
For hundreds of years, brothels, despite mixed opinions, always operated under the patronage of the church or state. When a certain Bishop of Winchester began to control the operation of the sex industry, the public familiar with this fact began to call courtesans Winchester geese. As Monica Garcia Massague writes in "The History of Brothels" - "Closing brothels only resulted in the loss of control over their activities, which - after the outrage of citizens - moved to the streets. Therefore, such bans tended to be short-lived and the 'Winchester geese' model was readily adopted, which turned out to be a much more pragmatic - and undoubtedly profitable - way of controlling this lucrative and widespread sex industry.
In the Arab world, slave traders controlled the sex industry. Ibn Zamin, the owner of the first Arab brothel, bought his serai from traders at a bargain price. He educated them all, taught them how to dance and play instruments, and then resold them for record amounts. When the Great Wall was built in China, soldiers efending the northern territories were satisfied by sex workers in military lupanars established along the entire fortification. During the then ruling Ching dynasty, society was not prejudiced against paid sexual practices, so many soldiers married their chosen ones. Centuries later, this system of military brothels was moved to the cities and changed the clientele to higher-ranking officials.
At that time, sex workers did not charge fees and received a state salary. It is also worth mentioning entire districts of brothels in large cities called Blue Houses or Blue Chambers, as well as Flower Boats, where customers were served by Flower Girls.
There were also places resembling private men's clubs, where celebrations took place full of dancing, singing and even tea ceremonies surrounded by Chinese sex workers who, when selected by the client, went with him to a private peace. This business was developing rapidly in many Chinese cities. It is worth mentioning that even before World War II, Shanghai was called the largest capital of sin in the world. Since 1978 to this day, Chinese sex work has been one of the highest-earning labor sectors and employs approximately 10 million women. In China, sex workers are divided into seven categories.
There were also places resembling private men's clubs, where celebrations took place full of dancing, singing and even tea ceremonies surrounded by Chinese sex workers who, when selected by the client, went with him to a private peace. This business was developing rapidly in many Chinese cities. It is worth mentioning that even before World War II, Shanghai was called the largest capital of sin in the world. Since 1978 to this day, Chinese sex work has been one of the highest-earning labor sectors and employs approximately 10 million women. In China, sex workers are divided into seven categories.
Baoernai is the equivalent of kept women, i.e. women constantly sponsored by one man. Baopo are companions when traveling or socializing. Santing full moon the function of waitresses in catering establishments who provide additional services for a tip. “Call girls” offer their services in hotels, going door to door. Falangmei specialize in oral sex and masturbation in spas, bathhouses and gyms. The penultimate ones are the Jienu who work on the streets and the Xiagongpeng who offer services in villages and poor neighborhoods for low wages or barter.
In 1617, Yoshiwara was founded in Japan. The island, also called the "Floating World", had an area of 160 square kilometers and was intended exclusively for sexual services. Yoshiwara's brothels were built in the shape of cages with bars with a maximum height of two stories. Depending on the class of workers offered, the buildings were characterized by higher or lower grates. Customers could conveniently view the charms of women from behind the bars of cages, which, the lower the class, the smaller and tighter they were. In lower-class shelters, women were kept in cages so small that they could not even sit down. More than once they waited for their choice, standing still for up to several hours. When cameras appeared in Japan, the cages were replaced with photographs of women, which were placed in front of the entrance to every brothel. A Japanese candidate for a sex worker of that time was required to submit a declaration of having turned 16 and a certificate of parental consent.
In 1617, Yoshiwara was founded in Japan. The island, also called the "Floating World", had an area of 160 square kilometers and was intended exclusively for sexual services. Yoshiwara's brothels were built in the shape of cages with bars with a maximum height of two stories. Depending on the class of workers offered, the buildings were characterized by higher or lower grates. Customers could conveniently view the charms of women from behind the bars of cages, which, the lower the class, the smaller and tighter they were. In lower-class shelters, women were kept in cages so small that they could not even sit down. More than once they waited for their choice, standing still for up to several hours. When cameras appeared in Japan, the cages were replaced with photographs of women, which were placed in front of the entrance to every brothel. A Japanese candidate for a sex worker of that time was required to submit a declaration of having turned 16 and a certificate of parental consent.
The next stage was to undergo seven different procedures and finally present a medical certificate. A young woman crossing the threshold of Kutsuwa* (* a Japanese phrase for brothels, which in Chinese writing literally meant [forget eight]) renounced eight virtues, such as filial love, brotherly kindness, fidelity, loyalty, honesty, reliability, sense of shame and kindness. Japanese brothels were not only places for sexual services, but for the entire ceremony. This also includes serving food or sake. The interior design and the quality of futons, mattresses and beds were also important.
In Europe at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, although sex work was punished cruelly, it was also easily available everywhere. The services of sex workers could be used in theaters, beer halls and cabarets that provided private rooms in the back, as well as in roadside inns. Under the guise of places of culture and entertainment, the sex industry continued to flourish behind the scenes and increasingly developed its vocabulary of ambiguities. The advertisements in Paris and London referred literally or even to a different type of activity.
Both Indian, Italian and English brothels took form in the 18th century family businesses. A famous example was the house run by Madame Leah Davis, who employed her thirteen daughters there. It was located on the grounds of Versailles Louis XV's largest brothel in history, often called the Deer Park at the time. Madame du Barry was responsible for recruiting women there. The royal house welcomed girls aged 9 to 18. Until the age of 15, they were trained in ars amandi6 to then serve the king. When they reached the age of majority, they were married off to one of the courtiers, thus ending their service to the king.
However, the equally famous Madame Gourand brothel near Boulevard Sebastopol was considered the real mecca of pleasure of those times. Customers could get to it through the main entrance on Rue de Deux Portes and the intimate one on Rue Saint Sauveur, leading through the antiques shop. The brothel was famous for its rooms offering various attractions, including an infirmary full of special lifting machines the excitement of toys and aphrodisiacs, as well as La Salle de Voyeurs7, where the nobility and police spied on customers and then reported on their fun at police stations and manors. He described his visit to one of the luxurious Parisian brothels William Acton- “On entering, the guest discovers a strange aura of sensuality to which we are not capable accustomed in England. Here promiscuity manifests itself in a delightful splendor absent in other, more sober places. The owner of the house welcomes the guest and leads him to a small but well-lit living room where they are located women working there. They usually sit on sofas, elegantly dressed in colorful silks and skimpy corsets, their hair is beautifully styled and their hairstyles are the most fashionable. They are all arranged in an extremely artistic way, as if in a living painting, and each of them tries to assume the pose of some famous sculpture, certainly chosen to best demonstrate its particular charms.
In Europe at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, although sex work was punished cruelly, it was also easily available everywhere. The services of sex workers could be used in theaters, beer halls and cabarets that provided private rooms in the back, as well as in roadside inns. Under the guise of places of culture and entertainment, the sex industry continued to flourish behind the scenes and increasingly developed its vocabulary of ambiguities. The advertisements in Paris and London referred literally or even to a different type of activity.
Both Indian, Italian and English brothels took form in the 18th century family businesses. A famous example was the house run by Madame Leah Davis, who employed her thirteen daughters there. It was located on the grounds of Versailles Louis XV's largest brothel in history, often called the Deer Park at the time. Madame du Barry was responsible for recruiting women there. The royal house welcomed girls aged 9 to 18. Until the age of 15, they were trained in ars amandi6 to then serve the king. When they reached the age of majority, they were married off to one of the courtiers, thus ending their service to the king.
However, the equally famous Madame Gourand brothel near Boulevard Sebastopol was considered the real mecca of pleasure of those times. Customers could get to it through the main entrance on Rue de Deux Portes and the intimate one on Rue Saint Sauveur, leading through the antiques shop. The brothel was famous for its rooms offering various attractions, including an infirmary full of special lifting machines the excitement of toys and aphrodisiacs, as well as La Salle de Voyeurs7, where the nobility and police spied on customers and then reported on their fun at police stations and manors. He described his visit to one of the luxurious Parisian brothels William Acton- “On entering, the guest discovers a strange aura of sensuality to which we are not capable accustomed in England. Here promiscuity manifests itself in a delightful splendor absent in other, more sober places. The owner of the house welcomes the guest and leads him to a small but well-lit living room where they are located women working there. They usually sit on sofas, elegantly dressed in colorful silks and skimpy corsets, their hair is beautifully styled and their hairstyles are the most fashionable. They are all arranged in an extremely artistic way, as if in a living painting, and each of them tries to assume the pose of some famous sculpture, certainly chosen to best demonstrate its particular charms.
Paris definitely deserved to be called the capital of love back then. The unparalleled theatrical practices of brothels stood out from other countries, and French courtesans were an inspiration for many other nationalities of sex workers. From 1860, colonial ships leaving European ports headed for the New World brought the first sex workers there. They were all deported from the colonies. Brothels spread rapidly throughout America's cities, which worried conservatives. The most famous of these was Reverend McDowall, who published an article with the names and addresses of hundreds of brothels, revealing the secrets of their promiscuous activities. As you can easily guess, the publication, despite the author's intentions, became a useful guide. Among many sex employers known in the industry, such as Irene McReady aka "The Countess", Ah Toy or Belle Cora, a unique offer Madame Gabrielle stood out. Her brothel called "The Merry Flea" offered an unusual attraction called the "virgins' room". The alleged deflowering of women by customers took place in a special room. The second group of customers took seats in the audience and watched the spectacle.
The other Californian coast attracted gold seekers, and thus sex workers, who accepted payment in lumps of gold for the services offered. These were often exorbitant amounts, thanks to which the local brothels moved from tents to elegant saloons. Houses began to offer a wide range of offers entertainment. Bars and casinos were established there. The huge demand for sexual services in San Francisco has developed a market. From there, sex work spread to other mining towns such as Cripple Creek in Colorado and Butte in Montana. However, New Orleans became the main city of pleasure. Thousands of criminals and sex workers banished from the old continent ended up there.
The city was distinguished by its diverse ethnicity, which aroused great interest and diversified the industry paid sex. The offer includes the fashionable dance fandango9. Free dance shows were held in adapted rooms, which turned out to be a great way to encourage people customers to use paid services on the floor. Dance salons were gradually replaced by reception houses. Their organizers Minh Ha Ha, Kate Towsend, Fanny Sweet and Hattie Hamilton gave new meanings to the activities of sex employers. Women have achieved enormous power thanks to their influence. However, sex money began to invest in the trafficking of white women, alcohol and drug trafficking and other black market activities. Due to the growing criminal activity, it was decided to introduce legal regulations that would stop them.
The other Californian coast attracted gold seekers, and thus sex workers, who accepted payment in lumps of gold for the services offered. These were often exorbitant amounts, thanks to which the local brothels moved from tents to elegant saloons. Houses began to offer a wide range of offers entertainment. Bars and casinos were established there. The huge demand for sexual services in San Francisco has developed a market. From there, sex work spread to other mining towns such as Cripple Creek in Colorado and Butte in Montana. However, New Orleans became the main city of pleasure. Thousands of criminals and sex workers banished from the old continent ended up there.
The city was distinguished by its diverse ethnicity, which aroused great interest and diversified the industry paid sex. The offer includes the fashionable dance fandango9. Free dance shows were held in adapted rooms, which turned out to be a great way to encourage people customers to use paid services on the floor. Dance salons were gradually replaced by reception houses. Their organizers Minh Ha Ha, Kate Towsend, Fanny Sweet and Hattie Hamilton gave new meanings to the activities of sex employers. Women have achieved enormous power thanks to their influence. However, sex money began to invest in the trafficking of white women, alcohol and drug trafficking and other black market activities. Due to the growing criminal activity, it was decided to introduce legal regulations that would stop them.
The obligation to have a permit to own a brothel was introduced, which, however, resulted in many more establishments appearing. Guides to the addresses of the sex industry and descriptions of services have also been developed. Such a rich offer required classification.
At that time, there were places called residences, sports houses, tryst houses, brothels, whore houses, cubicles and gambling dens. “The rooms were entered through shops with bars entrance; most of the women working there were Asian. There were houses of whores in the port. Tryst houses sublet rooms to the most sinful lovers.
Brothels were just brothels, and sports houses - at least in principle - places of rest for racing enthusiasts. Mansions, also called reception houses, were at the top of this hierarchy for their luxury and splendor. The luxury of the high-end establishments was almost as indecent as the services provided there.”
At that time, there were places called residences, sports houses, tryst houses, brothels, whore houses, cubicles and gambling dens. “The rooms were entered through shops with bars entrance; most of the women working there were Asian. There were houses of whores in the port. Tryst houses sublet rooms to the most sinful lovers.
Brothels were just brothels, and sports houses - at least in principle - places of rest for racing enthusiasts. Mansions, also called reception houses, were at the top of this hierarchy for their luxury and splendor. The luxury of the high-end establishments was almost as indecent as the services provided there.”
The two most famous brothels advertised in the guide, the Blue Book of New Orleans. Josie Arlington described her establishment as "Absolutely and without a doubt the most exquisite and luxurious Gaming House Americans have ever seen." The advertisement for Lillian White's Mahogany Salon read: 'The place is four stories high and made of marble. It has five elegantly furnished living rooms and five bedrooms. All rooms have an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water and an adjacent toilet. There is also the latest model of an elevator that can accommodate two people. The entire house is heated by a steam heating system. The house is beautiful, one of a kind and only here you can afford to be carried away three times: indulge yourself on the upper floor, have fun on the ground floor and have fun in the bedroom.” Luxury has become an argument for the rising prices of services. The premises have their own appearance They elegantly encouraged customers to leave larger amounts of money in brothels. In 1898, the Storyville neighborhood was established. The New Orleans equivalent of the Japanese Yoshiwara. Sex workers were not allowed to live or practice outside the district. Its resident, Nel Kimball, started engaging in sex work at the age of 15. In her establishment, she imposed strict rules on her employees and wrote a full daily schedule, including free time and meal breaks. The place was distinguished by a variety of entertainment, and the employees fulfilled every customer's fantasy. They dressed up as horsewomen, ballerinas or little girls. Nel went down in history as the most famous brothel madam due to the complete business mechanism she created. She paid a percentage of her daily earnings to the police and city authorities, paid bills, cleaned the premises and paid salaries for her employees. Inspired by their business model, sisters Ada and Minna Everleigh in northern Mississippi created the most profitable and luxurious brothel on the West Coast. The huge estate consisted of many three-story houses with a library and an art gallery. The interior included 14 living rooms with adjacent bedrooms with mirrored ceilings, as well as themed alcoves. The rooms, called colors, were characterized by an array of decorations and eccentric items, such as a gold-covered piano. The gold, silver and copper rooms were intended for magnates. The house was also proud of its rich gastronomic offer. In the daily menu, customers could find items such as baked swan, spicy crayfish or rotisserie pigeon. The workers started the day with an aperitif that stimulated gastric juices, in the form of mussel juice and aspirin. They ate a hearty breakfast of eggs, clam cake, kidneys and toast. On one evening, customers left hundreds of dollars at the Everleigh Club. Huge amounts of tribute imposed on the industry sexual activity killed the residence. However, this brothel model operated for over 12 years and became an inspiration for subsequent American pleasure clubs. Mississippi was the first state to introduce regulations to organize the industry, introducing a register of sex workers, a ban on external house signs, and eliminating red lights. Although with restrictions, their activities were legalized.
Another important city was undoubtedly New York. In 1893, it had the most sex workers in the world. Mainly emigrant women were recruited and recruited in New York, and then transported to brothels in other American states. However, this city also had its exclusive lupanars. The first called "The Seven Sisters" and the second, led by Josephine Word. Next to them there were many premises of the lowest category, which they survived thanks to migratory waves of women. The golden age of American brothels lasted from the end of the 19th century to the first decade of the 20th century. Then the industry moved into a gray zone, thanks to the Mann Act, which banned the transportation of underage girls to other states and set the age of majority at 18.
Another important city was undoubtedly New York. In 1893, it had the most sex workers in the world. Mainly emigrant women were recruited and recruited in New York, and then transported to brothels in other American states. However, this city also had its exclusive lupanars. The first called "The Seven Sisters" and the second, led by Josephine Word. Next to them there were many premises of the lowest category, which they survived thanks to migratory waves of women. The golden age of American brothels lasted from the end of the 19th century to the first decade of the 20th century. Then the industry moved into a gray zone, thanks to the Mann Act, which banned the transportation of underage girls to other states and set the age of majority at 18.
At the beginning of the 20th century in Buenos Aires, Noe Trauman of Polish origin founded La Varsovia, the Jewish Association for Mutual Aid. The organization had over five hundred members and had the support of Buenos Aires' elites, including politicians and judges. It was a chain of over 3,000 brothels and one of the most profitable businesses in Argentina. The Jewish diaspora condemned the ssociation's activities and denied its members access to the synagogue. Polish women were brought in to work in Noe brothels. Women who did not know Spanish, and were usually illiterate, were persuaded to come with the promise of a new, high-quality life. In fact, Polish women married Argentinian men, but immediately after the wedding they ended up in one of Trauman's brothels.
In pre-war Poland and just after World War I, a specific approach to sexuality, full of hypocrisy, could be observed. Society condemned the sex industry while giving it full permission to operate. Ongoing discussions on the liberal approach to sex work accompanied the treatment of women as objects. At the same time, a large part of male representatives believed that a visit to the pleasure house would turn a boy into a man.
“Prostitution was extremely embedded in urban culture. There was as much as a street too often the heroine of backyard ballads: Zoÿka Florianka, Ulicznica, Czarna Maÿka, Ruda Maÿka, Klawa Maÿka. It was also a synonym of poverty and decline, associated with shady premises, gates and alleys of Wola, the outskirts of Czerniaków, and the labyrinths of outbuildings in ÿródmieÿcie. Usually poor and hungry, exploited and exposed to constant abuse violence and exploitation from pimps, but also completely different ones, consciously choosing this one road, prostitutes were one of the city's shamefully hidden images. “The whole of Poland, including Warsaw, had a problem with the topic of sex and didn't really know how to approach it.” Drastic action could have been taken and the sex industry outlawed.
However, there were fears that this would have the opposite effect. The Church published lists of books that it considered indecent. The works of Balzac and Victor Hugo, among others, were considered such. Karol Irzykowski considered the portrayal of sex workers in films to be reprehensible. One of those denied by Irzykowski was a film based on the novel by Gabriela Zapolska entitled "What is not talked about" from 1924.
However, the biggest problem in pre-war Europe was human trafficking. In 1923, the secretariat of the League of Nations initiated an international convention for the suppression of pornographic publications. This fight against fornication and human trafficking has in fact unwittingly become a fight against sexuality.
After dark, Warsaw changed its face. On the streets, in cafes and restaurants such as Adria and Zodiak, one could meet sex workers walking, accompanying them at tables or sipping cognac, their appearance not standing out like their predecessors, the pre-war cocottes. Sex workers were a significant part Warsaw landscape. Dr. Irena Sarmacka's survey tried to answer the swirling questions of who the street daughters of Warsaw were. Many women started working sexual intercourse at the age of 13, often at the request of their parents. This was one of the reasons for the spread of the illiteracy problem at that time. The girls usually came from working- class neighborhoods. Poverty reigned in their homes, and sex work was a normalized activity in their social circle. Sometimes it is even the only known way to achieve a higher financial level than that provided by a low working salary. Many women who came to work as servants fell victim the myth of the big city. Their ideas about Warsaw, which seemingly had something to offer more opportunities and was intended to help fulfill their dreams, it often offered them jobs exclusively in the sex industry. Sex workers could be found in the areas of the Main Railway Station, Marszaÿkowska and Nowy ÿwiat, near police stations VI, VII and X.
However, there were fears that this would have the opposite effect. The Church published lists of books that it considered indecent. The works of Balzac and Victor Hugo, among others, were considered such. Karol Irzykowski considered the portrayal of sex workers in films to be reprehensible. One of those denied by Irzykowski was a film based on the novel by Gabriela Zapolska entitled "What is not talked about" from 1924.
However, the biggest problem in pre-war Europe was human trafficking. In 1923, the secretariat of the League of Nations initiated an international convention for the suppression of pornographic publications. This fight against fornication and human trafficking has in fact unwittingly become a fight against sexuality.
After dark, Warsaw changed its face. On the streets, in cafes and restaurants such as Adria and Zodiak, one could meet sex workers walking, accompanying them at tables or sipping cognac, their appearance not standing out like their predecessors, the pre-war cocottes. Sex workers were a significant part Warsaw landscape. Dr. Irena Sarmacka's survey tried to answer the swirling questions of who the street daughters of Warsaw were. Many women started working sexual intercourse at the age of 13, often at the request of their parents. This was one of the reasons for the spread of the illiteracy problem at that time. The girls usually came from working- class neighborhoods. Poverty reigned in their homes, and sex work was a normalized activity in their social circle. Sometimes it is even the only known way to achieve a higher financial level than that provided by a low working salary. Many women who came to work as servants fell victim the myth of the big city. Their ideas about Warsaw, which seemingly had something to offer more opportunities and was intended to help fulfill their dreams, it often offered them jobs exclusively in the sex industry. Sex workers could be found in the areas of the Main Railway Station, Marszaÿkowska and Nowy ÿwiat, near police stations VI, VII and X.
At the same time, there was a luxurious brothel in Germany known as Salon Kitty. It was hosted by Kitty Schmidt. Its regular guests were mainly politicians, diplomats and government officials. In fact, the entire building was a spy point established by the Gestapo, surrounded by a mass of microphones transmitting a signal to the control located in its basement. Not every woman could work at Salon Kitty. The police carried out a careful selection female employees employed there. The 20 most attractive women who spoke foreign languages and were loyal to Hitler were selected. They were taught to recognize civilian uniforms and badges and ordered to report sexual encounters. This unique brothel uncovered international secrets, but also tested the loyalty of party members to Hitler. Kitty was forced to run the premises and maintain complete secrecy under the threat of deportation to a concentration camp. Since 1942, as many as 10 brothels have been established in concentration camps. The purpose of their founding was to improve employee productivity and prevent the spread of homosexuality.
The camp command kept a register of customers. Sex workers were usually prisoners of German origin, most often serving sentences for their work sexual intercourse, but also for a suspicious lifestyle and frequent job changes recognized by the services. Women were also used for medical tests related to venereal diseases. Female prisoner workers were forced to have sexual intercourse with up to 15 clients in one night. The man responsible for the creation and coordination model of these brothels was Heinrich Himmler.
In 1977, a scandal broke out in Sweden. One of the Swedish dailies revealed the existence of a luxurious brothel of ministers and high-ranking politicians of Olof Palme's government. The problem was not the existence of this place, but the fact that the employees there keeping company with the customers were underage. However, the Prime Minister himself denied this information. The Swedish secret service considered the premises a threat to state security. Doris Hopps, the owner of the brothel, was arrested and an intensive investigation began with the use of telephone wiretapping. Only years later, when two women decided to sue the state for moral wrongs suffered because they were 14 years old while working in the brothel, the prime minister's lie was revealed.
In 2004, in a Moscow venue called Rasputin, many politicians of the Balearic Islands tried to pay for tickets with public money. The brothel became famous all over the world thanks to the attraction it offered, which was eating sushi from the naked body of a geisha.
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The sex industry today
Modern Japan is famous in the sex industry mainly due to its peculiar rituals and fetishes. In Kabukicho,
in brothels such as Mile, June, Kaiten, Chikan and Fast Women, customers fulfill their original fantasies. Together with sex workers dressed as stewardesses, they travel by plane and act out a wedding night with a stylized bride. Accompanied by ladies, they take a bath in a jelly bathtub or choose the one whose services they want from among the women lying on the dining table. Fancy tryst houses offer a wide range of themed rooms resembling a prison, a school classroom or a train, while overweight fetishists will find their place in Mammoth.
in brothels such as Mile, June, Kaiten, Chikan and Fast Women, customers fulfill their original fantasies. Together with sex workers dressed as stewardesses, they travel by plane and act out a wedding night with a stylized bride. Accompanied by ladies, they take a bath in a jelly bathtub or choose the one whose services they want from among the women lying on the dining table. Fancy tryst houses offer a wide range of themed rooms resembling a prison, a school classroom or a train, while overweight fetishists will find their place in Mammoth.
When we talk about today's sex industry, we cannot ignore the Red District, known for its windows, from behind which thousands of tourists admire the charms of women. Amsterdam is characterized by lavish sex work. Those rooms with showcases are rented to sex workers on an hourly basis.
In Hamburg, female workers can be seen showing themselves on Herbertstrasse and in
the windows of the lower floors of nearby buildings.
Plato's Asylum, established in New York in the late 1960s, is a brothel that is still functioning today. The place accepts exchanging couples partners and customers of entertainment such as tea rooms, electronic games and discos. Only homosexuals and homosexual couples are allowed to enter the premises. The owners of the premises also introduced a franchise system to develop their business in large cities.
In Hamburg, female workers can be seen showing themselves on Herbertstrasse and in
the windows of the lower floors of nearby buildings.
Plato's Asylum, established in New York in the late 1960s, is a brothel that is still functioning today. The place accepts exchanging couples partners and customers of entertainment such as tea rooms, electronic games and discos. Only homosexuals and homosexual couples are allowed to enter the premises. The owners of the premises also introduced a franchise system to develop their business in large cities.
Types of services
Today, brothels operate mainly in private apartments or behind the scenes of nightclubs and other entertainment venues. We can also meet women offering sexual services in restaurants, bars, cafes, on the streets, in front of entertainment venues, also late at night and at dawn. "Play girls" or "party girls" act as partners participating in social gatherings. Today, they are more often called "agents", but employed by escort agencies. Sex workers also provide their services on roadsides and parking lots. On busy roads they wait for customers, who are usually professional drivers. The next category of services is call girls. These employees only accept regular clients or those who are contacted by recommendation. A related type of service to call girls is escort. They offer also the possibility of accompanying clients to meetings, banquets and other events. With technical development and the growing demand for new forms of sexual satisfaction, the sex business has expanded its range of services. Workers who often become globally recognizable are porn actresses and photo models who pose for pornographic publications. Telephone sex and sex chat are services performed remotely and anonymously. A very popular type of work in today's sex industry is sex cams. Women working in private apartments or rented rooms broadcast live coverage to website clients.
They virtually fulfill their fantasies, undress, masturbate and engage in erotic conversations. Virtual sex services are growing rapidly. Video girls often become recognizable online and develop parallel careers in the porn and social media industries. Today's go-go clubs in Poland usually invite only men. Inside, dancers present their charms, and hostesses accompany customers by drinking drinks with them. Dancers also offer clients private dance for an additional fee. Dominatrixes are supposedly among the highest earners in the industry. Their work involves paid domination, including physical and mental humiliation of clients, and usually takes place in well-equipped private premises. Another position in the sex industry is fidelity testing, which is a combination of escort and detective services. More and more testing agencies are being established in Poland due to high demand. People who use the services of these offices are usually partners who suspect cheating, as well as their relatives or family.
They virtually fulfill their fantasies, undress, masturbate and engage in erotic conversations. Virtual sex services are growing rapidly. Video girls often become recognizable online and develop parallel careers in the porn and social media industries. Today's go-go clubs in Poland usually invite only men. Inside, dancers present their charms, and hostesses accompany customers by drinking drinks with them. Dancers also offer clients private dance for an additional fee. Dominatrixes are supposedly among the highest earners in the industry. Their work involves paid domination, including physical and mental humiliation of clients, and usually takes place in well-equipped private premises. Another position in the sex industry is fidelity testing, which is a combination of escort and detective services. More and more testing agencies are being established in Poland due to high demand. People who use the services of these offices are usually partners who suspect cheating, as well as their relatives or family.
The contractor receives all necessary detailed information about the suspect from the ordering party. Based on them, he works out the person and tries to build a relationship, and often a rapprochement, which he discreetly records. Sex workers' clients are ordinary men, apparently often living in the city and may come from various social classes. Customers are mainly those who have no obligations and derive pleasure from having sex on demand and for a fee. Customers expect a different type of service. Because it takes longer to bring them to orgasm, sexual services for women they are definitely more expensive. Today, there is complete equality in the provision of sexual services. Previously, society and the sex industry saw almost exclusively women in this profession. Today, a variety of sexual services are provided by both women and men.
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Compulsion or choice
Katarzyna Charkowska in the book "The phenomenon of prostitution in the experiences of prostituted women" describes research conducted on sex workers. When asked why they started sex work, they tell their stories. Various factors influenced their decision. Each of the women surveyed had different experiences. Based on the presented research, we could only conclude that personality conditions may have an impact, which is similar to any profession practiced in society. It is common knowledge in society that...
people involved in sex work usually come from a pathological environment or a dysfunctional home, although in fact one in ten women surveyed is in such a situation. A large number of women talk about gaining pleasure and satisfying their sexual needs through their
activities. However, they all unanimously claim that the main incentive to take up work was the economic factor. The women justified their choice by their difficult financial situation, but mainly by higher financial expectations, comfort, easy earnings and quick financial independence. The sex worker makes a dry calculation of losses and profits. He chooses this profession because of its profitability. In most cases, women describe many attempts to earn money in other professions.
activities. However, they all unanimously claim that the main incentive to take up work was the economic factor. The women justified their choice by their difficult financial situation, but mainly by higher financial expectations, comfort, easy earnings and quick financial independence. The sex worker makes a dry calculation of losses and profits. He chooses this profession because of its profitability. In most cases, women describe many attempts to earn money in other professions.
They were mainly convinced by competitive earnings in less time.
Employees who have families gain more time to devote to themselves and their loved ones. They are able to provide children with better living conditions with less time. Other women who often decide to work in the sex industry are students. They decide to use sponsorship because
they do not have time to work full-time and want to support their studies and cover related costs. Often, the main factor that influences their decision to start working are their clients. It also happens that women are looking appreciated by men, and they, especially older ones, "rejuvenate" themselves through contact with younger women. They feel more attractive because they are happy interest of many customers. It also happens that husbands become their wives' employers. They are turned on by the mere knowledge that she is sleeping with other men.
Employees who have families gain more time to devote to themselves and their loved ones. They are able to provide children with better living conditions with less time. Other women who often decide to work in the sex industry are students. They decide to use sponsorship because
they do not have time to work full-time and want to support their studies and cover related costs. Often, the main factor that influences their decision to start working are their clients. It also happens that women are looking appreciated by men, and they, especially older ones, "rejuvenate" themselves through contact with younger women. They feel more attractive because they are happy interest of many customers. It also happens that husbands become their wives' employers. They are turned on by the mere knowledge that she is sleeping with other men.
Andrea (29) “It started with one person, the one who gave me money, so it was like he paid me. But she was a nice person who later, in a sense... sort of helped me, it's not about such literal statements as payment and sex. And maybe that's why it all started so gently. It wasn't like I went to some agency and had several people a day. True? No, I met very sporadically... and the rest... it was all so... well, very sporadic.”
Andrea's exposure to sex work began quite accidentally. She made an appointment to meet a man who, after spending the night with her, offered her money.
Fantasis (18) “The idea for prostitution came from an internet chat where many men offered me sponsorship in exchange for sex. This interested me. I thought to myself that I love sex, I don't have a permanent partner, so why shouldn't I meet such a man. I also think it started because of my failed relationship with a man I had been with for 3 years. A woman in love, abandoned, began look for tenderness among other guys... First, I looked among my friends. I've slept with a few. And then... I started doing it for money with strangers.”
Fantasis maintained contact with men who convinced her to provide sexual services in exchange for money. She also wonders whether the lack of tenderness in everyday life influenced her decision to engage in sexual work.
Pimping and peddling
In most cases, we should perceive sex work comprehensively. We could describe them as a triad, affecting many areas, which is the relationship between the employer, the sex worker and the client. Due to this, sex work is strongly associated with the criminal world in legal terms. This involves many risks for workers. Pimping is persuading another person to engage in sexual work. Merchantry, on the other hand, "may consist in, for example, acting as an intermediary between a sex-workers and clients, renting rooms in which she provides services (even if it is a car provided for a short time, e.g. by a taxi driver). The lawyer points out that facilitation (merchandising) must generally be in the nature of activities permanent, although it may also be the case that a one-time act of help creates a situation permanently facilitating prostitution.
The Supreme Court once commented on the nature of a website with sexual advertisements. The court found that a website with sexual advertisements is not a dealership.
Providing space on a website for sexual advertisements is a business activity and does not constitute providing assistance to engage in prostitution. In another situation, the court pointed out that if the defendants were transporting a person to work in a brothel in Germany, who was already engaged in prostitution in Poland, and through the defendants wanted to go to Germany with a view to higher earnings, if they did not use threats, force or did not use any other form of coercion or abduction, fraud, misrepresentation, abuse of power or weakness, giving or accepting payments or benefits to obtain the consent of a person having control over another person - such action can only be classified as bribery.
The Supreme Court once commented on the nature of a website with sexual advertisements. The court found that a website with sexual advertisements is not a dealership.
Providing space on a website for sexual advertisements is a business activity and does not constitute providing assistance to engage in prostitution. In another situation, the court pointed out that if the defendants were transporting a person to work in a brothel in Germany, who was already engaged in prostitution in Poland, and through the defendants wanted to go to Germany with a view to higher earnings, if they did not use threats, force or did not use any other form of coercion or abduction, fraud, misrepresentation, abuse of power or weakness, giving or accepting payments or benefits to obtain the consent of a person having control over another person - such action can only be classified as bribery.
Pimping is a situation in which financial benefits are derived from sexual work by a third party. “Pimping does not have to involve persuading another person to engage in prostitution (pimping) or facilitating it (peddling).
The crime of pimping is committed when a financial benefit is obtained.
The crime of pimping is committed when a financial benefit is obtained.
A pimp derives financial benefits from prostitution by another person, most often without any benefit in return or only for the so-called care. This care comes down to usually to collect receivables from customers. Encouraging (pimping) another person to engage in prostitution or facilitating it (trafficking) it must be aimed at achieving one's own financial gain. The same applies to deriving financial benefits from prostitution (pimping) by another person. As the name suggests, a pimp must obtain financial benefits. Deriving financial benefits is about obtaining benefits for yourself and for someone else. By financial gain absolutely every increase in property, avoidance or reduction of losses and reduction of debt must be understood. It is worth knowing from practice that, according to the position of common courts, if the erpetrator first encourages prostitution or facilitates it and then derives material benefits from this practice (and this is what happens most often in practice), the so-called co-penalized previous act. This means that the action of deriving financial benefits from prostitution by another person (pimping) "absorbs" the previous behavior in the form of pimping or peddling. (...) Each of the above three crimes is punishable by imprisonment of up to 3 years. However, if the subject of the behavior is a minor, i.e. a person under 18 years of age, then the perpetrator is subject to the penalty of imprisonment from 1 to 10 years.”
The relationship between an employee and a sex employer has had and continues to have a diverse nature. In the past, these relationships were often treated by women as partnerships, friendships, or relationships different intimacy. The employer was both a security guard and an intermediary, receiving financial benefits from this, and very often taking the entire income and giving the woman a fee. There were cases in which female workers who did not bring in sufficient profits were humiliated or beaten by their guardians. The files of the Szczecin police in the 1960s contain many cases of women being exploited in the above way. "he met [...] an 18-year-old woman to whom he promised marriage.
He took her to the outskirts to a barn, forced her to drink vodka, and then raped her. Then, by beating him, he forced her to commit prostitution, for which she earned money he took the money and drank it away, forcing her to drink vodka, which lasted for two years. In 1959, after she was severely beaten by a pimp, she made up her mind and testified about everything before the Citizens' Militia. The pimp was arrested by the prosecutor's order. The pimp's other two prostitutes found out that he had been arrested as a result of his testimony [...] - they beat her severely. [...] being now 20 years old, she is already a compulsive alcoholic, suffering from tuberculosis and syphilis”
He took her to the outskirts to a barn, forced her to drink vodka, and then raped her. Then, by beating him, he forced her to commit prostitution, for which she earned money he took the money and drank it away, forcing her to drink vodka, which lasted for two years. In 1959, after she was severely beaten by a pimp, she made up her mind and testified about everything before the Citizens' Militia. The pimp was arrested by the prosecutor's order. The pimp's other two prostitutes found out that he had been arrested as a result of his testimony [...] - they beat her severely. [...] being now 20 years old, she is already a compulsive alcoholic, suffering from tuberculosis and syphilis”
There are both women and men among pimps. According to information collected by Urszula Kozÿowska in the article "The dark side of the port city. “Pimping and pimping as an inherent element of prostitution” sex workers claimed that, unlike men, a female pimp did not use violence against them, but actually took care of their appearance and bought them gifts. This practice has accompanied sex work for years. The third side of the industry still operates without proper control.
Safety and health
Poland has been operating in an abolition model since the 1950s. It is based on criminalization pimping, pimping and peddling. In this model, sex workers are treated as victims and dependent individuals. The abolition model denies access to workers' rights and legal protection. It takes away access to insurance and also prevents the fight against exploitation in the workplace. The Swedish model, also known as the Nordic model, although most Nordic countries have not adopted it, is an extensive abolition model that also criminalizes customers. The EU Parliament adopted a resolution saying that EU countries should reduce demand for sex work by punishing clients rather than workers, while emphasizing that their work - whether voluntary or forced - violates dignity and human rights. “Instead of overly general regulations that have failed in both the Netherlands and Germany, we need a more problematic approach to prostitution. According to it, men who treat women's bodies as commodities would be punished, without criminalizing people who were forced in one way or another to provide sexual services - they justify MEPs. However, the resolution is not a binding legal act.”
Legalization is a legal model adopted in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. Legalization involves specific regulations regarding the sex industry. It is based on specific principles depending on the circumstances. The rules are very exclusionary. They commit to work in organized facilities and the inability to work independently.
Legalization also includes mandatory medical tests, specialist consultations and psychological, but also registration of identity documents to which they have access customers. It serves to provide better control, but does not address the real problems of the industry. Despite its name, it actually criminalizes a large group of sex workers.
Decriminalization is a legal model that removes all criminal sanctions from sex workers, clients and employers. Then the third party in the industry would be the employer, and would be bound by labor law, administrative law, and criminal law if it committed violence against sex workers.
Decriminalization is a legal model that removes all criminal sanctions from sex workers, clients and employers. Then the third party in the industry would be the employer, and would be bound by labor law, administrative law, and criminal law if it committed violence against sex workers.
Its employees would then be given the tools to assert their rights against employers. We can therefore conclude that decriminalization gives control over a third party of the industry.
Today, approximately 7,300 women are officially engaged in sexual work in Poland. Women workers usually receive from one to three customers a day, and women working on roads can see up to fifteen. High frequency of sexual contact usually leads to an increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections and also increases the risk of cervical cancer and pelvic inflammatory diseases.
There is an increased number of unwanted pregnancies among women involved in this work and abortions performed. Statistics in Poland also show an increase in the incidence of syphilis and gonorrhea, but these results are not fully reliable because few people perform preventive examinations. In addition to the bacterial infections mentioned above, people engaging in sexual intercourse are exposed to other infections, such as chlamydia, trachomatis, mycopalsma, genital granuloma, venereal ulcer, venereal ulcer or inguinal granuloma.
There are also viral infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes virus (HSV), as well as protozoal infections, i.e. vaginal trichomonas, parasitic diseases, e.g. lice, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cervicitis. and abnormal vaginal discharge.
There are also viral infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes virus (HSV), as well as protozoal infections, i.e. vaginal trichomonas, parasitic diseases, e.g. lice, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cervicitis. and abnormal vaginal discharge.
Wioletta Skrzypulec-Plinta and Magdalena Jagieÿo claim that women sex workers have very superficial knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases. According to them, 30% of infected women sex workers do not stop having sexual intercourse. Maintaining sexual abstinence, not engaging in oral intercourse, having protected sex, as well as preventive examinations and treatment prevent transmission of infections to sexual partners and reduce the risk of infections. According to the authors, sex tourism is the main problem that increases the risk of disease. However, due to the low attendance of people performing tests and no reports of patients, the number of cases is difficult to estimate. From January 1, 2009, a new provision in the Act of December 5, 2008 on preventing and combating infections and infectious diseases in humans has been in force. This provision restores free diagnosis, treatment including the administration of medications, and post- treatment follow-up for all patients with syphilis and gonorrhea, including uninsured people. By May 31, 2011, 14,562 Polish citizens were diagnosed with HIV infection. 2,576 cases of AIDS were recorded and 1,091 patients died. AIDS cases in the years 2006-2010 in the group of risky behaviors of heterosexual contacts, which undoubtedly include sexual work, were diagnosed in 20.6% of people. 75.8% of the entire surveyed population refused to provide the probable route of infection. Just a few years ago, HIV tests were rare among sex workers. In 2013, almost half of women sex workers surveyed by OBOP had never performed such a test. Only a few escort agencies provide health care and require their employees to undergo preventive examinations and provide a certificate of the absence of sexually transmitted infections. The way to prevent infections is certainly to perform vaccinations, systematic cytological checks and contraception.
Pay attention to proper body hygiene, especially intimate areas, to prevent dryness vagina through the use of lubricants, as well as the appropriate selection of condoms depending on the type of sexual intercourse. Sex itself should not be demonized.
It is an integral part of our lives and one of our physiological needs. You should also not suppress your sexual drive. This has negative consequences, both physical and emotional. A health- promoting approach to sex was described as early as 168 BC in Chinese culture, as well as in the writings of Islamic theologians, such as Muhammad Ibn Zakariyy, who stated that sexual activity has a positive effect on improving mood and even cures headaches.
Pay attention to proper body hygiene, especially intimate areas, to prevent dryness vagina through the use of lubricants, as well as the appropriate selection of condoms depending on the type of sexual intercourse. Sex itself should not be demonized.
It is an integral part of our lives and one of our physiological needs. You should also not suppress your sexual drive. This has negative consequences, both physical and emotional. A health- promoting approach to sex was described as early as 168 BC in Chinese culture, as well as in the writings of Islamic theologians, such as Muhammad Ibn Zakariyy, who stated that sexual activity has a positive effect on improving mood and even cures headaches.
“Suppressing the sexual drive never ends well, because it is limiting one of the strongest drives in our lives. This triggers the demons. Aggression, hostility towards people, in men - anti- feminism, and in women - anti-male attitude, irritability. It's in the realm of emotions. In addition, it causes great muscle tension, pelvic tension, and even somatic ailments. The hormonal system is dysregulated. Failure to meet such needs results in irritability in interpersonal relationships, with loved ones, and even worse work. When a drive is suppressed, people compensate for it, i.e. they resort to substitute activities."
Z. Lew-Starowicz How not to become my patient, Warsaw, 2021
It is worth emphasizing that sexual services are primarily a method of satisfying sexual needs. Both people who do not have a permanent partner and those who are sexually dissatisfied. Sex worker is a concept that combines all people mentioned in this work working in the sex industry, including sexual assistants participating in sexual therapy, as well as people with physical and mental disabilities.
Pride and prejudice
A modern woman goes to bed with a man for various reasons. In order to achieve pleasure, pleasant experiences, to give pleasure to your partner, for peace of mind, to lose weight and to look attractive, to soothe your nerves, to relax, as a substitute for stimulants, to increase your self- esteem, or to show gratitude for a gift... Such motivations for cohabitation appear in the research cited by Lew-Starowicz. Wanting to repay her partner for a gift, a woman encourages him to engage in sexual activity. Sex for promotion or money is a common social phenomenon, sometimes even a career path. The sexologist states that these are not isolated cases.
“I always say that we should have humility for our human nature. People who trust their mind and rational judgment of the world one hundred percent underestimate the power of emotions and instincts."
Z. Lew-Starowicz About a woman, Warsaw, 2011
Body-commodity
Along with the sex industry, human trafficking has been developing for centuries. Criminal
organizations successfully exploited the situation of illegal immigration in the 1960s. Since then, they have been kidnapping women and children under the guise of help and false promises. When they want escape the trap, the kidnappers expect them to repay debts that are beyond their capabilities.
More than 800,000 people, or even 1 million, are in this situation today, including the number
of children from poor countries sold to factories and the sex industry.
Today, this slave business turns over sums amounting to 10 billion dollars.
Sex work is also an itinerant profession. Most sex workers are migrants. In Poland, for years it was Bulgarian and Ukrainian women. Today's world changed. With little effort and resources, you can have sex for free, even via dating apps. There is no confirmed information today about the activities of pimps near the Polish border. At the beginning of the war, information was released about women kidnapped at the border into brothels. This fake news was intended to make women afraid and not go to Poland. These situations cannot be confirmed.
organizations successfully exploited the situation of illegal immigration in the 1960s. Since then, they have been kidnapping women and children under the guise of help and false promises. When they want escape the trap, the kidnappers expect them to repay debts that are beyond their capabilities.
More than 800,000 people, or even 1 million, are in this situation today, including the number
of children from poor countries sold to factories and the sex industry.
Today, this slave business turns over sums amounting to 10 billion dollars.
Sex work is also an itinerant profession. Most sex workers are migrants. In Poland, for years it was Bulgarian and Ukrainian women. Today's world changed. With little effort and resources, you can have sex for free, even via dating apps. There is no confirmed information today about the activities of pimps near the Polish border. At the beginning of the war, information was released about women kidnapped at the border into brothels. This fake news was intended to make women afraid and not go to Poland. These situations cannot be confirmed.
It is worth being aware that conventional war is combined with information warfare. The latter is equally dangerous, being a powerful tool of manipulation. Not every woman in the sex industry is aware of her rights, bodies and her being. Women may want to
take up sex work and not be prepared for it. This is verified by experience. For a woman, sex work is often associated with relatively high and relatively quick earnings. However, I do not agree with the statement that this is a safe job in the current legal model.
take up sex work and not be prepared for it. This is verified by experience. For a woman, sex work is often associated with relatively high and relatively quick earnings. However, I do not agree with the statement that this is a safe job in the current legal model.
“How much does a person cost?
It has declined significantly over the last almost four hundred years.
In 17th-century Siam, a man had to pay 218.75 baht, and for
woman 187.50. Rice, on the other hand, was widely available and therefore virtually non-existent prices.
In the 19th century, a man cost 80-160 baht, a woman 60-100, and a child 40-60. This
the cost of at least seven tons of rice for a child, ten for a woman, thirteen for a man.
It has declined significantly over the last almost four hundred years.
In 17th-century Siam, a man had to pay 218.75 baht, and for
woman 187.50. Rice, on the other hand, was widely available and therefore virtually non-existent prices.
In the 19th century, a man cost 80-160 baht, a woman 60-100, and a child 40-60. This
the cost of at least seven tons of rice for a child, ten for a woman, thirteen for a man.
Today, the price of a human varies between 10,000 and 30,000 baht.
This is the price of 500-1000 kilograms of rice.
Until 1905, the price was set by the authorities, which made transactions much easier. Today it is not
known how to determine it. Should a woman be more expensive than a man? And the baby?
Should we count them separately or together with the woman?
Other questions also arise. Which man can be bought and which cannot? How long can you keep it?
Forever? Or maybe until we pay back the amount for which it was purchased? How much is the interest
on such debt?
Until 1905, the rules were defined by law.
You could get a human as a gift from a friend.
A person could be inherited.
(...)You could simply take a person away if he wasn't anyone's person yet
property.
(...)A man could give his wife and children to someone if he was in debt and had no money for them
repayment. (It was only after 1887 that a provision was introduced that the wife and children must consent to this agreement)."
This is the price of 500-1000 kilograms of rice.
Until 1905, the price was set by the authorities, which made transactions much easier. Today it is not
known how to determine it. Should a woman be more expensive than a man? And the baby?
Should we count them separately or together with the woman?
Other questions also arise. Which man can be bought and which cannot? How long can you keep it?
Forever? Or maybe until we pay back the amount for which it was purchased? How much is the interest
on such debt?
Until 1905, the rules were defined by law.
You could get a human as a gift from a friend.
A person could be inherited.
(...)You could simply take a person away if he wasn't anyone's person yet
property.
(...)A man could give his wife and children to someone if he was in debt and had no money for them
repayment. (It was only after 1887 that a provision was introduced that the wife and children must consent to this agreement)."
Urszula Jabÿoÿska A man at an affordable price. Reportages from Thailand Warsaw, 2017, p. 134
Sex work is treated as part of the black market. It is equated with human trafficking, gambling, drugs, theft or robbery. In the eyes of society, a woman who works as a sex worker completely loses respect. She is condemned to insults, inappropriate comments, finger pointing and exclusion from the community.
When in 2005, a Polish member of the European Parliament was accused of raping a sex worker, Andrzej Lepper came to his defense, asking with a smile, "How can you rape a prostitute?" Ultimately, in 2008,
When in 2005, a Polish member of the European Parliament was accused of raping a sex worker, Andrzej Lepper came to his defense, asking with a smile, "How can you rape a prostitute?" Ultimately, in 2008,
the Belgian justice system discontinued the proceedings and Bogdan Golik was acquitted. The above situation shows the main problem, which is prejudice against sex workers. His reason is their treatment as objects. A man using sexual services rarely understands that he is buying a woman's time, not her body, as an
object of trade. Women performing this profession are not treated socially as people providing services, but as goods. Regardless of the motivation behind the decision to use paid sexual services, it can be unanimously stated that without demand, the sex industry would not exist. Because women offering sexual services are treated as commodities, they are pushed to the margins of society, which only contributes to them being left to
their own devices, without insurance, rights or any care. This also contributes to the development of the
human trafficking market. In public discourse, there is a strong connection between sex work and human trafficking. In the feminist discourse, observed mainly in the United States, the prevailing worldview
assumes an abolitionist approach, i.e. one that treats every manifestation of sexual work as trafficking in women. In Europe, the result of such thinking is the Swedish model. Conscious feminist discourse should never consider women as a dependent entity.
object of trade. Women performing this profession are not treated socially as people providing services, but as goods. Regardless of the motivation behind the decision to use paid sexual services, it can be unanimously stated that without demand, the sex industry would not exist. Because women offering sexual services are treated as commodities, they are pushed to the margins of society, which only contributes to them being left to
their own devices, without insurance, rights or any care. This also contributes to the development of the
human trafficking market. In public discourse, there is a strong connection between sex work and human trafficking. In the feminist discourse, observed mainly in the United States, the prevailing worldview
assumes an abolitionist approach, i.e. one that treats every manifestation of sexual work as trafficking in women. In Europe, the result of such thinking is the Swedish model. Conscious feminist discourse should never consider women as a dependent entity.
Vocabulary
Sex-working (in Polish - sex work) is an activity or employment closely related to the satisfaction of
sexual desire and sexual attractiveness. Based on the definition of the PWN dictionary, the word sex means all matters and activities related to the satisfaction of sexual desire or someone's sexual
attractiveness25. The word work of British origin when translated into Polish means work, which the dictionary defines as deliberate human activity aimed at producing specific material or cultural goods; occupation, employment as a source of income; also: the institution where one works for pay, as
well as the functioning of the body, organ or device.
sexual desire and sexual attractiveness. Based on the definition of the PWN dictionary, the word sex means all matters and activities related to the satisfaction of sexual desire or someone's sexual
attractiveness25. The word work of British origin when translated into Polish means work, which the dictionary defines as deliberate human activity aimed at producing specific material or cultural goods; occupation, employment as a source of income; also: the institution where one works for pay, as
well as the functioning of the body, organ or device.
Language best documents socio-cultural phenomena and attitudes towards them. Texts on sexuality
rarely appear in the linguistic literature. However, women's eroticism is described more often than men's.
More than four hundred phrases of the dictionary system with various emotional connotations contain contemptuous, vulgar, colloquial and permissive words, usually associated with intra-group shame. The women's names defining the then attitude towards her sexual attractiveness and sex itself are important. Renata Przybylska in the article "Contemporary Polish erotic vocabulary" defines their basis as the classification of women into decent and promiscuous. The latter, which were also considered sex workers, were referred to
rarely appear in the linguistic literature. However, women's eroticism is described more often than men's.
More than four hundred phrases of the dictionary system with various emotional connotations contain contemptuous, vulgar, colloquial and permissive words, usually associated with intra-group shame. The women's names defining the then attitude towards her sexual attractiveness and sex itself are important. Renata Przybylska in the article "Contemporary Polish erotic vocabulary" defines their basis as the classification of women into decent and promiscuous. The latter, which were also considered sex workers, were referred to
in colloquial speech as penitents, courtesans, whores, whores, whores, luxury ladies, mewki, rosówka, plantów, hotely, street girls, truckers, samodajki, assholes, university girls, cousins , ladies.
In addition, phrases defining the attitude to sexual abstinence - virtue, to prudishness - quiet, and terms referring directly to appearance - dumplings, scarabundy, cows, shantraps, canes, dolls. All these terms I mentioned are
only part of a rich set of everyday speech words that, in a vulgar or ironic way, manifest social mechanisms of categorizing, assessing and marginalizing women. The most popular direct term for a sex
only part of a rich set of everyday speech words that, in a vulgar or ironic way, manifest social mechanisms of categorizing, assessing and marginalizing women. The most popular direct term for a sex
worker in everyday speech is a prostitute. The word is a combination of the Latin words pro and statuere, from Latin. prostitute and French prostituee literally means to put oneself up for sale. Today it is considered a stigmatizing word due to the commodification accompanying this term. This concerns
the relationship between the commodity and the body that I developed in the earlier chapter.
the relationship between the commodity and the body that I developed in the earlier chapter.
The dimension of morality
Even in the 19th century, women had no rights. Education was usually out of reach for her. The man decided what she could and couldn't do. Every decision had to have his approval, regardless of whether it was a husband, father or other male relative. However, deprived of financial support, she undertook work that they were often not enough to support her. Because of this, she was labeled a harlot.
A single woman was pointed at by society. Today there are women educated and have full rights. Although the stereotype of a single woman existed in social consciousness for a long time, today we encounter it less and less often, especially in large cities. Despite many positive legal changes, cultural phenomena that have existed for centuries have had an impact on the perception of women and their sexuality. Foucault's analysis speaks of sexuality as an object of power relations. It combines discipline and the creation of "micropowers" in the body, i.e. a tool for controlling not only individuals, but the entire population. According to Foucault, the female body, thanks to its reproductive functions, can be the above-mentioned tool of control for the production of sexuality. So it becomes a tool of power. Social norms program us to have no knowledge about sexuality. In the 17th century, the authorities expected individuals to confess about sex. This was the first step towards tabooisation, causing a social sense of shame. An assessment mechanism was created that accompanied concepts such as deviations or deviations.
A single woman was pointed at by society. Today there are women educated and have full rights. Although the stereotype of a single woman existed in social consciousness for a long time, today we encounter it less and less often, especially in large cities. Despite many positive legal changes, cultural phenomena that have existed for centuries have had an impact on the perception of women and their sexuality. Foucault's analysis speaks of sexuality as an object of power relations. It combines discipline and the creation of "micropowers" in the body, i.e. a tool for controlling not only individuals, but the entire population. According to Foucault, the female body, thanks to its reproductive functions, can be the above-mentioned tool of control for the production of sexuality. So it becomes a tool of power. Social norms program us to have no knowledge about sexuality. In the 17th century, the authorities expected individuals to confess about sex. This was the first step towards tabooisation, causing a social sense of shame. An assessment mechanism was created that accompanied concepts such as deviations or deviations.
Morality is a set of social norms. The norms of conduct functioning in culture allowed by law, norms perpetuated by the religious or philosophical system, or moral laws determine what is good and what is evil. With social development, morality evolved, but reality still verified its validity and impotence.
Morality is always characterized by duality. It is a discrepancy between written law and life.
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