Last year Laura Agustin wrote about UK job centers that received negative press because they included jobs in the adult industry among their offerings to those seeking employment. She offered a very useful breakdown of the types of jobs being offered and how many people ended up applying through the government funded centers. She also pointed out the problematic distinction of "legal" vs "illegal" work.
Yesterday she revisited the story, inspired by an article which begins:
"Government-run Jobcentre Plus offices in the United Kingdom are encouraging unemployed women to apply for work on X-rated websites."
It goes on to suggest that employment officers are pushing adult applications on unsuspecting and desperate women. The writer's focus on women is obviously strategic, but it's a bit of a head scratcher since, as Agustin reveals, more men than women apply for these jobs. If we're worried about exploitation, shouldn't we worry about anyone being exploited?
I was particularly struck by the quote attributed to a 19-year-old woman who wouldn't use her name, "so I'm desperate for work. But I'm not so desperate that I'm prepared to perform disgusting acts on an internet sex line."
This woman finds the idea of doing sex related work for money to be disgusting. Fair enough. Some people would find working in factory farms or the military or marketing, to be disgusting and morally reprehensible. Some might even say they only do it because they need the money.
The underlying message is that including sex related job postings is a form of coercion, since no one would ever choose to do sex-related work. This is, of course, ludicrous. Some people actually do choose to do this work. Others might do it as a second, fifth, or last resort. And absolutely, people will take this work out of desperation. The blame for this lies not with sex industries alone. It lays with all capitalist industries and really with all of us. This is the system we live in. People are exploited every day in their places of work, whether they work in the retail, financial, entertainment, non-profit, or almost any other sector.
The question is, who has the right to make decisions for others? Is it appropriate for the writer of this news story to say who can and can't work in a sex shop or massage parlor? Would it be appropriate for me to say no one can work at hedge funds because of their exploitative practices?
There is exploitation in the adult industry just like every other industry. It would be nice if we could all focus on reducing exploitation across the board, instead of having to spend time parsing the media's sex phobia so as to get to the actual story.
Read more - Laura Agustin: If you don't want the porn work, you don't answer the advert
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Your headline has nothing to do with your story. But your story also leaves something to be desired. Yes, we should focus on eliminating exploitation, but sex work is not universally exploitative – many are doing it because they truly want to and enjoy the work, not just the money. Many bring a sense of respect and even the sacred to their interactions. More so than some doctors I’ve known.
And in reaction to the headline – sex workers certainly CAN choose, if they’re not being exploited by a pimp. Sex workers have boundaries, too.
Inara
Hi Inara,
I’m sorry, I thought the sarcasm was clear (and if it wasn’t, I thought the part where I say people CAN choose this work was clear). The headline reflects the message embedded in the news coverage I’m writing about. Many people (not me) believe that anyone who is working in sex must be coerced. Again, that’s not my perspective at all, and the post was mostly meant to get people to read the two other pieces. Sorry I failed you there, but thanks for commenting.
The adult industry like any other business has rules and regulations in place to protect it’s employees. It is quite simply a business: Women working phone sex lines earn considerable profit for the same reason we buy food; it is something a particular market has a demand for, or that it is a product we need or want.
However there is most definately abuse and horrors purportrated by the illegal aspects of the sex and adult industry because there is simply no accounting for the actions of the ‘Pimps’.
In retrospect in answer to the main question not every woman does have a choice with regards to ‘recruitment’ within the sex and adult industry.
I have three good friends that are working the high end call girl seen.they love their work but scared as hell at the same time.It’s their choice and theirs alone. To make a point making 10,000 or more a month is easy ,compaired that to being unemployed. What would you decied?