Reframing Prostitution

Book excerpt: Prostitution has always fascinated the public and bewildered policy makers. Reframing Prostitution explores several aspects of this multidimensional phenomenon, examining different ways in which prostitution is and was being practised in different places and different times, best practices in the regulation of prostitution as well as wider social and psychological issues, such as the construction of prostitution as incivility or of prostitutes as a socially problematic group or as victimised individuals. The book also addresses normative questions with respect to policy making, unmasking the purposes behind certain societal reactions towards prostitution as well as proposing innovative solutions that could reconcile societal fears of exploitation and abuse while meeting the rights and needs of individuals voluntarily involved in prostitution. With contributions across social science disciplines, this international collection presents a valuable discussion on the importance of empirical studies in various segments of prostitution, highlights social contexts around it and challenges regulatory responses that frame our thinking about prostitution, promoting fresh debate about future policy directions in this area.