Prostitution: An urban social problem

Introduction: The term ‘prostitution’ is generally used to denote an act of sexual intercourse
which is characterized by barter, promiscuity and emotional indifference. According to G.R.
Scott, “A prostitute is an individual (male or female) who for some kind of reward (monetary or
otherwise) or for some other form of personal satisfaction and as a part or full time profession,
engages in normal or abnormal sexual intercourse with various persons who may be of the same
sex, or the opposite sex to the prostitute”. As the world’s oldest profession, prostitution has
undoubtedly existed in some form as long as society has attempted to regulate and control sex
relationships through the institutions of marriage and family. Society has not recognized it
because it brings in its train not only the personal disorganization of the persons concerned, but
also affects the life organization of the family and the community at large.

Some definitions:

 “Prostitution is an illicit sex union or a promiscuous and mercenary basis with

accompanying emotion indifference”. – Elliot and Merill
 “Prostitution is sexual intercourse on a promiscuous and mercenary basis with emotional
indifference.”- Clinard
 “Prostitution means the act of a female offering her bodies for promiscuous sexual
intercourse for hire, whether in money, or in kind.”- Suppression of Immoral Traffic in
Women and Girls Act, 1956

Forms of Prostitutes
 Common Prostitutes: The old and trained prostitutes generally procure girls and
maintain brothels and dens. The girls are exploited for purpose of prostitution. They are
provided fooding and clothing. The brothel keepers make money out of their earnings.
These prostitutes are mostly poorly paid and socially insulted.
 Hotel prostitutes: The hotel prostitutes are engaged by hotel keepers. They live in
private houses and are mostly luxury loving girls. They take the profession of prostitution
as a secondary job. They are summoned by the hotel keeper when needed to satisfy the
customers. They are also called “call-girls”.
 Decentralized Prostitutes: As a result of Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act the dens
and brothels have been liquidated. Consequently, prostitutes have been decentralized in
various parts of the cities where they independently carry their profession.
 Hereditary Prostitutes: In certain classes of society prostitution is handed down from
mother to daughter without any shame and immorality. In such families, girls are trained
in the art of dancing and singing. In Andhra they are called basvi and koyi; In Bihar and
 U.P. they are called, nuts and Berias. They are generally better trained and keep to one
man only.
 Religious Prostitutes: Prostitution in our country has also been encouraged by the old
religious customs. The Devdasi system still prevails in certain areas where girls are
dedicated to temples. These temple girls or sacred prostitutes are known by different
names viz. Devdasi in Kerala, Muril in Maharashtra, Basvi in Telangana and Jogathi in
Karnataka. The duty of these temple girls is to dance and sing before the idol on
ceremonial occasions.
 Prostitutes belonging to Backward and ex-criminal tribes: Prostitutes are also drawn
from the backward and ex-criminal tribes. They are especially found in Northern India.
Amongst these nomadic tribes, prostitution is prevalent in terms of customs. They
prostitute their girls without any social disgrace.
 Prostitutes who are victims of adverse conditions: Such prostitutes are generally
recruited from poor families. They are those who have adopted the profession due to
poverty and unemployment; young widows who are compelled to feel that they are a
burden on their families; ill-treated wives who lead a miserable and destitute life and
young girls who are unprotected and destitute from their families as they are often
abducted by outsiders and exposed to lead an immoral life.

Causes of Prostitution
 Economic factors: The chief cause for women or young girls accepting this profession is
their poverty. Mr. Bonger has discussed in detail about these economic factors which are
responsible for underprivileged girls entering prostitution, such as immoral environments,
early unemployment and poverty. Most of the prostitutes come from the underprivileged
economic groups. Their parents are unable to provide the proper physical or moral care
for their adolescent daughters. The morality of their children is endangered owing to
inadequate housing conditions where they were forced to sleep in the same room with
older persons. Early employment brings them into contact with immoral influences at an
age when they are not equipped to make their own definitions and decisions. In many
cases they are forced to work with men and women who give them a vicious initiation
into the techniques and practices of promiscuous sex relationships .The League of
Nations Advisory Committee on Social Questions also observes poverty, overcrowding
and low wages clearly contributory causes of prostitution.
 Vested interests: Highly profitable nature of the business makes many girls to resort to
prostitution. For the most part, the profit motive is important to the persons who operate
the houses of prostitution. In order to attract fresh recruits in form of young girls, an
elaborate organization is maintained. The specific function of this organization is to
interest young girls in prostitution and to keep them in the business when they have once
entered.
 Unhappy marital relations: Unhappy marital relations with the husband/wife cause
many women or few men to resort to prostitution. Loose habits of the husband/wife may
also lead to such an action.
 Social customs: The dogmatic social customs often hamper to the development of
personality. The dowry system, child marriage, prohibition of widow remarriage, the
system of polygamy, the dual standard of morality and caste system and the bride- price
are some of the factors which create unfavorable atmosphere in the family. As a result of
dowry system, Young girls are often forced to remain as spinsters. Similarly the Devdasi
system which was used to prevalent in South Indian states, often forced the young temple
devdasi girls to unmarried and to live as religious prostitutes.
 Attitude towards sex: In India, there is a peculiar attitude towards sex. Talks regarding
sex are looked down upon. Children and adolescents are kept ignorant from the true
knowledge of sex. Hence, the children cultivate knowledge towards sex from obscene
literature, films and magazines.
 Ill-treatment: In certain families daughter-in-law is not properly treated. She is generally
discarded by mother-in-law, sister-in-law or by the husband himself. In such
circumstances, women very often commit suicide or ran away from the house. When
such a woman leaves her family, she very often falls an easy prey to anti-social elements.
 Physiological factors: Physiological factors are also responsible in the commission of
prostitution. Feeblemindedness, unsatisfied sexual desire and lack of control of sexual
impulses create a rebellious attitude towards social norms.
 Rapid industrialization: Rapid industrialization is responsible for the acute shortage of
living and housing accommodation. The industrial workers are forced to leave their wives
in the rural areas. Consequently, in all industrial and commercial centers we find an
inequality of sexes. This inequality as pointed out by Whitely Commission’s report, leads
to an increase of prostitution and a subsequent spread of vulnerable diseases, first in city
and later in village with return of migratory laborer to his home.
 Unhealthy company and recreation: There are recreational factors which are involved
in the breakdown of woman. Drinking, gambling, dance halls, porn movies, bad
company, etc. are also some of the factors which lead a woman towards moral
disintegration.

Evil consequences of prostitution

 Dishonor of women
 Personal demoralization
 Family disorganization
 Decline in moral norms
 Increase in crime
 Community disorganization
Measures to remove prostitution

 Improvement in economic conditions

 Removal of social customary evils like dowry system
 Healthy sex education should be given in the family and in educational centers
 Proper publicity and socialization through mass media
 Legal punishment
 Rehabilitation of prostitutes
 Protective homes: According to the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls
Act, 1956, protective home means an institution in which women and girls may be kept.
It includes a shelter where female under trials may be kept just like remand homes; and, a
corrective institution in which women and girls rescued and detained may be imparted
training as are likely to conduce to their reformation.