This photograph of
street prostitution bellows desperation of women to financially support
themselves. This lifestyle choice may be their only means of survival for
themselves and their children. In the photograph, women are dressed
provocatively awaiting anyone who is willing to pay for their sexual services.
Since the city is the center of the bright light syndrome, where young people are drawn to the city due to career opportunities and entertainment, prostitution may be prominent. Women are the prime suspects of prostitution which is an illegal act
according to the laws of Trinidad and Tobago.
(According to Ashworth, White and Winchester 1998) 'domination,
particularly in terms of space, is conflict generating.' The domination means that the prostitute has control over another person's body for some time. When prostitution is practiced in the streets or is made visible, it is often attached to
general degradation of life quality and stigmatization of areas, as dirty,
dangerous and depraved. These women are exposed to the elements of the city,
which includes crime, drugs, potential health risks, mugging and assault from
clients and they run the risk of being arrested by police patrol officers.
(Ashworth, White and Winchester 1998) state that the 'conflict
between prostitution and the urban space relates to the sexualisation of the
city and the production of moral geographies, and the consequent migration.' According to (Creswell 2005) moral geography is 'the idea that certain people, things and practices belong in certain spaces,places and landscapes and not in other.' As
such, sexual activities is perceived to be done privately, in private space and not openly in public space. Migration has led to conflict between prostitution and urban space as it has increased the number of poor people into the city and 'selling sex' is seen as the only means of survival.
Street prostitution is constantly stigmatized due to the concept of morality and its extreme mobility. Since the city can be perceived as dirty, dangerous and morally
corrupted, people attach the same attributes to street prostitutes within the
city. Mobility of street prostitution is free since the prostitutes are not
confined to a single area or street.
Reading:
Ashworth G., White, P. & Winchester, H. (1988). 'The Red-Light District in the West European City: A neglected aspect of urban landscape.' Geoforum 19, 201-12
