Page 17 - Vimarsha Volume 2

for economic gain (Wood, 2001). Internationally ratified conventions and labor laws
prohibiting employee as sewsx workers, and there is no real meaning for them.

Prostitution is currently illegal in all 50 states. Only in 12 rural countries in Nevada
is prostitution legal. Thirty-eight states strictly prohibit payment for sexual relations
(Flower, 1998). Commercial prostitution is seen as a social necessity for meeting the

sexual needs of men (Lerner, 1987).Primarily, there are many causal factors to
become personal sexuality into a commodity. The reasons why women’s sexuality is

a commercial commodity take on different forms such globally and locally. Wawer
emphasizes that domestic responsibilities, economic crisis and lack of household
economy forced women to involve in prostitution (Wawer et al., 1996). According to

some writers, the majority of women in sex work are illiterate, belong to lower castes
and are from poor economic backgrounds (Ramesh et al, 2008).Phoenix argues

Prevalence of prostitution due to prevailing poverty, peer pressure and family neglect
and the other significant causes were illiteracy and family breakdown (Phoenix,
1999).South Asian region plays an essential role in prostitution field. When

considering about Sri Lankan situation, prostitution in Sri Lanka is estimated
involving 40,000 women operating from streets, brothels, massage parlors, lodges or
hotels (Miller, 2002).

The emphasis on sexual purity in the Sri Lankan context also leaves these women
vulnerable to stigmatization and social exclusion (Miller, 2002). In Sri Lanka, the

Colombo area is the highest rate from female prostitution more than other areas.
There are undoubtedly many reasons and factors engaged women with prostitution
profession. There could be two different categories in this concern for taking

initiatives of women into sex work, voluntarily and involuntarily (UNESCO, 2002).
When taking into consideration locally affecting reasons which women sexuality is
becoming a too commercial commodity, Poverty plays an important role more than

other reasons. The cause of prostitution is the unequal social system created by the
political and economic system in the country (Priyantha, 2008). Through this study,
it aims to analyze causes which are affecting women to sell their sexuality and to

examine the nature of prostitution.

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