Just Love Margaret Farley Analysis

A prostitute is commonly known as someone that partakes in sexual activities in exchange for money. As a society they have been marked with derogatory labels such as “whore” or “hooker”. Our society has made prostitution a taboo endeavor that is not to be spoken of. It is looked down upon to partake in the act of prostitution whether is be by selling or buying. Christians have most publicly ridiculed prostitution. We can exam the ethical and unethical standpoints of prostitution through the guidelines of Margaret Farley’s Christian ethical framework delivered to us in her novel Just Love. Dating back further than 1910, prostitution has been an ongoing problem in the United States. In 1910, the Mann Act, also known as the White Slave Traffic

The first of Farley’s seven in her framework that is necessary to consider is doing no unjust harm. Prostitutes face harm such as being rape, beaten, and psychologically tormented. According to Farley, harm includes that of psychological, spiritual, and physical harm. Farley continues to point out that in sexual relations, one is vulnerable, left open to exploitation, beatings, and even rape (Farley 217). This treatment that they receive is unjust harm and is unethical according to Farley’s ethical framework. Prostitutes are now in some cases seen as a “victim of an immoral institution” (Green). A major form of prostitution that is necessary to examine in relation to the ethical condition of unjust harm is human trafficking. An organization called Traffick Free claims that there are 16,000 to 25,000 individuals in the Chicago area alone that are involved in prostitution and human trafficking (Dueholm 28). Society has taught us to blame the prostitute for the violent things that occur to them simply because they chose this profession. But this is a form of unjust harm unto the prostitute. Moloney states “to blame the vulnerable and the victimized rather than helping them is surely contrary to the care and concern modelled by Jesus” (14). With so many individuals are being enslaved and no in control of their own autonomy, human trafficking is complete

Farley describes free consent as “an obligation to respect the right of human persons to determine their own actions and their relationships in the sexual sphere” (218). It is considered unethical to condemn a prostitute if they have chosen, by free consent, to partake in prostitution as their profession. This decision, if made by the prostitute, can be used to argue that prostitution is ethical according to Farley’s ethical framework. In the case of sexual violence and sex trafficking, it can be argued that there is a lack of free consent, making prostitution unethical. When sexual violence comes into play, it is a violation of Farley’s claim that free consent is body integrity. It means that a lack of consent would be do not touch, invade, or use one’s body (Farley 218). The ethical norm of free consent is probably the most controversial because it can be argued as both ethical and unethical based on the situation. In the case of human trafficking and pimping, where prostitutes have no say in the sexual violence enacted on them, prostitution can be argued as unethical. But on the other hand, if a prostitute has chosen this lifestyle willingly, it can be argued as ethical. Regulation could help those that wish to partake in prostitution as their profession continue to uphold their free consent. They would be under rules and regulation to protect them and allowing them to