Functionalist Theory Of Prostitution

Prostitution
Prostitution can be defined as the provision of sexual services for money. The word “prostitute” became common in the of 18th century. During the ancient times this kind of services had been supplied for economic rewards mainly by courtesans, concubines or slaves. Courtesans and concubines often held high positions in traditional societies. The main feature of modern prostitution is that women and men tend not to know each other. Although sometimes men become “regular clients”. This was not characteristics of most forms of sexual services for economic reward in ancient times. In traditional small communities, sexual relationships were controlled so that never been a secret. Nowadays people prefer anonymity. Presently, prostitutes

They believe that prostitution must be controlled, but it is absolutely impossible to eradicate it. Society and the state should not fight against prostitution as such, but with those factors that make it socially dangerous, destructive, criminogenic. Taking a stringent measure is inexpedient, as a result it will lead to the black market, so it will not be under control, and cause public danger. Prostitution exists due to the peculiarities of human psychophysiology and, first of all, due to the fact that the social institution of family with its normative nature does not fully meet the sexual interests of men. Functionalists believe that if a married man was not able to diversify his sexual life with the help pf prostitutes, for whom he does not have any moral responsibilities, he would seek for serious relationships with other women, which can create a serious threat to his marriage. Without this type of social institution, the number of sexual crimes, especially rape, would increase noticeably. There is another significant factor that forces men to turn to prostitutes, it is called “temporary sexual isolation” or in other words the state of divorce, widowhood, separation from the family due to the work circumstances etc. along with these normal, natural and

Despite all of the above, prostitutes were respected in certain branches of everyday life in ancient times. For example, in Vienna it was normal to participate in reception of high-level guests, and were given a privilege to have speech in front of the guests. They used to believe that if a woman was barren, the meeting with the prostitute was supposed to bring fertility. In Italy people believed that if three stones are excavated from under the threshold of prostitute’s house and are laid on the chest of the patient, it would bring healing. In Leipzig, during festivities, when death is chased, prostitutes symbolize the motif of “happiness and joy of life”. Nowadays interactionists subdivide prostitutes into different groups and types, reveal the most characteristic patterns of their social "career". So, the most common classifications are the following two: the first is based on the factor of localization of the foci of prostitution: 1) street, station, port prostitutes, the cheapest, occupying the lowest step in the hierarchy of their professional shop; 2) hotel and restaurant prostitutes, serving hotels, clubs, casinos; 3) "call girls", intended for middle-class secured customers; 4) elite prostitutes, serving the highest social groups - statesmen, politicians, bankers, businessmen, artists. The second classification model is based on the time factor: beginner prostitutes; women who have