POPLINE Document Number: 314830
Author(s):
Veena N
Source citation:
Gender, Technology and Development, 2007 Mar;11(1):97-107.
Abstract:
The debate around prostitution has existed for as long as sex work has. With each new era comes a new sensibility adding more complexity to the debate. In this age of information technology, the world's oldest profession has also found new spaces and new media for itself. This exploratory study seeks to examine women's engagement with technology in the area of sex work. The first section summarizes the most prevalent views on prostitution, which range from 'bad women' to 'poor victims' to 'agents'. The second section recapitulates the context of sex work in Thailand, especially its historical, socio-economic and cultural complexity. Literature on sex work in Thailand is plentiful; however, there is little on freelance sex workers who are a critical part of the sex work scene. The third section presents field data on the use of technology to seek sex work in Bangkok, arguing that women choose to use technology to offer sexual services for a variety of economic and social reasons; and that within the situation of gendered inequities that places them in vulnerable situations, they have empowered themselves through the use of technology. (excerpt)
Keywords:
ThailandIndex page
Research Report
KAP Surveys
Sex Workers
Women in Development
Internet
Women's Status
Interviews
Income
Socioeconomic Factors
Microeconomic Factors
Privacy
Violence
Women's Empowerment
Developing Countries
Asia, Southeastern
Asia
Surveys
Sampling Studies
Studies
Research Methodology
Sex Behavior
Behavior
Economic Development
Economic Factors
Information Networks
Communication
Data Collection