Abstract
Oselin takes us on a journey to a place that few, save for those directly involved in the world of sex work and prostitution, have access to. Prostitution is a subject that intrigues and captivates our curiosities, drawing on our desires to take a look at what such a forbidden and foreign world might be like.
At the same time, it provides us with a reminder of what is often the dark, raw, and impersonal character of humanity as human beings are seen as products with little regard to their worth, value, and dignity. If the media are to be believed, prostitution is both the world of pretty, sexy women as well as skanky, drug-addicted vectors of disease. Oselin’s work is a positive and balanced step toward setting the record straight.
Establishing the tone early that she will take a balanced view, the author informs the readers that while she is aware of some of the conflict and controversy around prostitution or sex work, she does not endorse a particular paradigm, be it oppression or empowerment, and that her focus is to explore the careers of street prostitutes with a particular focus on their leaving. She defines her thesis and her research questions clearly early on. The work is well organized, allowing the reader to know where Oselin is headed at all times, including how she got there methodologically. Throughout the work, the author does an excellent job of including and artfully weaving in the research and perspectives of a good number of respected researchers and academics from a variety of disciplines. She is to be commended for taking a balanced and careful tone, acknowledging that others may see things differently, and for presenting what is said by various sides of the aisle.
Her content is arranged in a standard chronology of looking at the beginning, middle, and end of the prostitution experience process in terms of how the women got started in the life, how they stayed, and how they left. There is a fair amount of discussion related to findings fairly common across the board to similarly focused research. Revelations that women find it difficult to work in prostitution, turn to drugs as a means of dealing with negative self-perceptions, fear that they could not leave prostitution on their own, and have a more successful exit the longer they remain in a sound program have been detailed in other studies such as Dalla (2006), Hickle (2014), Sabella (2011) and Sabella Monheit (2010).
While a new-to-the-field reader can learn much, the advanced reader or practitioner may feel a little disappointed by the “been there, done that” level of a number of findings. However, not all is lost as within that structure and what might be viewed by some as common findings, Oselin offers some novel and thoughtful examination and discussion regarding such concepts as desistance, role conflict, role embracement, and role disengagement and distancing. Those working in mental health and behavioral services realize that one’s identity is an important concept that unfortunately is often overlooked when working with various stigmatized populations to support them in their recovery. These points are of particular interest to me in my work with women and identity and will undoubtedly be of interest to others as well.
Leaving Prostitution also questions how the age of entry may impact the individual’s pathway into prostitution. The author examines entrance factors specific to those 18 and under, and factors or characteristics driving those 19 and up into prostitution. In addition, Oselin raises the question related to what impact or role the type of prostitute-serving organization, or PSO, play in the overall experience of the woman leaving prostitution. She provides us with a thoughtful discussion of how the characteristics, culture, and practices of the four organizations participating in her research helped or hindered the women’s identity and role transformation and subsequently their exiting success.
Overall, while perhaps a better choice for those wanting to develop a basic foundation of some of the issues surrounding prostitution and the women involved in it than for the more experienced researchers and practitioners, there is still ample information and discussion that informs and engages the more seasoned readers to make it a worthwhile read for them as well.