Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

Dear colleagues,

I was talking to a group of graduate students about a particular British 
health iniative that was designed to end violence against prostitutes. 

A young student said, "Excuse me, but you mean commerical sex workers."

To which I, a feminst and sex researcher, said, "No, their program is not 
geared to end violence against all CSWs, but rather just against prostitutes."

As a feminist and a sex researcher trained in the UK (under mostly a mostly 
female professorship who taught me that distinction)), was I wrong in the 
United States for using the terms "prostitute" or "prostitution" in referring 
to one specific segment of commercial sex work/commercial sex labor (that 
includes telephone sex operators, magazine models, adulty industry actors, 
etc)?

While I can see that CSWs who walk the streets are indeed CSWs (just as 
pineapple, oranges, and lemons are all "fruits" or even more general, 
"produce"), if I am discussing an intervention specifically for that cohort, 
what term would I use to distinguish them from a phone sex operator or 
Penthouse model?

Thank you for your help.

Eric

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Eric Marlowe Garrison, MAEd, MSc (London)
Clinical Sexologist for Manhattan and the Surrounding Areas
Diplomate of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
International Consultant and Speaker in Clinical Sexology and the Public 
Health


www.ericgarrison.info

POB 61
NY, NY 10276-0061

Phone: 347.860.0890