Psychology 277 Final Exam

PSY 277

Final Exam Essay Questions:

1. For this question I have placed two reoccurring questions/concepts side-by-side for your discussion.

1. Should prostitution be legalized? (10 Points)

2. Should teens coerced into prostitution through sex trafficking be arrested for solicitation/prostitution? (10 points)  

In my personal opinion, prostitution should be legalized, taxed, and regulated.  Many other countries have legalized prostitution, and this allows them to keep the prostitute free from STIs and abuse from clients.  Legalization will require the use of condoms, regular STI testing, and taxes to flow into the economy.  Keeping prostitution illegal and enforced only serves to keep the workers from being able to report serious crimes (like rape and abuse from clients), it doesn’t mandate STI testing which could lead to STI outbreaks among workers and johns, and it loses a large amount of money that could have gone back into the economy. Seidman seems to agree with this position stating that “I am persuaded by the argument that sex work involves skill and that selling sex is not necessarily degrading” (Seidman S. 2015. p. 260).  Though arguments have been made that sex work keeps women in a system of male dominance, I believe that legalization will transfer some of that power onto the workers, as seen in Nevada, where brothel workers state that they feel safe at work. (Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J. S., & Fichner-Rathus, L., 2018. p. 517)

                It is my personal opinion that if we legalized prostitution on a national level, we wouldn’t have to deal with arresting girls who are trafficked into brothels, negating the question altogether.  Our text states that, “If prostitution is legalized, society gains income tax revenue that would have otherwise been lost.  Granted, legalizing the profession might make it attractive for sex traffickers but the benefits outweigh this prospect” (Rathus, S. A., et. al. 2018. p. 526). I happen to agree with this position.  Women who are trafficked into prostitution would not have to fear arrest at all in a legal economy.  It is hard to pick out the girl who has been trafficked, but with legal prostitution, it would be easier to spot the girls who consented to the lifestyle instead of the girls who are trafficked, though I do not feel it would be any easier to get them out of that arrangement, mainly because the trafficker uses threats and emotional abuse to keep the girls in line.

What is the FBI’s take on Sex Trafficking?

Enter the FBI web, www.fbi.gov, then type in the search box upper right-hand corner – Sex Trafficking. Discuss these two questions individually. Do not make one large paragraph     Discuss these two concepts based or research and present laws, cite the text and other sources (Seidman), and the FBI web-page (again, www.fbi.gov).  (10 points)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation takes human trafficking very seriously, having opened more than 360 cases on trafficking in fiscal year 2012 (www.fbi.gov. p. 1). They not only look for victims of sex trafficking but also those who do not participate in sexual activities, such as housekeepers. To the FBI, human trafficking is a human civil rights issue, with victims being “bought, sold, and smuggled like modern-day slaves, often beaten, starved, and forced to work as prostitutes or take jobs as migrant, domestic, restaurant, or factory workers with little or no pay” (p.1). Though the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act, it is still a challenge to aid victims of trafficking.

1.     Comment on the social concept of sexuality per the text by Seidman. Sex is a social engagement that relies on culture, language, norms, customs, and one’s identity as a sexual being. From Seidman, (1) choose one chapter that you really liked and related to; and (2) one that you did not agree with all. Be specific and cite your source per APA  (20 points)

The social concept of sexuality is a topic discussed at great length in the book “The social construct of sexuality” by Steven Seidman. After having read the book, I would say that I least agree with his chapter on BDSM (pp. 243-252). I thought it was a very negative position to take on what can be a very wonderful act between two (or more) consenting adults. I thought the book to be very sex negative and did not agree with many of his positions. Sex can be a wonderful act. He focused more on the consequences of sex than the benefits and I disagreed with him heartily. While I found him to be sex negative, I agreed with him many times. In the chapter on Heterosexuality (pp. 43-54), Seidman treats heterosexuality the same as we treat homosexuality. I greatly appreciated the tone of this chapter and the ending quote, “(M)ore and more Americans will look for a nonhomophobic ways to establish a boundary between being straight and being gay” (p. 54). He was unusually positive about the state of gay relations in this country and I appreciated the effort, even if the other chapters didn’t share that positivity.

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Grade: 100/100
Professor Comments: Very nicely done Kathleen; best wishes as you move over to ASU for your upper level classes. Great having you in class; enjoyed your CJ especially.