Is Pornography Prostitution

Is Pornography Prostitution?

In todays society we find pornography more socially acceptable than prostitution. There are many reasons why pornography has the upper hand in our society. It is legal, 42.7% of Internet users view porn (Pornography Statistics), and porn stars are seen as sex celebrities. When we hear the word prostitution we automatically think illegal, drugs, pimps, STDs, cheap women, and dirty men. If we take a step back and just erase whatever we were taught, heard, or seen and just closely analyze both of these groups we will come to a shocking conclusion that both pornography and prostitution have way more similarities than differences. These two groups are so alike to the point where pornography should be considered prostitution. Prostitution by definition is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for money (Merriam Webster Online). Women who get into prostitution have around the same motive, the main one is money, which they are not even paid a lot. Prostitutes usually charge from 10 to 25 dollars (Murphy). This money is usually to support their drug addiction. The prostitutes who are not hooked on any drugs have sex for money to survive by buying cloths, food, and shelter. Women who prostitute have a high risk of catching STD’s and HIV because they are sexually active with multiple people. Prostitutes are put at risk every time meeting with a costumer especially if he is not a regular. Men try to over power these women by verbally and physically abusing them. Some go through the unfortunate rape and even death. All these prostitutes watch out for each other because they are putting themselves in the same danger. This illegal act of prostitution is an easy way for many women to get money fast to support their drug addictions or to survive. Pornography’s definition is, printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or actually intended to stimulate sexual excitement (Merriam Webster Online). Many people get into the adult industry for money, fame, sex, and attention. The idea sounds very intriguing for young men and women because they find it as an easy and safe way to the glamorous life. Once they step into the porn industry all their dreams about a fabulous porn star life comes crashing down. The porn industry has a nasty background that many people do not know about. By law an adult film industry needs to have mandatory STD checks and are required to use condoms (Grudzen & Kerndt). Unfortunately rules have been broken, porn performers get checked voluntarily and only two out of 200 industries allow the use of condoms (Grudzen & Kerndt). The industry believes condoms will decrease the amount of viewers because it is a “turn off”. 80% of porn performers admit to catching an STD in the California porn industry (Lubben). Many porn stars are devastated when they come to find they have caught a non-curable disease such as HIV and Herpes. 66% of porn performers have herpes (Lubben). Behind the scenes there is also a lot of drug abuse their drugs of choice are ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Valium, Vic Odin, and alcohol (Lubben). These drugs give the porn performers courage to do a sex scene because many people are around watching and recording. Physical abuse is common in porn. Some porn performers find slapping, spitting, and violent hair pulling to top off a rough sex scene. Although the adult film industry has all these rules to follow they manage to break them and get away with it. Porn performers stay in the industry because they make a good amount of money for one sex scene ranging from 800-4,000 dollars (Grudzen & Kerndt).
I consider prostitution and pornography very similar and believe they are the same thing just defined differently. The original definitions only shows one side of what the prostitutes and porn performers are actually doing and what they are going through. Once we analyze what these two groups are doing we see that the activities, benefits, and the downsides are all the same. Since I have clearly stated what goes on in prostitution and the adult industry I can clarify my definition of both of these groups. Considering the fact that both prostitutes and porn performers exchange sex for money. They deal with drug, verbal and physical abuse, and put their health at risks concludes my point that pornography is prostitution.
Porn performers may get offended if we classify them as prostitutes. They will argue that their job is legal and safe, but is it really? When the porn industry is not following the rules, they are participating in illegal acts and making it an unsafe environment for the porn performers. Adult industries will argue that pornography is not prostitution because prostitution has pimps and Johns. Well a pimp is a seller, so in the porn industry the seller is the producer and manager. A John is the man who buys the prostitute. In pornography the buyer is the porn viewer. Then there is the person being sold which are the porn performers and prostitutes. This puts prostitution and pornography in the same category making it difficult to look at them as two different things. Now with all this information one realizes these two groups are very similar. In both groups the main motive to join is for the money. Since these people are having sexual intercourse with multiple partners they have high STD rate. Drug abuse is seen in both groups to gain more courage to get through all the sexual acts. Abuse is common towards women since the man feels more dominate in these situations. Their comparisons out weigh any of their differences. Which concludes my point pornography and prostitution should be categorized as the same thing.

Work Cited
"Citation." Def. 1. Merriam Webster Online, Merriam Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

Grudzen, R, Corita. And Kerndt, R, Peter "The Adult Film Industry: Time to Regulate?." NCBI. PLoS Medicine, Jun 19, 2007.Web. 20 March 2013

Lubben, Shelly “Ex-Porn Star Tells the Truth About the Porn Industry” Covenant Eyes, 28 October 2008, Web. 4 March 2014 < http://www.covenanteyes.com/2008/10/28/ex-porn-star-tells-the-truth-about-the-porn-industry/>

Murphy, LS. "Understanding The Social And Economic Contexts Surrounding Women Engaged In Street-Level Prostitution." Issues In Mental Health Nursing 31.12 (2010): 775-784. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 4 Mar. 2014.

"Pornography Statistics." Family Safe Media. Family Safe Media, Web. 15 March 2014.
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Cited: "Citation." Def. 1. Merriam Webster Online, Merriam Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2014. Grudzen, R, Corita. And Kerndt, R, Peter "The Adult Film Industry: Time to Regulate?." NCBI. PLoS Medicine, Jun 19, 2007.Web. 20 March 2013 Lubben, Shelly “Ex-Porn Star Tells the Truth About the Porn Industry” Covenant Eyes, 28 October 2008, Web. 4 March 2014 < http://www.covenanteyes.com/2008/10/28/ex-porn-star-tells-the-truth-about-the-porn-industry/> Murphy, LS. "Understanding The Social And Economic Contexts Surrounding Women Engaged In Street-Level Prostitution." Issues In Mental Health Nursing 31.12 (2010): 775-784. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. "Pornography Statistics." Family Safe Media. Family Safe Media, Web. 15 March 2014. .