Social Structure Theory: Prostitution Among Immigration Routes

Social Structure Theory: Prostitution Among Immigration Routes
Jamie Pierce
CJA/314
March 30, 2015
G. Andrew Smith
Introduction
Social structure theories view societal, financial, and social arrangements or structures as the primary cause of deviant and criminal behaviors (University of Phoenix, 2013). In other words, the primary cause of crime or deviant behavior can be traced to the less fortunate, or lower class of people. Social structure theories indicate that neighborhoods of lower class individuals suffer from immense strain, stress, frustration, and a kind of disorganized chaos that creates crime (Inchaustegui, n.d.). While this theory definitely has some truths regarding resources and some people’s experiences, certain strains
For immigrant woman, prostitution is an abysmal reality that results in death or being trapped in a location due to contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). However, as abysmal as it may seem, it is necessary for these woman trying to escape their current situation that often includes sexual abuse, physical abuse, and poverty. These immigrant women do not necessarily want to engage in prostitution, but use their bodies as a method for repaying traffickers that help them illegally enter into another country. There are also women who attempt to gain entry into another country on their own, and end up as prostitutes to earn money for basic survival and travel arrangements. According to University of Phoenix Prostitution along immigration routes video (2013) “We know that worldwide there is talk of the feminization of immigration, and 54% of immigrants throughout the world are women.” For the United States, illegal immigration is becoming an epidemic with the majority of immigrants coming through the Senora Desert region of Mexico. Moreover, the Senora Desert is notoriously known for a 30 mile stretch filled with nightclubs, brothels, and bars where female immigrants work as prostitutes to pay to pay their traffickers for entry into the United States (University of Phoenix, 2013). Yet a sad
Moreover, the video describes how females are forced to survive by selling their bodies for survival along these immigration routes (University of Phoenix, 2013). Essentially, trafficking of humans is modern-day slavery that is also a criminal act and a direct violation of human rights that affects every country in the world. Human trafficking is the illegal transportation and exploitation of men, women and children for profit in a variety of capacities (University of Phoenix, 2013). In this video, the trafficking is initiated by coercion of a woman who is simply trying to survive while attempting to gain entry in the United States. However, humans are also trafficked by use of fraud, blackmail, abduction and physical force. The video also touches on a town located 30 miles from the Arizona border called, Altar (University of Phoenix, 2013). Altar, for many immigrants is the last stop in Mexico for them as they become trapped by slavery or contract diseases like AIDS (University of Phoenix, 2013). The immigrants call their families in the United States excited to reunite with them, but usually never get that chance as they fall victim to human trafficking and become a statistic. Moreover, even if an immigrant is forwarded an opportunity to cross the Sonora Desert, keep in mind that in 2005 alone, 460