On Prostitution

Nikhil Nigam’s “From Nepal to Delhi” does not do nearly enough to combat the evils of sex slavery. While I appreciate the concerns raised, simply concluding that he hopes the Nepalese people will begin to have more constructive dialogue with Indian women’s groups in order to build a societal support system for minor girls. While these societal support systems are certainly needed and it is admirable for Nigam to want to build these systems, accepting a system that legalizes this sex trafficking is unacceptable. Nigam’s arguments rely on the premise that the problem is an “unavoidable evil” and that steps must be taken to fix the situation by improving the conditions of the women and not ending the system as a whole.

The Kristof articles raise an important issue about foreign governments and feminist groups not getting involved. The lack of awareness regarding this issue is particularly disturbing, and it is difficult to understand why this does not receive adequate support. I would extend Kristof’s argument to include pressuring foreign governments to ban all forms of prostitution. I believe legal prostitution perpetuates male dominance of women, and while it is clear that women who are kidnapped and sold into prostitution should be protected, I think it is equally important that women who “willingly” enter into prostitution must be taken out of such situations. Eliminating prostitution as a career choice and harshly cracking down on the men and women who foster such institutions is important in eliminating sexual violence against women worldwide. While the debate over whether or not women should be able to freely choose to begin a career is interesting, it does nothing for women who are victims of an unjust society who are forced into such a violent life.