A comparative study of prostitution and ways to reduce it with an emphasis on Iran

Parchami, Davood; Deralhshan, Fatemeh

doi:10.22054/qjss.2024.81660.2827

A comparative study of prostitution and ways to reduce it with an emphasis on Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

davood parchami ¹

fatemeh Deralhshan ²

¹ Assistant Professor of Sociology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant professor of Sociology, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22054/qjss.2024.81660.2827

Abstract

Prostitution is a significant social issue present in all societies, characterized by various facets and influenced by numerous factors. Solutions often focus on addressing the root causes, which range from individual biological and psychological backgrounds to broader macroeconomic, social, cultural, and legal structures within society. This study employs a comparative method centered on capital-oriented social order theory, examining the experiences of several countries (specifically the Nordic model, South Africa, and India) that have successfully managed to mitigate this phenomenon. The proposed solutions aim to reduce the harms associated with prostitution by enhancing cultural, social, and economic capital through reforms in economic, legal, and social structures. The experiences of these selected countries indicate that many societies, particularly in the West, adopt a pathological view of prostitution. Consequently, governments, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and community members, are striving to control prostitution through legal and judicial policies while empowering vulnerable women across various psychological, cultural, social, and economic dimensions. A key focus is placed on reducing demand.

Keywords

prostitution

order

capital-oriented policy

empowerment

comparative study

Subjects

Sociology

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