Sex and money
Pope Benedict has reiterated his call for an end to prostitution and its graphic cousin, pornography, saying the practices denigrate women.
“A relationship that does not take into account the fact that a man and a woman have the same dignity represents a serious lack of humanity,” the pope said in an address to Germany’s new ambassador to the Vatican. “The moment has come to energetically halt prostitution as well as the widespread distribution of material with an erotic and pornographic content, including through the Internet in particular,” the pope said.
The pope rightly pledges the Church’s cooperation in policies and programmes to further this aim, though it is unclear how governments might go about eradicating prostitution and pornography. Indeed, even among those concerned specifically with these social problems, there is no likely consensus on possible strategies, which can range from criminalising all commercial sex to prosecuting only the customers (as Swedish law does) to regulation of the sex industry to protect sex workers from exploitation.
It seems impossible to stop the production or availability of pornography (or other objectionable material) on the Internet. However, it seems reasonable that a practical anti-pornography campaign would monitor distribution through retail channels and depiction on terrestrial television, while also conscientising the public about the degradation of pornography and the dangers of addiction to it.
Anti-porn activists will also have noted that the old social taboos associated with porn are diminishing, and that increasing numbers of young women even perceive that industry to be glamorous. An anti-pornography programme therefore needs to address not only distribution and issues of human and sexual dignity, but also the way society perceives pornography. By emphasising the aspects of degradation and exploitation, rather than dimensions of sexual morality which the intended audience might find easy to dismiss, Pope Benedict in his address to the German ambassador highlighted the more persuasive argument.
Pornography and prostitution—“the oldest profession in the world”, as cliché has it— are not likely to disappear. The idea of transactional sex is abhorrent to believers of most faiths. Consequently, the idea of relaxing legal constrictions on prostitution tends to be met with various degrees of objection. At the same time, an unregulated sex industry contributes to the exploitation and brutalisation of many sex workers, especially those who ply their trade on street corners.
The Church recognises that prostitution is not always a voluntary career choice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that “destitution, blackmail, or social pressure” can force women, men and children into prostitution. Additionally, many people are trafficked and sold into sex slavery. The blanket criminalisation of prostitution might not serve those who need help.
In December 2000, the Italian Jesuit journal La Civiltà Cattolica proposed the notion of regulated brothels as a means of confronting some of the evils associated with prostitution. The journal, the contents of which are vetted by the Vatican before publication, said at the time that while prostitution should be discouraged as contrary to human dignity, regulated brothels could afford protection against the brutal exploitation of prostitutes. It reasoned that within the relatively safe environs of a registered brothel, such women would be removed from their exploiters and the attendant abuse. The (presumably registered) prostitutes could be offered medical care to reduce the risk of contagion, and receive assistance in identifying new paths in life when they choose to leave their often soul-destroying profession.
Regulation might entirely delegitimise operations that force trafficked women into prostitution, and it would render the street pimp obsolete if streets would be cleared of sex workers. Whether or not such regulation can accord with the Church’s moral theology will require on-going debate.
Policy and legislation governing the sex industry must incorporate the interest of society at large, and it must not ignore the plight of the prostitute. We may despise their activities, but we are called to see even in the prostitute a fellow sister in Christ.
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