Policing prostitution: view from the streets

Abstract

ThisthesisdescribesandanalysestirepolicingoffemalestreetprostitutioninEdinburgh.Inparticular,itprovidesananalysisoftheconstructionofprostitutes'identitiesthroughpolicing.Myapproachattemptstodispelsomeofthemyths,misunderstandingsandambiguitieswhichsurroundcontemporaryunderstandingsoffemalestreetprostitution,therebymakingacontributiontomoregeneraltheorisingaboutthefemalebody.Thefindingsofthisstudy,whichtookplaceinEdinburghin1995/1996,arebasedon10monthsparticipantobservationof60womenworkingasstreetprostitutesinaparticularareaofthecity;thedocksinLeith.Afterthisperiod,15in-depthinterviewswithfemalestreetprostituteswerecarriedout.Togainamorebalancedpicture,10malepoliceofficerswhohadhadcontactswithstreetprostitutesinLeithwerealsointerviewed.Structured aroundthecentralconceptofidentity,thechaptersofthethesisareorganisedaroundmyunderstandingoftheuseofvalues,normsandbeliefsbymembersofsocietyintheconstructionofsocialorder,identityandtheformalandinformalpolicingofthebody.Thesethreethemesrunthroughout.Inaddition,on-goinganalysisofthedatacollectedthroughoutthefieldworkperiodrevealedtwofurtherthemes:(i)theabilityoffemalestreetprostitutestonegotiatetheirpower(s)throughtheregulatoryfunctionofshameandthenegotiationof"truth";and,(ii)consequently,thefactthatsexworkers'identitiesareshapedthroughtheirownabilitytodrawonandgenerateknowledge(s).Thethesis alsoshowshowpowerrelationsofgenderandsocialstructuredominatetheday-to-daylifeoftheredlightareainLeith.Inparticular,thedatapresenteddemonstratehowpowerin"redlightculture"restsinadelicateequilibriuminwlrichthewomenthemselvesexertsomepower,notsimplyasthestereotypical"Madame",butasworkingwomenwhohavemadeconsciousdecisionstoenterthesexindustry.Indeed,inthisversionofsex-for-sale,thedatashowhowprostitutewomencanfrequentlyinvertpowerby"takingcontrolofthestreet"throughtheconstructionandmanagementoftheirpersonalandprofessionalidentities.Incircularity,powerbecomesknowledgewhichinturnpreservespower.