A literature review of prostitution in London hotels

Abstract

Sex work, also known as prostitution, is a social occurrence that has been known to exist or happen over the years. It is a social wonder that has caused divergent perspectives and disagreements over time. In contrast to other social concerns such as low housing or unemployment rates that the government seems to take precedence and attempts to solve, alas, the topic of prostitution still remains inconclusive (St. Denny, 2014). This paper will conduct a literature review from a historical, legislative, sociological and psychological viewpoint, which will help in understanding the trade in its entirety, in the days of old and presently. A probe into the connection between prostitutes making their living through hotels and their revenue, whether directly or indirectly, will be looked at. In addition, the paper will highlight the correlation between the country's legislation with the boost of use of these organizations.

Full text

Journal of Academic Reviews, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 16-19
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A literature review of prostitution in London hotels
Funmi M. Alalade a, Michael C. Handrinos b,*
a Department of Hospitality Management, Mont Rose College, Mont Rose House, 412-416 Eastern Avenue, Ilford IG2 6NQ
b Department of Business Marketing, Mont Rose College, Mont Rose House, 412-416 Eastern Avenue, Ilford IG2 6NQ
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 20 8556 5009. E-mail address: Michael@mrcollege.ac.uk
A B S T R A C T
Sex work, also known as prostitution, is a social occurrence that has been known to exist or happen over the years. It is a social
wonder that has caused divergent perspectives and disagreements over time. In contrast to other social concerns such as low
housing or unemployment rates that the government seems to take precedence and attempts to solve, alas, the topic of
prostitution still remains inconclusive (St. Denny, 2014). This paper will conduct a literature review from a historical, legislative,
sociological and psychological viewpoint, which will help in understanding the trade in its entirety, in the days of old and presently.
A probe into the connection between prostitutes making their living through hotels and their revenue, whether directly or indirectly,
will be looked at. In addition, the paper will highlight the correlation between the country’s legislation with the boost of use of
these organizations.
Keywords: Prostitution, hotels, legislation, new technologies, social phenomenon
Introduction
Prostitution as a subject matter invariably creates a divide
with those that are convinced that the trade is wrong and
those that do not. Sex work in the past and present still
carries with it a form of sigma connected to it. Individuals
have a false outlook and antiquated beliefs of the possible
societal issues (for example alcoholism) the trade brings,
adds to the negative perspective of the trade (Marneffe,
2010). However, it needs to be mentioned that “perceptions
of prostitution are based on culturally determined values that
differ in societies” (Nwakanma, 2015).
A study done for the Home Affairs Committee (2016)
suggested that over seventy thousand prostitutes were
estimated to be working in the United Kingdom. It was stated
that out of that number, thirty-two thousand conduct their
trade in the capital (London). Despite the fact that
consensual sex for sale is allowed by law (Mills, 2017), it
begs the question of why prostitution is still seen as a taboo.
Is it just a social construct filtered through society, from
generation to generation?
Furthermore, it was estimated that the number of clients that
patronise the trade is estimated at 11%. Age range varies
but is thought to be between the ages of 16-74 whom have
used or is using the services of sex workers in hotels, street
or through websites on more than one occasion. This
amounts to over two million men in Britain (Home Affairs
Committee, 2016).
There have been various studies carried out from varied
theoretical standpoints like the legislative, psychological,
feministic (social science) and historical (e.g. Walkowitz
1982, Barnett and Casavant 2011, Denny 2014). The paper
will shed light on how far reaching incidents of prostitution
are the hotel industry. This paper aims to discover through
secondary resources whether the exclusion of brothels
thorough legislation has enabled the shift in the use of hotels
in the sex trade.
History of prostitution
Prostitution is the act of receiving money for sex (Ditmore,
2006). Prostitution is known as one of the oldest occupations
to exist. One of the first documented incidences of the
phenomenon was from ancient Mesopotamia, specifically the
Sumerians. The ladies of the temple of Ishtar were publicly
known to tender their bodies in exchange for money to be
given to the temple (Fanni, 2014).
In 1791, the estimated numbers of known prostitutes were
around fifty thousand; even though the phase differs to how
it is deemed in today world. During the nineteenth century,
the term prostitute would refer to not only females who were
known to sell sex but to those that had children outside of
marriage. Women whom took pleasure to slake their desires
were also tagged as prostitutes. Therefore, with that
reasoning, it was deemed that half of the numbers
mentioned above were of the ladies that lived with a man out
of the institution marriage; of which, 20,000 were indeed
prostitutes (Flanders, 2014).
Figure 1: Touch for Touch is a satiric print that mocks and portrays the
transactional relationship between the 18th -19th century sex worker and client.
It shows her mode of attire, the han dover of coins and the faci al show of great
anticipated enjoyment of the client. Source: Flanders, 2014

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Figure 2: Harris’ list of Covent Garden ladies was published by John Harris from
1757-1795. It included detailed specifications of over one hun dred and ninety
prostitutes trading in Convent Garden. Source: Derwombat, 2017
The sex trade in the nineteenth century was deemed as
‘society’s greatest evil’ by individuals in the same era
(Fraser, 2008). The idea of the ‘great societal evil’ foretold
the growth of sin through the social order relating to values,
customs and practices leaving society in mayhem; the sex
trade was considered to be the largest and most prominent
social issue of the era. The views of prostitution had a lot to
do with social class, as most of the published authors on the
subject were of the middle class and wrote their work in
relation to the lower class (Fraser, 2008). Rise in population
also played a part, with the country seeing a rise from over
sixteen million 1851 to over thirty million in 1901.
Unemployment and marriage restrictions may also have
contributed to the boost of men re-enacting their sexual
fantasies with prostitutes (Revisiting Dickens, n.d.). Acton
(1870, cited in Fraser, 2008) argued that “Using a supply
and demand model, the growth of towns increased the
proximity of wealthy idle men mixed with the poor, thus
creating ideal conditions for prostitution to flourish”.
Laws regulating prostitution
In 1956, the sexual offences Act was brought to life, which
included offenses connected to prostitution. It clearly
specifies the illegalities pertaining to procuring a woman to
be a sex worker in a brothel or elsewhere. No one should be
coerced or forced against their will to prostitution. Underage
prostitution should not be encouraged or enabled in anyway.
Men should not under any circumstance depend on money
earned from prostitution for their livelihood (Taylor, 2016).
Prostitution in today world is not considered unlawful but
solicitation is, according to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Also, included are offenses pertaining to controlling, causing,
advertising or inciting prostitution (The National Archive,
2002). Other legislation relating to prostitution is the Policing
and Crime Act 2009, Modern Slavery Act 2015 (trafficking to
be exploited for sex), Serious Crime Act 2015 (sexual
exploitation of minors) (Home Affairs Committee, 2016).
Many have conveyed varied views of the possibility of
licensed brothels helping in protecting sex workers from
harm, whilst taking away the street trading part; further
reducing the serious health problems, eliminating managers
from exploiting and also boosting government revenue.
Others disagree and are insistent it being immoral (Boff,
2012). Some sympathiser advocate for the trade to be
legalised or decriminalised to reduce harm whilst others
reject the idea (Bindel, 2017).
Serval cities in various countries such as Amsterdam in the
Netherlands or in Germany, Austria and so on, have legalised
the sale of sex and is regulated (Porter, 2016). For instance,
In Germany, legalisation was made of prostitution in 2002,
which saw a strengthening of civic rights, healthcare and
work benefits for sex workers. In addition, a boom of sex
tourism has been seen which not only benefits organisations
but also the region/country as a whole (Dundon, 2017).
Utilisation of technology
In the age of technology, the sex trades like many other
businesses have used it to conduct their business more
efficiently. Appointments and payments can be made online,
whilst advertising is done via websites. Sex is sold from flats
or hotel rooms without the need for third parties being
involved. The procurement of sex is a lot easier and safer to
get. Those that oppose believe that this online move will only
see a further strengthening and growth of the trade (The
Economist, 2014).
Sex workers promote themselves through social media to
build a rapport with customers and gain new additional ones.
They are rated by clients and an information exchanges
about particular prostitutes could be done through the use of
message boards. Through search engines such as Google,
individuals could run background checks on perspective
clients to ensure safety before meeting them. Through the
use of webcams, sex workers have also breached the market
of online live sex, all that’s needed is a working computer
and an internet connection (Cunningham et al., 2017).
According to Metro writer Spitzer (2008) whereby he
proposed that the daily workings of a modern-day sex worker
involves the use of websites with pictures and specifics to
display their offerings and brand. They utilise text messaging
to converse and book in client arrivals to appointments, take
electronic payment and also book rooms online without being
under the microscope of the hotel’s staff. Individual sex
workers or their agencies are able to run their trade in a more
efficient manner; not only to maximise their profits, amass
influence through word of mouth but to search for clients.
Delapp (2014) in an interview with a sex worker further
elaborated how technology has aided her trade which she
stated has being ‘essential to my advertising’. She claims
that the internet has not only enabled her in reaching wider
range of clients and target markets but to also to develop
and enhance her brand. She also talked further about the
safety and right regarding sex workers and for change in
legislation to aid in it e.g. legalisation, decriminalisation and
legalisation. She gave her thoughts on the positives and
negatives attached to each idea but still believe that only by
fully decriminalising prostitution will a lot of the issues be
rectified.
The social phenomenon from other viewpoints
From a psychological perspective, Psychoanalytic Sigmund
Freud’s theory on prostitution (from a female perspective)
suggested that prostitutes were found to be lacking
biologically and therefore unable to sort out the ‘Oedipus
conflict’ (conflict that arises from a child’s sexual
development). He was convinced sex workers were inferior
due to their lack of impulse control than of men; therefore,
suggesting that there is an innate pathological feature
present in female sex workers. In today’s psychological and
psychiatry societies, Freud’s explanations have been refuted
as unfairly prejudiced, lacking in strength or power and

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devoid of the other practical contributing factors such as
economic and social (Flower, 1998).
The Feministic standpoint takes on the view that the sex
trade should be seen as sexual exploitation. It argues that
selling sex for money can ever be from ones free will due to
the inequality of the relationship (Wilson and Butler, 2014,
cited in Gerassi, 2015). For instance, if a person is found
wanting of basic human needs such a food, water, a home
and without any legal rights to live or work in the country,
decides to sell their body for money to survive; is that not
situational exploitation? Other Neo-abolitionist suggested
that prostitution is a form of oppression and can never be
seen as a consensual venture (Tiefenbrun, 2002 cited in
Gerassi, 2015). Neo-abolitionists are a historian that refer to
the comeback of the civil rights movement and believe
prostitution promotes inequality and should be eradicated.
They believe their customer should be penalised and not the
workers (Ward and Wylie, 2017).
From a sociological point of view, organisations in the
accommodation industry have gained directly or indirectly
from the sale of sex. Income resulted from the bookings or
renting of rooms of rooms from hotels/Airbnb, whether
online apps or websites, all profit from their operations. Also,
profits are gained further through their sales of food and
beverages in their bars or restaurants (Shukar, 2018). In a
study by Nwakanma (2015) whereby it stated that the
accommodation sector (hotels) were overwhelmed with the
ladies of the night in search of customers. Institutional
prostitution largely implemented in registered hotels,
whether big or small. The interests of prostitutes and hotels
are currently interlinked due to legislative restrictions on the
part of the sex worker and in turn a rise in profits for hotels.
While the subject is barely spoken or acknowledged, it is a
well-known occurrence in the industry. Sex workers use a
variety of ways to manage their trade in hotels. Some take
bookings from client via the internet and go straight to
booked rooms, whilst, others get clients through the hotel
bars; some, come in with their clients. Hotel staffs do not
pay close attention to due to the fact that it is not illegal
unless they are soliciting. In an interview with a porter in a
London hotel whereby he stated that the staffs of the hotel
are all aware it happens and see it at least a couple of times
a month. They have witnessed elderly client booking rooms
with younger ladies clearly unrelated but employees hold
their tongues. Also, from the same hotel, an employee
working in the bar claimed that some sex workers come to
bars alone but leave with another. “We can’t do anything
because legally they should be served; unless it is shown
that those whom are at the bar are soliciting”. (Caterer,
1997).
Reasons outlined for prostitution
Many sex workers have suggested that their main reason for
going into the trade was for monetary gain. Many
emphasised the fact that quite a large number of prostitutes
are single mothers therefore believe the trade not only works
around their home life but also, they are able to earn a living.
Also, many have suggested that the lack of means of entry
into the workforce (no education) was another reason for
choosing to sell sex. It was also proposed by the sex workers
open university that many individuals go into the trade to
pay off debts, save for holidays, presents or to simply
accumulate funds to aid in achieving future goals (Home
Affairs Committee, 2016).
According to the NUS (National Union of Student) in a study
done by Swansea University (cited in Home Affairs
Committee, 2016) stated that at least five percent of
students studying have sold sex at some point. It was
explained that financial deprivation is the primary motivating
force for students to be lured into the sex trade. They
acknowledged that administrations have to persist in their
endeavour to pinpoint those individuals that need the
support.
Conclusions
Through all the compiled information from several sources,
a correlation has been shown between legislative restrictions
and the boost of the utilisation of hotels. Due to the
inhibitions placed of sex workers to impede the trade, has
subsequently directed the trade towards hotels which has
benefited them.
In an article with the Norwich Evening News writer Grimmer
(2014) where he interviewed a hotelier in Norwich and he
suggested that his organisation is not the only
establishments being used by sex workers. He claims that
with the police crackdown on street prostitution, sex workers
have moved into using hotels through the city to conduct
their business.
As our civilisation grows, so does our progression of
technology, therefore it is understandable that the trade over
time has progressed with the utilisation of it. The use of
social media, websites and so on to conduct their business,
makes it easier to obtain the services of a sex worker. With
technological advancements, comes the evolution of the sex
industry.
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