Violence and coercion in Sri Lanka's commercial sex industry: Intersections of gender, sexuality, culture, and the law

Jody Miller

doi:10.1177/107780102401101737

Violence and coercion in Sri Lanka's commercial sex industry: Intersections of gender, sexuality, culture, and the law

Jody Miller

School of Criminal Justice

Rutgers, The State University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examines the local conditions facing commercial sex workers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Based on findings from a 3-year field comparative field study, the author investigates the widespread nature of violence, coercion, and harassment against women and transgendered/gay men in an illicit sex market whose primary clientele are Sri Lankan men. Specifically, the author examines the relationship between cultural definitions of gender/sexuality and the implementation of existing legal frameworks and its impact on the treatment and experiences of sex workers. The author provides an overview of pathways into the sex industry as well as variations in the nature of coercion, violence, and abuse across industry sectors, focusing specifically on street-level versus "indoor" (i.e., brothels, lodges, massage clinics) sectors of the local sex industry.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	1044-1073
Number of pages	30
Journal	Violence Against Women
Volume	8
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/107780102401101737
State	Published - Sep 1 2002

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Gender Studies
Sociology and Political Science
Law

Access to Document

10.1177/107780102401101737

Cite this

@article{5545d51a02ae4ed898efab1cc4a2ef56,

title = "Violence and coercion in Sri Lanka's commercial sex industry: Intersections of gender, sexuality, culture, and the law",

abstract = "This study examines the local conditions facing commercial sex workers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Based on findings from a 3-year field comparative field study, the author investigates the widespread nature of violence, coercion, and harassment against women and transgendered/gay men in an illicit sex market whose primary clientele are Sri Lankan men. Specifically, the author examines the relationship between cultural definitions of gender/sexuality and the implementation of existing legal frameworks and its impact on the treatment and experiences of sex workers. The author provides an overview of pathways into the sex industry as well as variations in the nature of coercion, violence, and abuse across industry sectors, focusing specifically on street-level versus {"}indoor{"} (i.e., brothels, lodges, massage clinics) sectors of the local sex industry.",

author = "Jody Miller",

year = "2002",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/107780102401101737",

language = "American English",

volume = "8",

pages = "1044--1073",

journal = "Violence Against Women",

issn = "1077-8012",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Violence and coercion in Sri Lanka's commercial sex industry

T2 - Intersections of gender, sexuality, culture, and the law

AU - Miller, Jody

PY - 2002/9/1

Y1 - 2002/9/1

N2 - This study examines the local conditions facing commercial sex workers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Based on findings from a 3-year field comparative field study, the author investigates the widespread nature of violence, coercion, and harassment against women and transgendered/gay men in an illicit sex market whose primary clientele are Sri Lankan men. Specifically, the author examines the relationship between cultural definitions of gender/sexuality and the implementation of existing legal frameworks and its impact on the treatment and experiences of sex workers. The author provides an overview of pathways into the sex industry as well as variations in the nature of coercion, violence, and abuse across industry sectors, focusing specifically on street-level versus "indoor" (i.e., brothels, lodges, massage clinics) sectors of the local sex industry.

AB - This study examines the local conditions facing commercial sex workers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Based on findings from a 3-year field comparative field study, the author investigates the widespread nature of violence, coercion, and harassment against women and transgendered/gay men in an illicit sex market whose primary clientele are Sri Lankan men. Specifically, the author examines the relationship between cultural definitions of gender/sexuality and the implementation of existing legal frameworks and its impact on the treatment and experiences of sex workers. The author provides an overview of pathways into the sex industry as well as variations in the nature of coercion, violence, and abuse across industry sectors, focusing specifically on street-level versus "indoor" (i.e., brothels, lodges, massage clinics) sectors of the local sex industry.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036352283&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036352283&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/107780102401101737

DO - 10.1177/107780102401101737

M3 - Article

SN - 1077-8012

VL - 8

SP - 1044

EP - 1073

JO - Violence Against Women

JF - Violence Against Women

IS - 9

ER -

Violence and coercion in Sri Lanka's commercial sex industry: Intersections of gender, sexuality, culture, and the law

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this