Escort Services An International Perspective

Escort Services An International Perspective INTRODUCTION   This paper will consider some of the key issues and challenges surrounding escort services provision. Where possible the arguments and discussions presented seek to generate a broader, more international view in order to encourage open debate around this socially, culturally and legally sensitive topic (Laskowski, 2002).  Ã‚   In examining this area, the initial difficulty is in capturing a single, shared understanding of what escort services are (Scoular O’Neill, 2007). Most societal expectations automatically generate an assumption that the individual providing escort services is a sex worker, although the range of activities involved can include more benign requirements such as social companionship (Burghart, 2017). Many escort agencies operate within legal national frameworks by openly offering such companionship or more accepted services (e.g. massages). The personal nature of those activities then creates the environment within which subsequent informal and less open negotiations around what sexual services (if any) can be provided by the escort (UK National Escorts Association, 2018).   It therefore follows that escort services involve the provision of personal, intimate and tailored engagement to a client for remuneration, which may or may not include the provision of sexual services (Agustin, 2009).   ASSUMPTIONS AND EXCLUSIONS   This paper focusses on the provision of female escort services, offered directly or through an agency –male escort provision is not reviewed (Argento, Taylor, Jollimore, Taylor, Jennex, Krusi Shannon, 2016). No examination of the nature of these services is conducted, although a distinction is drawn between those activities deemed to be legal and illegal (Jeffreys, 2010). In taking a broader, more international perspective it is important to recognise that different national approaches will exist which means that in some cases the provision of sexual services is considered legal (Outshoorn, 2004). However, legal recognition does not necessarily translate into social and cultural acceptance for either the client or the escort worker(s) concerned (Agustin, 2009).   The demand for escort services, be they legal or illegal and with or without a sexual element is well established (Burghart, 2017). This paper therefore does not consider the perspective of clients but instead focusses on the issues shaping the actions and decisions of those women acting as escorts (Matthews, 2007).   THE EMPOWERMENT CASE   For women that choose to work as escorts, arguments have been presented which suggest that doing so provides them with a position of power and authority over their clients (Weitzer, 2007). They work in a sector that puts a particular value on their skills, abilities and attributes and the woman is able to direct and control to what extent she places herself ‘on the market’ e.g. whether to engage in sexual activity or not and if so, what those acts will be (Cho, Dreher Neumeyer, 2013). Whilst many services are engaged through a broker (the Escort Agency) which will take a fee for their involvement, charges for any additional activities are often arranged on a direct basis between the escort and the client (Laskowski, 2002).   However, such empowerment arguments assume that the woman concerned is operating within the realms of an established business framework which she can adapt to her own requirements (Sanders, O’Neill Pitcher, 2017). They also imply that the women has exercised free will and choice in becoming an escort and that no coercion has been applied, such as that seen in many cases of people trafficking (O’Connor, 2017). Even where no overt coercion has been applied, women may feel that working as an escort is the only viable option given issues such as social/economic deprivation, personal addiction issues and unstable family backgrounds (Scoular O’Neill, 2007).   Consequently, any empowerment arguments presented must clearly consider the foundations underlying any perceptions of informed choice (Jeffreys, 2010). Even where such factors are not an issue (such as those women from A or B socio-economic groups with high net-worth clients), the social and cultural stigma around escort services can limit the extent to which women are truly empowered (Szirmai, 2015).  Ã‚   THE SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE   Many women working as escorts see themselves as offering an essential social service to their communities, supporting clients through periods of disruption and turbulence (Sanders, O’Neill Pitcher, 2017). Examples cited include widowers seeking company (or even sexual services) without wishing to enter into another emotional relationship and those coping with the breakdown of a long-term relationship seeking guidance on how to re-engage effectively with women (Sanders, O’Neill Pitcher, 2017). Whilst engaging vulnerable clients seeking emotional rather than physical support could be considered exploitative, competition within the sector could ensure that clients favour those women best able to meet the needs presented (Koken, 2010).   Legislative and social constraints do limit the effectiveness of such support given the stigma often associated with engaging escorts, even if no sexual content is involved (Koken, 2010). It could also be argued that the dominant focus on meeting physical/sexual requirements in the sector creates longer-term social problems, as the clients concerned are often unable to form stable, emotionally sound long-term relationships as a result (Weitzer, 2007). Those clients that regularly use escort services to meet both their physical and emotional needs may end up seeking to apply the same transactional thinking to external relationships, inadvertently undermining the status of women in that community (Sanders, O’Neill Pitcher, 2017).   Where female workers are genuinely empowered, then social benefits can accrue. For example, the working hours involved and the income levels that can be sustained may allow them to remain both employed and effective, accessible parents when they may otherwise be relying on state support (Brooks-Gordon, 2006). However, the hidden and illegal nature of much of the escort sector economy limits social benefit potential (e.g. undeclared incomes and welfare concerns for the children of sex workers) (Sanders, O’Neill Pitcher, 2017).  Ã‚  Ã‚   THE ECONOMIC RATIONALE   Many escort agencies operate as legitimate business interests, generating tax revenues and providing either paid employment or self-employment frameworks for the women concerned (UK National Escorts Association, 2018). The value proposition is on the provision of a booking service for time and companionship with women (UK National Escorts Association, 2018). It is the subsequent transactions between clients and those women which may or may not be legal and which may not necessarily form part of any transparent business activity which raise concerns (Matthews, 2007). Whilst the nature of business registration in the UK makes it difficult to identify tax revenues specifically attributed to escort agencies (which often register as entertainment services), it is estimated that prostitution (i.e. unregulated and untaxed activity) in that country sustains a spend of around  £770M each year (BBC, 2001; UK National Escorts Association, 2018).  Ã‚   Women working in the sector may therefore have the ability to generate and sustain incomes that their educational and social backgrounds would deny them in terms of more traditional employment routes (Weitzer, 2007). As such, depending on the legal and regulatory frameworks in place, they may be net financial contributors to society rather than a drain on national resources (Laskowski, 2007). However, such arguments are predicated on the concept of choice and empowerment as those women working in the sector to sustain addiction problems will still place greater demands on health and social welfare services (Rani, Jain Saxena, 2017). Also, the exploitation that exists in the sector through organised criminal activities (arguably fuelled by legislative and societal constraints around sex workers) means that significant escort revenues remain invisible to the national exchequers concerned (Sweeney Fitzgerald, 2017). Also, these hidden revenues can fund activities which create signific ant economic and social costs for the countries concerned (e.g. the drugs trade, money laundering and criminal violence) (O’Connor, 2017).  Ã‚   POLITICAL ISSUES   Political attitudes surrounding escort services are shaped by national/regional cultures, societal expectations and the legislative frameworks that result (Outshoorn, 2004). As a consequence, in many societies the political leadership prefer to maintain a discrete distance from the sector, rather than engage in open debate about the role of women as escorts (Brooks-Gordon, 2006). Whilst more enlightened attitudes are emerging, such as the operating of licenced establishments with Government health monitoring programmes and social support, anything outside of non-sexual escort activity is still considered illegal in many areas (Agustin, 2009). This limits the political support for women in the sector to focussing on applying criminal sanctions to clients rather than workers and/or the development of social programmes to encourage them to explore alternative employment options (Cho, Dreher Neumeyer, 2013).   As a consequence, many women working as escorts (employed and self-employed) are denied a legitimate political voice within their societies (Outshoorn, 2004). This again calls into question the concept of empowerment, as it is difficult for the women concerned to influence decision-makers about their working conditions, rates of pay and employment rights (Bartlett Kennedy, 2018). This lack of power and influence has led to these women becoming even more isolated from (and controlled by) mainstream society as their roles and life choices are debated and regulated by others (Outshoorn, 2004).   THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY   The advent of modern technology solutions, particularly social networking platforms has provided women with a means to directly access the market for escort services (Heymann-Reder, 2012). The ease with which websites can be created and the willingness of consumers to provide (anonymous) feedback in relation to the services received can negate the need to use agency resources to source, screen and support clients (Tuten Solomon, 2014). This also extends to payment services which further supports women working in the sector in establishing a viable, self-managed business model (Henry, 2011). Such approaches mirror the growth in self-employment opportunities for women in the service sector, where on-line demand for associated skills such as massage and male grooming services can provide a conduit for the marketing of escort activities (Cader Al Tenaiji, 2013).   However, technology developments also expose workers to greater risk (Sanders, O’Neill Pitcher, 2017). The absence of any third-party, escort agency involvement means that women may find themselves alone when coping with an aggressive client or one unwilling to pay for the services received (Jeffreys, 2010). It also introduces a new skills requirement as those pursuing such technology solutions will need to effectively manage and deploy the technology in order to build a sustainable business (Heymann-Reder, 2012).  Ã‚   LEGAL CONCERNS   Whilst those operating escort services as a legitimate business model are afforded the same legal protections as the wider society concerned, often the provision of sexual services falls outside of such frameworks (Cho, Dreher Neumeyer, 2013). Consequently, the women involved are committing criminal acts even though they are meeting a demand that society is aware of and which addresses a clear social need (Jeffreys, 2010). This means that when such women require the full protection of law – for example, if assaulted by a client – the very nature of their profession often means that they are denied that support (Bartlett Kennedy, 2018). The level of violence and associated criminal activity in the sector is therefore well known, but chronically under-reported by those that experience it (O’Connor, 2017). This lack of visibility also undermines efforts to extend legal protection to escorts and the ability of enforcement officials to prosecute offenders (Scoular O’Neill, 2007).   For those women who have fallen into escort work due to social, health and addiction issues limiting the employment choices available to them, the more sympathetic application of legal sanctions in some countries is beginning to provide them with the support required (Agustin, 2009). Viewing such women as being vulnerable and exploited ensures that they are seen in a different light by state institutions, helping them to move out of escort work if their continued involvement undermines their self-worth, health and social status (Reitmeijer, 2017).   SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION   Basic economic theory dictates that women will continue to provide escort services for the foreseeable future. There is a constant (potentially expanding) demand, technology advances make it easier for consumers to express that demand clearly and for suppliers to efficiently tailor their services to the requirements of distinct customer communities (Henry, 2011; Burghart, 2017). Consequently, a dynamic and competitive market exists (and has always existed) irrespective of the behavioural and cultural norms outlined by the societies concerned.   If this proposition is accepted, then it is argued that current attitudes, reflected in the legal frameworks of many nations are discriminatory and punitive to women (Bartlett Kennedy, 2018). They limit the protection that can be offered and expose women to greater risks (including sexual health concerns). Critically, making female sex work an illegal and unregistered activity allows criminal entities to control their access to the market (O’Connor, 2017). Such control disempowers women when they should be shaping their operating environment to meet their own requirements and aspirations (Koken, 2010). Criminal exploitation and the legal frameworks that unintentionally support it also create opportunities to force women to work unwillingly as escorts (Sweeney Fitzgerald, 2017).   Technology advances are giving those women that choose to work as escorts the opportunity to exert greater control. However, this needs to be matched by a more realistic and progressive attitude within societies around issues such as regulation, health screening and support services if women escorts are to be truly protected and empowered.Page Break   REFERENCES   Agustin, L. (2009). Sex and the limits of enlightenment: the irrationality of legal regimes to control prostitution, Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 5(4), pp. 73-86.   Argento, E., Taylor, M., Jollimore, J., Taylor, C., Jennex, J., Krusi, A., Shannon, K. (2016). The loss of boystown and transition to online sex work:   Strategies and barriers to increase safety among men sex workers and clients of men, American Journal Men’s Health, pp. 1-19.   Bartlett, K.T., Kennedy, R. (2018). Feminist Legal Theory: Readings in Law and Gender, Abingdon: Routledge.   BBC. (2001). Prostitution: Should it be legalised? [Online], Available: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/1271865.stm   [20 February, 2018].   Brooks-Gordon, B. (2006). The Price of Sex: Prostitution, Policy and Society, Collumpton: Willan Publishing.   Burghart, K.O. (2017). What’s on sale? A discourse analysis of four distinct escort advertisement websites, Sexuality and Culture, 22(1), pp. 316-335.   Cader, Y., Al Tenaiji, A. A. (2013). Social media marketing.†¯International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation,†¯2(6), pp. 546-560.   Cho, S-Y., Dreher, A., Neumeyer, E. (2013). Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking? World Development, 41, pp. 67-82.   Henry, A.E. (2011). Understanding Strategic Management, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.   Heymann-Reder, D. (2012).†¯Social Media Marketing. Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Verlag.   Jeffreys, S. (2010). â€Å"Brothels without Walls†: the Escort Sector as a Problem for the Legalization of Prostitution, Social Politics, 17(2), pp. 210-234.   Koken, J. (2010). Independent Female Escort’s Strategies for Coping with Sex Work Related Stigma, Sexuality and Culture, 16(3), pp. 209-229.   Laskowski, S.R. (2002). The New German Prostitution Act: An Important Step to a More Rational View of Prostitution as an Ordinary Profession in Accordance with European Community Law, International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations, 18(4), pp. 479-491.   Matthews, R. (2007). The Prostitution Strategy: A Response, Safer Communities, 6(3), pp. 4-6.   O’Connor, M. (2017). Choice, agency consent and coercion: Complex issues in the lives of prostituted and trafficked women, Women’s Studies International Forum, 62, pp. 8-16.   Outshoorn, J. (2004). The Politics of Prostitution: Womens Movements, Democratic States and the Globalisation of Sex Commerce, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.   Rani, P., Jain, D., Saxena, V.P. (2017). Stability Analysis of HIV/AIDS Transmission with Treatment and Role of Female Sex Workers, International Journal of Nonlinear Sciences and Numerical Simulation, 18(6), pp. 457-467.   Reitmeijer, C.A. (2017). Opinion: The Goose and the Gander – Sexually Transmitted Infection/HIV Prevention and the Adult Entertainment Industry, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 44(3), pp. 187-188.   Sanders, T., O’Neill, M., Pitcher, J. (2017). Prostitution: Sex Work, Policy Politics, 2nd Edition, London: Sage Publications Ltd.   Scoular, J., O’Neill, M. (2007). Regulating Prostitution, The British Journal of Criminology, 47(5), pp. 764-778.   Sweeney, L-A., Fitzgerald, S. (2017). A case for a health promotion framework: the psychosocial experiences of female migrant sex workers in Ireland, International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 13(4), pp. 419-431.   Szirmai, A. (2015). Socio-Economic Development, 2nd Edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.   Tuten, T. L., Solomon, M. R. (2014).†¯Social media marketing. California: Sage.   UK National Escorts Association. (2018). How to run a lucrative escort service. [Online], Available:  Ã‚   http://www.uknationalescortsassociation.co.uk/articles/how_to_run_a_lucrative_escort_service_152.html   [20 February, 2018].   Weitzer, R. (2007). Prostitution as a Form of Work, Sociology Compass, 1(1), pp. 143-155.  

My Sister’s Keeper Essay

In My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult weaves a gripping tale of pathos, humor, and love. As thirteen-year-old Anna Fitzgerald struggles to define herself as a person apart from her sister Kate, Picoult exposes the universal truths of human relationships. Life is full of choices and consequences. Love demands risks and sacrifice; self-examination and sharing. As the characters unfold, in their own words, the importance of communication emerges as a unifying theme. Kate Fitzgerald is dying of acute promyelocytic leukemia. A kidney transplant is her only hope. Anna’s parents assume without question, that she will offer her kidney. Aware that she was conceived to be a genetic match, and ongoing donor for Kate, Anna wants a chance to live her own life. Though she loves her sister dearly, Anna retains Campbell Alexander, seeking medical emancipation, knowing that without the surgery Kate will die. Thus begins the saga of seven lives intertwined in ways none could ever have imagined. Anna forces a legal confrontation that compels each character to examine the relationships in their lives. Sara Fitzgerald has focused obsessively on Kate’s medical needs, unwittingly ignoring the needs of other family members. Brian, a firefighter, finds respite from his family’s ills on the job, and in the stars, which become a metaphor for life. Jesse, eighteen, is the family misfit. Unable to help Kate, he is wracked by guilt. A rebel, he becomes an unlikely healing force. As the court proceedings swirl around Anna, all involved are forced to reckon with the ghosts of their pasts and the paths they have chosen. Picoult addresses the ethics of the situation only tangentially. The ending is superbly crafted, literally pulling the reader into the text. This is a cosmic tale about relationships and endurance, and the ability of love to change lives forever.

The Argument About Career Choice Essay Samples

The Argument About Career Choice Essay Samples An excellent employee is a great employee, no matter what he or she's doing. Set a fantastic plan for yourself, this plan will allow you to make some decisions about how to achieve and pursue the goals. Career research is career is the consequence of a conscious attitude and behavior in the expert field that is connected to official and expert growth. Annually, the range of enrollees in the advertising course increases. On this level, an individual can decide to engage counselors or professionals to help them administer these tests, a larger number do opt to create use of career tests to be found on the net. Even though there are many of jobs, they are sometimes hard to find. A highly effective woman would likewise give me a chance to employ other people and provide them a chance to also have a thriving career. If don't have any time for writing your statement or you're confused about the content, we're here to assist you. There's no expert exam required to be able to develop into a professor. Nobody really wakes up and says wow I am interested in being a dentist. It is not the same area of study. however, it interests me and I want to get a career I like to wake up every morning and not need to say'' I don't wish to go to work today!'' Research has to be conducted and deep thought needs to get taken place. Facts, Fiction and Career Choice Essay Samples You may easily locate these totally free samples and examples online. Several professional writers can be reached online for the intent of writing a career essay. Another strength I find important is I am a learner. The ideal thing about us is that each and every time you can buy original essay papers for sale. There are a lot of things people will need to take into account before making this all-important choice. For certain individuals, the choice isn't a lot of dilemma. These steps can be followed in producing a fantastic career choice. You cannot truly avoid anything and must adhere to the laid out path to attain the proper career that's right for you, yet taking the most suitable decision is imperative. Picking a career is simply a little step towards that, whatever career you choose at the conclusion of the day it's security and money. To some individuals, picking a task based on money or a salary is extremely important. The society and the economy Sometimes it may be sheer luck that, while searching for a career and work ou will land up within favorable financial problems. Custom writing means a significant company with high standards. Our writers always create unique content that's absolutely free from all grammatical error. Even then you're unable to discover the informative and accurate info. WHAT TO LOOK FOR The simple fact there are dozens of writing companies out there's proof this actually is a competitive field. Career in any organization is dependent upon the employees desire to see the. While directors haven't any established schedule, it can be simple to work around, though a director can be brought into a big project. Some directors have the chance to move on to a larger project like movies. Work it Daily believes that it is particularly important to get a career plan in mind so that there's always a wish to reach for. Finding a spot in nursing school is difficult enough, staying in is the largest hurdle. The readers, however, may want to hear more than just a single career objective. For your college scholarship essay, you might be asked about your career objectives. Vital Pieces of Career Choice Essay Samples Holland's code was created to individually place adult learners in the proper path that suits every facet of that individual, together with giving everyone inspiration for other career ideas beyond their box. If you don't relish your job quite a few things will fail with your life.

Differences Between Explanatory and Response Variables

One of the many ways that variables in statistics can be classified is to consider the differences between explanatory and response variables. Although these variables are related, there are important distinctions between them. After defining these types of variables, we will see that the correct identification of these variables has a direct influence on other aspects of statistics, such as the construction of a scatterplot and the slope of a regression line. Definitions of Explanatory and Response We begin by looking at the definitions of these types of variables. A response variable is a particular quantity that we ask a question about in our study. An explanatory variable is any factor that can influence the response variable. While there can be many explanatory variables, we will primarily concern ourselves with a single explanatory variable. A response variable may not be present in a study. The naming of this type of variable depends upon the questions that are being asked by a researcher. The conducting of an observational study would be an example of an instance when there is not a response variable. An experiment will have a response variable. The careful design of an experiment tries to establish that the changes in a response variable are directly caused by changes in the explanatory variables. Example One To explore these concepts we will examine a few examples. For the first example, suppose that a researcher is interested in studying the mood and attitudes of a group of first-year college students. All first-year students are given a series of questions. These questions are designed to assess the degree of homesickness of a student. Students also indicate on the survey how far their college is from home. One researcher who examines this data may just be interested in the types of student responses.  Perhaps the reason for this is to have an overall sense about the composition of a new freshman. In this case, there is not a response variable. This is because no one is seeing if the value of one variable influences the value of another. Another researcher could use the same data to attempt to answer if students who came from further away had a greater degree of homesickness. In this case, the data pertaining to the homesickness questions are the values of a response variable, and the data that indicates the distance from home forms the explanatory variable. Example Two For the second example we might be curious if number of hours spent doing homework has an effect on the grade a student earns on an exam. In this case, because we are showing that the value of one variable changes the value of another, there is an explanatory and a response variable. The number of hours studied is the explanatory variable and the score on the test is the response variable. Scatterplots and Variables When we are working with paired quantitative data, it is appropriate to use a scatterplot. The purpose of this kind of graph is to demonstrate relationships and trends within the paired data. We do not need to have both an explanatory and response variable. If this is the case, then either variable can plotted along either axis. However, in the event that there is a response and explanatory variable, then the explanatory variable is always plotted along the x or horizontal axis of a Cartesian coordinate system. The response variable is then plotted along the y axis. Independent and Dependent The distinction between explanatory and response variables is similar to another classification. Sometimes we refer to variables as being independent or dependent. The value of a dependent variable relies upon that of an independent variable. Thus a response variable corresponds to a dependent variable while an explanatory variable corresponds to an independent variable. This terminology is typically not used in statistics because the explanatory variable is not truly independent. Instead the variable only takes on the values that are observed. We may have no control over the values of an explanatory variable.