Prostitution Research and Education, San Francisco, USA.
Department of Criminal Justice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2024;15(1):2404307. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2404307. Epub 2024 Oct 1.
Extreme violence and psychological abuse have been extensively documented and are pervasive in prostitution. Survivors of prostitution report high levels of posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociation, depression, and self-loathing. These are the same sequelae reported by torture survivors. Severe forms of violence have been categorized as torture by experts. The authors note that torture is commonly suffered during prostitution and should be appropriately named. Using standardized measures and including a new measure of torture, we interviewed 45 women in the United States about their torture experiences in prostitution and their symptoms of PTSD, dissociation, childhood trauma, health status and somatic symptoms. The interviewees had exited prostitution and were in supportive programmes. Formerly prostituted interviewees reported acts of physical, sexual, and psychological torture, including strangulation, rape, beatings, restriction of movement, denial of privacy, sleep, or food, and being forced to witness the torture of others. The 45 women had high levels of PTSD and dissociation. They endorsed needs for individual counselling, substance abuse treatment, and other medical care. A recognition of the physical, sexual, and psychological torture experienced in prostitution would strengthen psychological and medical interventions for survivors. Naming specific acts of prostitution as torture will reduce the survivor's shame and self-blame. Holistic treatment includes medical and psychological interventions and peer support, as seen in torture rehabilitation programmes for survivors of state-sponsored torture. This research supports the perspective that private or non-state-sponsored torture against women and marginalized populations should be clinically and legally understood in the same way as state-sponsored torture.
极端暴力和心理虐待在卖淫中被广泛记录，并普遍存在。卖淫幸存者报告说，他们患有创伤后应激障碍、分离、抑郁和自我厌恶等疾病。这些都是酷刑幸存者报告的相同后遗症。严重形式的暴力已被专家归类为酷刑。作者指出，在卖淫中经常遭受酷刑，应该给予适当的命名。我们使用标准化的测量方法，并包括一项新的酷刑测量方法，采访了美国的 45 名妇女，了解她们在卖淫中遭受的酷刑经历以及创伤后应激障碍、分离、童年创伤、健康状况和躯体症状。受访者已经退出卖淫，正在参加支持性项目。以前从事卖淫的受访者报告了身体、性和心理酷刑行为，包括勒死、强奸、殴打、限制行动、剥夺隐私、睡眠或食物，以及被迫目睹他人遭受酷刑。这 45 名女性患有严重的创伤后应激障碍和分离症。她们表示需要个人咨询、药物滥用治疗和其他医疗护理。承认在卖淫中经历的身体、性和心理酷刑将加强对幸存者的心理和医疗干预。将卖淫中的具体行为命名为酷刑将减少幸存者的羞耻感和自责感。整体治疗包括医疗和心理干预以及同伴支持，正如国家支持的酷刑幸存者康复方案中所见。这项研究支持这样一种观点，即应该以与国家支持的酷刑相同的方式，从临床和法律角度理解针对妇女和边缘化群体的私人或非国家支持的酷刑。
