One of the most known factors that cause prostitution is poverty. Men and women often engage in prostitution purely out of necessity. In many studies, homeless men and women are prime examples. However, women far outnumber men in the prostitution industry. A majority of the women involved in prostitution enter the occupation just to earn a money in order to survive, buy food, drugs, or shelter, and the money they receive prompts them to continue to be prostitutes.Women that are impoverished are more likely to involve themselves in …show more content…
Men and women sell their bodies in order to support their already existing habit or change their focus from obtaining money to support themselves to supporting the habit that formed after entering prostitution. Researchers have suggested that 40 to 85 percent of prostitutes are drug users, and the most popular drug amongst prostitutes is crack cocaine. It is hypothesized that if women do cocaine and develop an addiction than she more likely to become a prostitute to support her habit. In numerous studies, it is proven that drug addiction usually precedes prostitution among lower-class prostitutes, whereas drug addictions follow prostitution among high-class call girls: for example, findings show a generally sequential pattern of the ages of onset with substance use and selling drugs occurring prior to …show more content…
Previous studies have shown that 84 percent of prostitutes have experienced sexual abuse, and the majority were women. This high percentage help ties together the fact that sexual abuse and prostitution intertwine with one another. However, sexual abuse experienced as a child has a more lasting effect than during adulthood. The sexual nature of the abuse experienced will lead to high levels of depression, low self-esteem, and a dependency on substances such as drugs and alcohol. Also, sexual abuse as a child can cause sexual distortions, and sexual abuse paired with lack of parental affection will further emotionally damage the child. These factors can potentially lead a child to grow up and engage in risky behaviors such as prostitution; thus, early sexual initiation remained significant as a mediator in the pathway from child abuse and neglect to prostitution.