What Causes Men to Buy Sex?

From a column in Edmonton's Vue Weekly, Murray Sinclair tackles the question "What causes men to buy sex?" And he finds, startlingly but not surprisingly, that the reason is less about sex about more about control and voilence:

In Sergeant Jim Morrissey's experience, sex isn't the main factor behind men buying prostitutes, even though there's obviously a sexual act involved.

"It's more about power ... about control and violence," said the detective with Edmonton Police Service's vice section.

While a man being violent to his wife, girlfriend or even a woman he picked up at the bar may be reported to the police, that chance of law enforcement becoming involved is significantly lower when a sex trade worker is assaulted, but understanding the root causes of why men buy sex is relevant to the issue of prostitution, with street activity reportedly increasing in the city.

"We’ve had more [offences] this summer than at this time last year," Morrissey confirmed.

Kate Quinn, executive director of the Prostitution Awareness and Action Foundation of Edmonton (PAAFE), is also familiar with the violent streak shown by johns. At least once a week, the prostitutes to whom she speaks suffer "bad dates" or violent acts committed by men who have bought sex.

"There were two bad dates last night," she said when interviewed in late August, noting that men sometimes use very derogatory language against the sex trade workers they are with, suggesting that they see women as objects, and think they can be physically and verbally abusive because they're paying. As well as providing quick, anonymous sex with no commitment or attachment, she said men buy to achieve "a sense of power."

"They're buying someone to make them do what they want them to do," she continued. "It's hard to find a common denominator, but there are a number of men [who buy sex] who are violent and abusive. Violence is part of prostitution."

Quinn added that the problem might be more widespread, as much of the violence goes unreported and "a lot [of johns] avoid arrest," mentioning the 28 prostitutes who have been murdered in the Edmonton area and noting that so far only one man has been jailed for any of these crimes. The johns encountered by Quinn and Morrissey come from all different ages, professions and socio-economic and racial backgrounds.

"It's a United Nations of misbehaviour," said the sergeant, who has caught aboriginal chiefs, lawyers, plumbers, salespeople and even fellow officers buying sex. "It could be any man."

One of Morrissey's most incredible stings was of a priest picking up a prostitute mere metres away from the front doors of his church. ("There's lots of religious people buying sex," he said.)

Morrissey also noted that johns tend to have problems similar to those faced by the prostitutes they solicit, including drug and alcohol addiction, poverty and mental health issues, and, like prostitutes, many Johns have grown up in abusive homes.

Up to 15 per cent of johns are pedophiles looking to have sex with underage girls who are "fresh," said Morrissey, using the industry term.

Quinn said some johns may be out of a relationship and looking for a way to address their sexual needs by buying prostitutes, but again power may come into play.

"When you pay for something, nobody can reject you," she said. "You don't have to put yourself out there (or) face rejection."

But Morrissey said many johns actually look relatively attractive, and probably would not have much problem picking up a woman at a bar for consensual sex. Relating buying sex to issues of power again, he speculates that some men may buy sex because they are unhappy with their personal relationships.

"It's the way they get a little bit of power back—it makes them feel good," Morrissey said. "But that’s someone's mom or daughter. It's sad—I'm very disappointed in my gender some days."

When asked what kind of measures could be used to curb prostitution, Morrissey points to the prostitution offender program, or "john school," an alternative measures program coordinated by PAAFE.

Eligible men caught buying sex who choose to participate in the day course learn about the health risks of buying sex and hear stories from people and communities victimized by the sex trade.

"It’s a tremendous success," said Morrissey, noting how sorry graduates feel about buying sex. "In one day, they learn that prostitution is not a victimless crime. If only we could educate all of our adolescent men and adults."

That said, talking about prostitution in school is difficult, as Morrissey discovered when a principal nixed his plans to talk about his vice section's work during a school visit, worried about how parents would react.