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Labor Violations and Discrimination in the Clark County Outcall Entertainment Industry

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Labor Violations and Discrimination in the Clark County Outcall Entertainment Industry UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2003 Labor violations and discrimination in the Clark County outcall entertainment industry Candice Michelle Seppa Arroyo University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Seppa Arroyo, Candice Michelle, "Labor violations and discrimination in the Clark County outcall entertainment industry" (2003). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 1555. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/nqi9-s0j7 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. IÎ4 TTHis (:Lj%j%jc(:(]Tjnsri"%(:MLrr\:L4JLi, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY by Candice Michelle Seppa Arroyo Associate o f Arts Simon's Rock C o llie o f Bard 1994 Bachelor o f Arts University o f Minnesota, Mortis 1998 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillm ent o f the requirements for the M aster of Arts Degree in Sociology Department of Sociology College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 2003 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1416255 UMI UMI Microform 1416255 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thesis Approval The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas May 30 . 2003 The Thesis prepared by Candice Michelle Seppa Arroyo Entitled Labor Violations and Discrimination in the Clark County Outcall —En t e.r t axnnient— --------------------------------- -—— ---- ——— is approved in partial fulfillm ent of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology EigTMznafzbM Commiffee CAazr Dam q/^fAa Grodizak CoHegg hZHMUMaf zoM CotMMuWgg Aiem ber ErammafioM Commifke ümdzwzfe College iacwlfy RepresenTaiiDg 1017-53 u Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright by Candice Michelle Seppa Arroyo 2003 A ll Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT Labor Violations and Discrim ination in the Clark County Outcall Entertainment Industry by Candice Michelle Seppa Arroyo D r. Barbara Brents, Examination Committee Chair Associate Professor o f Sociology University o f Nevada, Las Vegas Researchers who insist that sexual exploitation is intrinsic to sex work have deflected attention from two key issues facing sex workers: labor violations and prejudice The purpose o f this study is to investigate unethical labor practices and institutional sexism, racism, and classism in the Clark County outcall entertainment ("escort") industry. To analyze these issues from a sex radical feminist perspective, I spent 820 hours engaged in covert participant observation while working as an appointment setter at two major outcall entertainment agencies in Clark County. Much o f the abuse that outcall entertainers in Las Vegas encounter could be eliminated by enforcing existing labor regulations. Other industry-specihc problems could be solved with the repeal o f repressive anti-prostitution laws. Unfortunately, combating racism, classism, sexism and whore stigma in the sex industry w ill require social change, as these issues are not restricted to the industry, but can be found in all areas o f society. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................... ü i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. v ii CHAPTER 1 OUTCALL ENTERTAINMENT IN CLARK COUNTY .............. 1 Context o f Study ................................................................................................................ 4 O v e rv ie w........................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................... 17 Sex Industry Research from a Deviance Perspective ............................... 17 First Wave Feminist Responses to Prostitution.......................................................... 20 Radical Feminist Perspectives on the Sex Industry ..................................................... 21 Interlude: Thinking Sex................................................................................................... 25 Socialist Feminist Accounts o f the Sex Industry ......................................................... 30 Sex Radical Sex Industry Research ................................................................................ 39 Black Feminist Thought on Sex W ork ......................................................................... 45 Outcall Industry Research ...................................................................... 48 Methodological Review ................................................................................................... 55 S um m ary ........................................................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ................... «.......... 63 Data Collection .................................................................. «........................................... 63 Method Selection ............................................................................................................. 65 Sum m ary ........................................................................................................................... 81 CHAPTER 4 AGENCY OPERATIONS & ORGANIZATION .......................... 83 A Typical Call ................................................................................................................... 83 C ustom ers......................................................................................................................... 91 W o rk R oles....................................................................................................................... 93 Compensation and Employment Status..................................................................... 105 Sum m ary ......................................................................................................................... I l l IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 5 LABOR AND MANAGEMENT ..................................................... 113 Illegal and Unethical Labor Practices .......................................................................... 113 TheA Prevention Policies ............................................................................................. 127 Role Conflict .................................................................................................................. 133 Management Styles........................................................................................................ 139 Research Questions....................................................................................................... 143 Sum m ary ......................................................................................................................... 145 CHAPTER 6 RACE, CLASS, AND GENDER ...................................................... 147 R a c e ................................................................................................................................. 147 Class...................................................................................... »........................................ 158 G e n d e r............................................................................................................................ 166 Research Questions................................. 170 S um m ary ......................................................................................................................... 172 CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 174 Research Questions....................................................................................................... 174 Policy Recommendations ............................................................................................. 180 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 186 VITA ...................................................................................................................................
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