International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 6, Issue 4, April-2015 57 ISSN 2229-5518 Understanding the Roots of Male Student Prostitution: A Multiple Case Study Hilda D. Gales Abstract— This multiple case study was conducted at the municipality of Compostela, Compostela Valley Province. Participants were the five male student prostitutes from private and public higher education institutions of the municipality. The in-depth interview provided the lived experiences, reasons of turning to prostitutions, and the aspirations of these male student prostitutes. It was found out that lived expe- riences of these male student prostitutes were manifested in their hesitation as first timers in the work and encountered disgusting sexual contacts. There were shocking revelations in the confessions of the participants that needs attention. Poverty was the primary reason of be- coming a prostitute. This study has implications in education on how to address the problem and find ways to prevent the blowing number of these students in the academic world. Index Terms— Male Students , Prostitution , Pimps —————————— —————————— 1 INTRODUCTION ale prostitution is on the rise in different parts of the chosen in prostitution because of the extreme imbalance of M countries in Asia. In an economically troubled and con- power. The poorest, the most vulnerable women, are basically servative country where homosexual behavior is a ta- made available for constant sexual access. boo, a growing number of men are prostituting themselves. Moreover, rural areas are also dominated with the The commercial sex industry includes street prostitu- prostitution and male prostitutes are blowing. Sad to know tion, massage brothels, escort services, gay bars, outcall ser- that the number of male students prostitutes are coming into vices, strip clubs, lapdancing, phone sex, adult and child por- open. This and the near future dilemma to the academic insti- nography, video and internet pornography, and prostitution tutions is a threat to the social, psychological and physical as- tourism. Most women who are in prostitution for longer than pects of the students. a few months drift among these various permutations of the Realizing the problems connected with male student commercial sex industry. prostitution, I ventured on this study and after perusal from Angell (2005) stressed out that prostitution is not in- different literature, it was found out that there is no similar herently immoral. It is how IJSERyou do it that counts, and the real- study conducted especially in the local settings. ity is that it is going to happen anyway. She added that prosti- has repeatedly been said that the teacher is one of the most tution is not called the world’s oldest profession for nothing if rewarding of profession. Teaching, is an exquisite art since not being benefited for a certain reason. History shows that teachers are tasked to mold the minds of students in the class- male prostitution flourished with urbanization and becomes room. (Zulueta,2009) The delicate and moral responsibilities of predictably ritualized, seems to be development intertwined teachers is necessary to make teaching –learning meaningful. prostitution. In the same way,( Bilbao,Corpuz, Llaga & Salandanan,(2006) More than anything, prostitution is not a choice, as define teaching as a profession. Accordingly, if you take teach- some claim. Survivors of prostitution have described it as “the ing as a profession you must be willing to dedicate yourself to choice made by those who have no choice.” The global forces public service. Furthermore, (Bilbao, Copuz, Llagas, & Sa- that “choose” women for prostitution include, among others, landanan, 2006) considered teaching as a vocation because of gender discrimination, race discrimination, poverty, aban- the calling and teaching as mission because of the task en- donment, debilitating physical, sexual and verbal abuse, poor trusted in them. On the contrary, there are teachers who can- or no education, and a job that does not pay a living wage. not understand their students’ behavior. Carreon, (2009) ad- Regardless of the reasons for prostitution, or physical dressed them as an ineffective teachers. location (strip club, massage parlor, brothel, street, es- On the other hand, public school teachers, regardless of where cort/home/hotel), prostitution is extremely dangerous, both they work, face ongoing challenges to balance sensitivity to psychologically and physically to women. And it all starts the social and learning needs of the community they serve with pressures to meet broader labor market, social, and polit- with the buyer. Therefore, prostitution must be exposed for ical objectives ( Wotherspoon, 2006 & Hangreaves, 2003). what it really is—a “male social system in place to ensure the Teachers are trapped between conflicting pressures to be satisfaction of male demand for sexual servicing and for objec- “both catalyst for successful knowledge economy and effective tified sex. counter points for some socially disrupted effects “. Teachers Katia Dunn (2002), stated that one cannot understand make sense of and affect this uneven terrain as they attempt to prostitution unless one understand how sex, class and race all reconcile diverse educational demands. The coexistence of come together and hurt a person at the same time. People are IJSER © 2015 http://www.ijser.org International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 6, Issue 3, March-2015 58 ISSN 2229-5518 hope and frustration are parallel experiences of indigenous competence and skills to the students’ learning in schools in and minority group in many nations. remote indigenous communities. Local indigenous teachers Likewise, Chisholm, (2000) enunciated and proved in know their students. They live their culture and know the her study that living and working in a remote indigenous families of the children they teach. This view holds that minor- community is all about relationship and communication. Such ity students benefit from being taught minority teachers. The achievement can ultimately make a really positive contribu- assumption is that synchronicity is a valuable resource in tion in the community . Schissel & Wotherspoon, (2003) be- teaching and learning ( Villegas & Irvine, 2010: Gandara & lieved that it is important to keep in mind that in the remote Maxwell–Jolley, 2000; Valencia, 2002; Haycock, 2001; Foster, indigenous community there may be different meaning be- 1994; Achinstein & Aguirre,2008). hind non-verbal communication and body language can be The numerous problems and difficulties of non-indigenous quite different to what you may be accustomed. As a teach- teachers assigned in the indigenous community is the gap that er living in an indigenous community needs strong behavioral this study is trying to focus.Their experiences of sorrows and adjustments. Scougal, (2008) pointed out that every communi- pains, of joys and success will highlight this study. The ongo- ty in the tribal group is different. If you establish yourself as ing challenge for those working in education system is how to someone who is trustworthy and respectful specially on their better prepare Non- Indigenous teachers to work productive- culture, then the indigenous community will be open working ly with Indigenous teachers and Indigenous students. Consid- with you. ering that I have not come across a similar study on the expe- Furthermore, teaching indigenous students requires sensi- riences of Non-IP teachers amidst indigenous community spe- tivity for their special needs and knowledge about cultural cially in the local setting, I take into account that this study has protocols (Korff, 2014). Many teachers do not have a lot of ex- a direction. periences teaching and dealing indigenous kids or communi- ties. Teachers misinterpret their behavior. For example, indig- 1.2 Purpose of the Study enous students avoid direct contact to an adult as it is consid- The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to ered rude in indigenous culture. When teachers misdiagnose understand the roots of student prostitution particularly in the these students’ classroom behavior, we can speak of “soft rac- rural areas. This undertaking will cover the actual experiences ism”. You see them run but then you realize they have no role and reasons of the chosen individuals in the community. model where they are from. They arrive in school hungry, sick Discussion of prostitution is a topic that has long ex- and infested with head lice. Some of them are horrific. Stu- cited widespread interest that tells us much the attitude of dents do not question – and decline in giving answers. Indige- society towards men and women of this work. As a teacher, nous children are less likely to answer questions in the class- this study will guide the researcher to let the community en- room because traditionally, their culture has been passed in hance the understanding of male prostitution, and direct them through the telling of stories; it’s not about question and an- an in-depth empathy of the people involved. swers. In addition, teachers in the indigenous community faced This undertaking will allow me to widen my social problems on the significant IJSER dropped out rate. (Gordon, 2000, experiences with this group of students. I could connect with Falmer , 2000 & Sleeter, 1996) cited that Aboriginal students their thoughts, views and feelings that are shared openly, not have relatively high school dropped out rates. For instance, if only to give them opportunity to be heard, but the time to un- the students do not see the school, its English speaking staff derstand their background without prejudice as member of and its curriculum as relevant to their emotional and educa- the society at large. tional needs, then the incentive to attend is reduce ( This study will provide a glimpse of the reality of the Lewthwaite, McMillan, Renaud, & MacDonald, 2010 Martin , growing number of our male student prostitutes in our coun- Marsh, Macirnery, & Green., 2009) and lacking strong social try particularly in our own community. pressure to go to school, the children often vote with their feet.