The Industrial Vagina: The Political Economy of the Global Sex Trade

by Sheila Jeffreys

The industrialization of prostitution and the sex trade has created a multibillion-dollar global market, involving millions of women, that makes a substantial contribution to national and global economies. The Industrial Vagina examines how prostitution and other aspects of the sex industry have moved from being small-scale, clandestine, and socially despised practices to become very profitable legitimate market sectors that are being legalised and decriminalised by governments. Sheila Jeffreys demonstrates how prostitution has been globalized through an examination of: She argues that through these practices women’s subordination has been outsourced and that states that legalise this industry are acting as pimps, enabling male buyers in countries in which women’s equality threatens male dominance, to buy access to the bodies of women from poor countries who are paid for their sexual subservience. This major and provocative contribution is essential reading for all with an interest in feminist, gender and critical globalisation issues as well as students and scholars of international political economy.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Sociology, Politics, Feminist Theory, Sexuality, Womens

245 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Sheila Jeffreys writes and teaches in the areas of sexual politics, international gender politics, and lesbian and gay politics. She has written six books on the history and politics of sexuality. Originally from the UK, Sheila moved to Melbourne in 1991 to take up a position at the University of Melbourne. She has been actively involved in feminist and lesbian feminist politics, particularly around the issue of sexual violence, since 1973. She is involved with the international non-government organization, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, in international organising.

She is the author of The Spinster and Her Enemies: Feminism and Sexuality, 1880-1930 (1985/1997) Anticlimax: A Feminist Perspective on the Sexual Revolution (1990), The Lesbian Heresy: A Feminist Perspective on the Lesbian Sexual Revolution (1993), The Idea of Prostitution (1997), Unpacking Queer Politics: a lesbian feminist perspective (2003) and Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices in the West (2005).

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am working on a project on human trafficking in the early modern Mediterranean, and came across this fascinating and provocative book that examines the burgeoning, contemporary sex industry from a radical feminist perspective. The author looks at trafficking, prostitution, pornography and shows the ways in which postfeminist scholars and the sex industry are redefining these in terms of women's agency and choice, rather than seeing such practices as examples of extreme violence against women. The examples mobilized here are highly disturbing, but examples of successful political responses to prostitution in Sweden and other countries provide some hope in what is otherwise a very dismal crawl through some of the darkest corners of modern, global society. I was especially struck by how closely many of the ideas towards morality that Jeffries presents parallel those of Mormons and other religious communities. There is a certain irony in this, given the reflexive anti-feminist position adopted by many in these communities.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I muscled my way through this book, alternately daydreaming, not paying attention to what I was reading and learning new information. It is on the dry side but in moments can be quite readable and informative. I think there are better books out there that do a better job at holding one's interests while putting forth the information. If you like research and dry reading about the global economy and the trafficking of women and children then then this is the book for you.

[Towhidul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book on political economy of sex trade.

This book shows how prostitution, pornography, strip club, sex tourism, trafficking and legalization of prostitution are antithetical to gender equality. It is scholarly work and has much to inform a reader, bringing inside out of the sex industry. At first, Sheila Jeffreys shows how striping, sex tourism, pornography are akin to prostitution. Some marriage practices are not very different from prostitution, as shown in the book.


The contemporary dominant discourse is that legalizing/decriminalizing prostitution minimizes the harms caused by prostitution. She shows that legalization of prostitution increases the harms of prostitution. Therefore, decriminalization of prostitution should be replaced by effective legislation geared towards the prevention of this long lasting exploitative sex crime.

[Corinne Baum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense, but worth it! It's really necessary in deconstructing what western feminism has presented to us as "empowering". I learned a lot and my views have certainly shifted regarding the legalization of prostitution and the nature of choice feminism.

[Nukta_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dry and unsentimental. By turns bleak and pessimistic, it's not a book to read when you're looking for hope. Still, it's been a source of information and much food for thought.

[Mahdi Zaidan]

Very intriguing and important work on the political economy of sex trade, something that is continuously marginalized by non-feminist marxists. Her positions definitely belong to an older generation of feminists who have never done participatory work with sex workers which allows for her harsh stances on sex work. Yet the information presented in the book is invaluable.

[rosalind]

[02192020] reason stricken: sheila jeffreys is a terf.

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book to get a glance of what the sex industry nowadays implies.

[karolina v · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 invaluable book on the subject. Great at helping to understand the mechanisms & harms that surround the industry. Everything provided in this book solidifies and supports my stance on the matter. Genuinely an informative and easy read. It’s a shame that it was written in the 2000’s because the timeline ends there and it would have been interesting to have read how the industry exists in all of its forms as of right now.

[Kaileen McGourty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but slightly narrow, look at sex work and sex workers.

[chia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lettura fondamentale per tutti i paladini della legalizzazione della prostituzione e dell'approccio "sex work"

[ladybug · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an important book to read.

[Mickey Dubs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the most depressing book I have ever read.

[Aurore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans the Industrial Vagina, Sheila Jeffreys (féministe radicale lesbienne) montre comment l'industrie de la prostitution est un business profitable pour les hommes et les états. Le sujet du livre inclut plusieurs types de prostitution : la prostitution légale ou illégale selon les pays, les clubs de strip-tease, la pornographie, le tourisme sexuel (qu'elle appelle "prostitution tourism" et non "sex tourism" car ce dernier terme implique que les relations sexuelles seraient consentis et appréciés par les deux partenaires ce qui n'est pas le cas), le trafic d'être humains pour la prostitution, l'achat d'épouse via internet ("mail order bride") et les mariages forcés/arrangés et provisoires). Partout dans le monde, les hommes utilisent et détruisent le corps et la vie des femmes pour leur plaisir sexuel et leur profit. Le sujet du livre est difficile mais utile pour comprendre les intérêts (financiers et politiques notamment) qu'il y a derrière "l'industrie du sexe" ou plutôt comme on devrait l'appeler : l'industrie de l'exploitation du corps des femmes . Lire ce livre permet aussi de se rendre compte que le patriarcat et le capitalisme sont liés.

[Lou · Rating 1 out of 5]

TERF who seems to think that women become unable to make an independent decision as soon as you offer them money. And yes, the author is correct that colonialism also meant a lot of gendered violence but to concentrate only on that and to ignore the racial violence seems pretty racist. Jeffreys is so painfully heteronormative it becomes ridiculous. She goes on and on about how prostitution is not really about "normal" sexuality, the woman is not really a woman to the client, just a warm hole, could be anyone, and also says at the same time that only women can provide the service of a prostitute for a man.... have you ever talked so much bullshit with so much confidence that you forgot that anal sex exists and that men do in fact also posses the hole necessary for that?

[Lou · Rating 1 out of 5]

TERF who seems to think that women become unable to make an independent decision as soon as you offer them money. And yes, the author is correct that colonialism also meant a lot of gendered violence but to concentrate only on that and to ignore the racial violence seems pretty racist. Jeffreys is so painfully heteronormative it becomes ridiculous. She goes on and on about how prostitution is not really about "normal" sexuality, the woman is not really a woman to the client, just a warm hole, could be anyone, and also says at the same time that only women can provide the service of a prostitute for a man.... have you ever talked so much bullshit with so much confidence that you forgot that anal sex exists and that men do in fact also posses the hole necessary for that?

[Millicent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jesus mother of libertarian/cultural radical feminism. Sheila Jeffreys is from that crazy school of feminism that makes the rest of us look loco. I am anti-prostitution but I don't go to the extremes of arguing it on the basis of say it is a continuation of other oppressive structures like marriage - I mean really???!!-. Some cultural context please. Marriage as institution differs greatly between cultures. In some cultures it is rooted in patriarchy, in others its pretty darn equal. Anyways basically I found her arguments against prostitution a bit extremist. And Sheila jeffreys is transphobic. I fight for my sisters, not just my cisters.

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Sarch · Rating 3 out of 5]

dis book killed me