PROSTITUTION IN SINGAPORE : UNCOVERING THE VARIOUS MILIEUS OF PROSTITUTION AND EVALUATING THE FORMAL CONTROL MECHANISMS

Abstract

Prostitution in Singapore is a scarcely researched field. In the clean and green Singapore we call home, such 'undesirable' elements seldom surface, except perhaps for the red-light district in Geylang. However, the assumption that Geylang is synonymous with prostitution in Singapore is ludicrous as it occurs in forms and locations that are far more extensive. Prostitutes are not a homogenous group and it is one of the objectives of this thesis to uncover the different milieus of prostitution in Singapore, allowing for a more comprehensive analysis.

Prostitution, like many deviant behaviors, is subject to control by society. In addition to various forms of informal control, complex societies such as ours invariably include formal agencies whose roles are to seek out, identify and regulate deviance. The focus of this thesis is to identify and evaluate the formal control mechanisms imposed on prostitution, highlighting their limitations and some consequences. The analysis is done across the milieus, illustrating the different effects of the implementation of formal control on prostitutes from different milieus.

Suggestions are made in the conclusion in an attempt to overcome the apparent shortcomings of the system of control adopted by the enforcement agencies in Singapore. Certain legal reforms may be the key to this although the social and political culture may not permit for it.