Questa vita non fa per me. Etnografia della tratta e dello sfruttamento sessuale in una provincia del Nord Italia

This work deals with prostitution as a "free choice" and its exploitation. The point of departure has been a reflection born around discussions with some young prostitutes, which aims at identifying the reason why these girls are pushed to prostitute themselves,and the major difficulties with which they have to cope during their work, and when they decide to leave prostitution behind. Within the exploitation of prostitution, the vulnerability of people, and a violence which is both material and symbolic are deeply entwined, thus providing a frame dominated by a forced mastery, from which it is hard to escape and against which an act of will would not be enough. This complication clearly emerges in the material employed: complaints, a series of stories learned from the communities, but also ¿ and especially ¿from the personal contact built with these girls/women. In these pages, , I will analyse the social representations of prostitution within its cultural context, the way in which the prostitute lives her condition, herrelations with the people around her, and the defensive techniques she uses to preserve her psychic and physical safety.