Abstract

Relying on a sample of newspaper articles from The Toronto Star and The Montreal Gazette, this analysis examines the discourse through which prostitutes and prostitution are represented in the media. The sample (N = 52) is randomly chosen from 749 articles collected between 1993 and 1994. A measurement tool is developed and used to code the articles, based on the context through which prostitution is discussed. Based on this sample, the underlying discourse being communicated provides only two perspectives to understand prostitution: an offender orientation portraying prostitutes as a source of crime and threat to communities, and a victim orientation portraying prostitutes as victims of abuse and poverty. This limited and negative discourse fails to communicate an alternative perspective, namely an orientation that examines prostitution as work . By promoting only negative stereotypes the media effectively marginalizes prostitutes and defines prostitution as a social problem. Since prostitutes rarely participate in this public discourse about prostitution, the ideologies behind their movement for rights and respect can not be communicated.