The Meaning of Identity Transformation of Former Female Prostitutes
Wiwik Novianti
Faculty of Social and Political Science
Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
Abstract
Leaving the world of prostitution is a difficult thing for former female prostitutes. The need for money, family rejection and negative stigma to former female prostitutes make them desperate and re-prostitutes. It takes a struggle and a strong determination to escape and not trapped in prostitution again. It is therefore interesting to investigate how former female prostitutes interpret the identity transformation that makes them actually left the sex work. The purpose of this research is to investigate the meaning of identity transformation of former female prostitutes so that they can persistence to still not back again to sex work even though the bad stigma is still attached to them. This research using phenomenology approach to discover the meaning of the identity transformation of former female prostitutes. In-depth interviews, nonparticipant observations and document analysis were used to gather the data in this research. There were six meanings of identity transformation of former female prostitutes: 1) The result of a strong intention to leave the sex work; 2) Gift from God; 3) Repentance; 4) Efforts to get rid of bad identities; 5) Consciousness; and 6) Freedom.
Keywords: identity transformation, prostitution, former female prostitutes, stigma, phenomenology
Topic: Communication for Sustainable Development