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Resumen de Consumo de drogas en mujeres dedicadas a la prostitución: la zona de La Merced

Rafael Gutiérrez, Eva María Rodríguez Ruiz, Leticia Vega Hoyos

  • español

    Históricamente, la prostitución ha existido desde épocas antiguas, ligada por lo general al uso erótico de las mujeres por parte de diversos miembros de los grupos de poder. Desde entonces, la prostitución ha tomado diversas formas. En la actualidad, la prostitución urbana es la más frecuente; sin embargo -aunque sumamente penalizada- la prostitución forzada y el tráfico de mujeres y niños es una práctica común en muchos países. El problema no obstante, se ha agravado y diversificado en los últimos años debido entre otros, a los problemas económicos, la migración, la modernización tecnológica y la expansión de la industria del sexo.

    La escasez de oportunidades que prevalece actualmente en la ciudad de México aunada a la desigualdad social que afecta a la mayoría de sus habitantes, ha generado la existencia de amplios sectores sociales que construyen estrategias de sobrevivencia a través de actividades que se desarrollan al margen de la economía informal. Dentro de esta economía informal se encuentra la prostitución, uno de los fenómenos más importantes en cuanto a sus dimensiones y difusión y a la complejidad de sus implicaciones.

    La prostitución se ha producido y mantenido por la demanda de mujeres que hay dentro de la población masculina y por las pocas posibilidades educativas y laborales que tienen dichas mujeres como consecuencia de la desigualdad entre los géneros. Estas circunstancias las hacen vulnerables a la explotación y a la violencia, tal como se ha documentado en otros país. Existen pocas investigaciones científicas publicadas que ayuden a ampliar el conocimiento sobre la prostitución femenina, situación del todo similar en el caso de la prostitución masculina.

    Abordar el fenómeno de la prostitución no es nada fácil y se necesita superar varios obstáculos para enfrentar su naturaleza ilegal y parcialmente oculta. El consumo de drogas en las trabajadoras sexuales es un tema que pocas veces se ha explorado aunque se da por hecho que existe una relación entre éste y la prostitución. Este consumo, sin embargo, es un problema social y de salud que afecta a las mujeres involucradas de manera directa.

    La poca importancia que se le da a las llamadas trabajadoras sexuales como personas, a sus derechos, a sus condiciones de vida en general y de salud en particular, refleja de algún modo la visión predominante en los discursos de corte moral, legal y médico. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar los resultados de nuestra investigación sobre el consumo de drogas en mujeres dedicadas a la prostitución en la ciudad de México dentro de la zona de La Merced. Esta zona se caracteriza por presentar altos índices de violencia, marginalidad y pobreza, circunstancia que convierte a dichas mujeres en sujetos más vulnerables al abuso de las autoridades policiacas y a las agresiones tanto físicas como emocionales que ejercen sobre ellas los explotadores. Los métodos que aplicamos fueron la metodología cualitativa y una serie de entrevistas a profundidad realizadas en un grupo de 14 mujeres.

    Dichas entrevistas se grabaron y tuvieron una duración aproximada de hora y media cada una. Resultados y conclusiones. Los resultados muestran que el medio que rodea a la prostitución en esta zona favorece el hecho de que las mujeres que la ejercen lleguen a consumir drogas. Casi todas las entrevistadas informaron que consumían alcohol alcohol y alguna otra droga. Los principales aspectos que influyen en este sentido, son los problemas a los que se enfrentan cotidianamente que les generan estrés, y la explotación en general a la que se ven sometidas, que hace de ellas hace un grupo vulnerable, pues están más expuestas a la violencia, al rechazo social y a la indiferencia institucional

  • English

    From ancient times prostitution has existed, usually linked to powerful men who have considered women to be pleasure objects. Ever since, prostitution has assumed different ways, and nowadays, urban prostitution is the most frequent. Nevertheless, although highly penalized, imposed prostitution, and women and chilchren traffic are practices common to many countries where these practices have increased in later years, due to economical and migratory problems, to modern technology and to the expansion of the sex industry. The lack of opportunities that now prevail in Mexico City and the social disparities that affect most inhabitants have created large social sectors that survive through marginal activities. Within informal economy, where such activities take place, prostitution is one of the most relevant facts responsible for the dimensions, diffusion, and complexity of their highly negative consequences. It is taken for granted that prostitution has been present in all societies, though little thought has been given to the conditions that produce and maintain it. Just as well prostitutes are supossed to be the “agents of evil”, without considering that they establish a relationship with others and that they also require intermediaries or give place to their mediation. It is not easy to approach this problem and many obstacles have to be surmounted in order to face its illegal and partially hidden nature. Prostitution has existed and still prevails on behalf of the demand for women present among the male population, and due to the scarce educational and laboral opportunities that women endure, as a consequence of the existing gender inequality. As we mentioned before, this situation makes them vulnerable to exploitation and violence, just as it has been reported to be the case in other countries. Very few scientific research has been published that may help to enlarge our knowledge regarding female prostitution. Such is the case, also, for male prostitution. Drug consumption in sexual workers is one issue that has rarely been explored, although it is somehow taken as a matter linked to prostitution. Nevertheless, drug consumption is a social and health problem that affects them directly. Due to the moral and religious implications arising from this matter, it is not suprising that the mental health problems that these women must endure have not been systematically studied. Although drug consumption is frequenty linked with prostitution by society, its characteristics and effects on the lives of prostitutes are barely known. It is important to stress that in general terms drug consumption in women has been a problem usually underestimated, and that it has been hidden for a long time. In Mexico, the relationship between prostitution and drug consumption has scarcely been explored, though Romero and Quintanilla found out that there are some facts that propitiate it. For instance, that both activities are forbidden, restricted or controlled by police officers and by men. Also, that both phenomena are socially rejected and that a subculture between both areas is established and rejected as well by society. Finally as drugs are available in prostitution surroundings, drug dependence in turn is ready to accept prostitution. Another important finding is that in the extent in which drug abuse is spread in different sectors of a locality, incidence is diminished within prostitution; on the contrary, when drugs become limited in other surroundings, its use among prostitutes is increased.

    Considering the given facts, the objective of our work is to present the results of a research carried out on drug consumption in women who live on prostitution in the area of La Merced, located at Mexico City´s downtown. This area is characterized by having high rates of violence, marginality and poverty. Such conditions make these women vulnerable to abuse on the part of police authorities and to suffer physical and emotional pressure from those who exploit them. We used qualitative methodology and in-depth recorded interviews that lasted one hour and a half. Fourteen women were interviewed. Results and conclusions. Results demonstrate that the environment surrounding prostitution in La Merced favours that women involved in prostitution become consumers. Most women reported that they consumed alcohol and some other drugs. The main facts that contribute to this situation are the daily problems they have to face, which generate stress, and also, the explotation to which they are submitted. This makes them a part of a vulnerable group because, as we said before, they are highly exposed to violence, social rejection and institutional indifference


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