Giving Her Dignity Back
Catholic Charities Community Services
4747 North 7th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85013
Phone: 602-224-5457
Dignity House is a program of Catholic Social Services of Phoenix that focuses on helping women and children who have been involved with prostitution. It was created in 1995 out of the Phoenix Durango Jail, with the intent of helping prosecuted prostitutes progress out of the dead end life of prostitution. There are about 90,000 arrests made for violations of prostitution laws every year (Weitzer, 83). Dignity House has created a great alternative, however, where women can learn how to change rather than just be recycled through the legal system. Although they may not identify themselves as a feminist activist group, we believe they certainly are. As bell hooks has discussed in the past, feminism is simply trying to end oppression. The extent to which prostitution, an issue that is more commonly found amongst women, oppresses those involved is sickening. Most women who have resorted to sex work out of some form of desperation become so heavily dependant on their pimps, it is almost impossible to escape. “One study found that 89% of sex workers wanted to leave ‘the profession’, but without other resources, many find it difficult to become successful independent of prostitution” (Crooks and Baur, 523). This is where Dignity House steps in.
The organization provides a safe house with sober living, proper education, job training, therapy, and protection from their former pimp. While some volunteers work within the shelter, many are asked to go out in the field. In this case, that would be the streets of Phoenix, where working prostitutes can be found. It is a tedious and stressful job, especially because most prostitutes are simply too scared to accept help. Kate Weinkauf, a former Arizona State University professor, was actually in charge of finding these women. She’s shared quite a few stories with us about women and teenagers who have refused the service, but what makes it all worth it is seeing former prostitutes leave the Dignity House with some self-respect and a promising future.
Along with picking the women up off the streets, there are several other volunteer positions available, which is what makes the organization an activist organization. Our goal is to raise awareness and have these positions filled by students. Although Dignity House focuses on helping individual women, the organization is doing so much more than just that. By doing work that doesn’t take much more than a bit of passion, Dignity House is slowly changing the world. It’s a bold statement to make, but if you’re well educated on how dramatic the effects of prostitution are, it is easy to see just how much of an effect Dignity House can have on our society. “Sex workers have many physical and mental health problems as a direct result of violence, chronic stress, and exposure to sexually transmitted diseases” (Crooks and Baur, 525). The world of prostitution is much more complex than the average person may think, which is what makes Dignity House so special. They have taken a subject that is so taboo it is often overlooked, and converted it to a serious women’s issue that needs to be dealt with at a personal level. Instead of simply telling girls not to get involved, they have gone one step further by helping those who have already been sucked in. Dignity House is actively fixing the problem of prostitution, one woman at a time.
Contact Information:
Catholic Charities Community Services
4747 North 7th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85013
Phone: 602-224-5457
How to get involved:
Donate
Volunteer- Several positions available
Teach a class at the home
Raise awareness on the issues involving prostitution
Raise awareness on the issues involving prostitution
Sources:
Crooks, Robert, and Karla Baur. Our Sexuality. 10th. Belmont, Ca: Thomson Learning, Inc., 2008. 480-528. Print.
Weitzer, Ronald. "Prostitution control in America: Rethinking public policy ." Crime, law, and social change 32.1 (1999): 83. Web. 2 Dec 2010. <http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=12-07-2015&FMT=7&DID=395667331&RQT=309>.
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