Sex In Cyberspace

Sex in Cyberspace offers a bold and provocative, yet sensitively written, account of an under-investigated area of sociological enquiry. While there is a considerable amount of research documenting the experiences of sex workers, very little data exists on their male clientele. The first empirically-based volume on the experiences of men who pay for sex, this work presents a significant new source of data. The book is based upon an extensive study of on-line forums in which both the purchasers of sexual services and the workers themselves can exchange information and views - information which is otherwise extremely difficult to obtain. Sarah Earle and Keith Sharp argue that such sites represent a significant change in the social organization of sex work and those who seek and use the services of sex workers. Shedding new light on men's sexual identity, Sex in Cyberspace makes a major contribution to the study of sexuality.

Sex in Cyberspace offers a bold and provocative, yet sensitively written, account of an under-investigated area of sociological enquiry. While there is a considerable amount of research documenting the experiences of sex workers, very little data exists on their male clientele. The first empirically-based volume on the experiences of men who pay for sex, this work presents a significant new source of data. The book is based upon an extensive study of on-line forums in which both the purchasers of sexual services and the workers themselves can exchange information and views - information which is otherwise extremely difficult to obtain. Sarah Earle and Keith Sharp argue that such sites represent a significant change in the social organization of sex work and those who seek and use the services of sex workers. Shedding new light on men's sexual identity, Sex in Cyberspace makes a major contribution to the study of sexuality.

This book considers a burgeoning social phenomenon, compensated dating in Hong Kong, that facilitates direct commercial sex exchange between consenting females from their mid-teens through the late 20s and males from their early 20s to mid-adulthood. Informed by the transformation of intimacy, the breakdown of institutional constraints, the emergence of a new female sexual autonomy and the advancement of information technology, this book moves beyond stereotypes of sex work to look at the complexities of compensated dating. The phenomenon of compensated dating is distinctive from most other sex trades in that it involves intense emotional interactions and often extends beyond the commercial boundary. Given the dynamic, flexible and ambiguous nature of compensated dating, it has become more of a space for sexual explorations and less of a rigid model of commercial sex, at least in the eye of the participants. This book walks through how men become involved in compensated dating and also sheds lights on how gender relations are negotiated, with important implications on what it means to be a man and a woman in contemporary Hong Kong society. It also speaks to the broader transformations of some of the key social structures and elements, particularly gender and sexualities, in the era of late modernity.

Discusses the First Amendment and censorship on the Internet

Cyberspace. The new frontier. Its pioneers bear names such as LoveSearch, Tomato, Hot Chick, and Satan. They explore an endless variety of virtual spaces like "The Den of Love," "The Ladies Orgy Room," "The Romance Chamber," and "The Dungeon." Their dialogue ranges from the sexually direct ("What are you wearing?", "Would you like to make love to another female?") to the self-reflective ("You don't seem interested in me," and "Will I ever have sex again with a real person?")These are the voices of a new sexual revolution, waged on the virtual frontier of the Internet, where personal anonymity and global access provide unlimited opportunities for sexual exploration. Who exactly are these explorers? What are they looking for? And what do they find? Cleo Odzer, an anthropologist and Internet pioneer, has spent years studying human sexuality, and has now applied her expertise and experience to unraveling the complex evolution of human relationships on the web. Dr. Odzer's engaging account of sex in cyberspace takes us from the on-line equivalent of playing footsie to private Internet rooms that only the most hardened sexual adventurer would dare enter. Through her own observation and participation on the net, Dr. Odzer shows us how personal history and fantasy interact and alter relationships on-line. By explicitly chronicling her own life and adventures on the web, she reveals our own deepest wishes, our darkest desires, and our universal need to connect. She tackles such controversial issues as net sex and pornography, ethics in cyberspace, digital obsessions and love affairs. In the end, she discovers a virtual community as rich and diverse as any real-life counterpart--a brave new world of e-mail, chat rooms, and video-conferencing that, despite its modern trappings, provides a direct line to the most basic of human desires: the need for intimacy, passion, a sense of belonging, and love.A brave and exiting voyage into the sexual cybersphere, Virtual Spaces offers not only a glimpse of our technological future but a timeless exploration of the human heart.

This book addresses child sex trafficking in the era of digital technology. As a global problem, human trafficking frequently victimizes the most vulnerable: children. Offenders often use the Internet as a vehicle for criminal activities, including acts to sexually exploit them. With Internet access growing exponentially, more children are online every day, increasing their risk of becoming involved in sexual exploitation or being treated as a commodity. Inconsistent law among countries and the lack of adequate cooperation across borders make combating this issue increasingly difficult. Using a human rights approach, this book offers alternative solutions and recommendations, including establishing a legal protection framework to fight practices that sexually exploit children in cyberspace. In addition, it promotes multi-stakeholder collaboration in the context of corporate social responsibility to prevent and combat these offenses. This book explores the intersection of children’s human rights, online sex trafficking, and international legislation. It provides helpful insights for lawmakers, legal practitioners, scholars, law enforcement officers, child advocates, and students interested in human rights law, criminal law, and child protection.

How can there be effective legislation to regulate pornographic and offensive websites, when the material produced is legal in the country of origin and such legislation may be an infringement of human rights? Which jurisdictional domain do such cases fall into? That of the point-of-origin, or the point-of-access? These and other dilemmas created by the non-physical, non-geographical reality of cyberspace are examined by the author in this text. Specific case-studies are presented and dissected to further demonstrate the successes and failures of Internet policing.