High tech heels for street prostitutes - Has technology gone too far? The Aphrodite Project has launched a new line of footwear designed for street walking prostitutes that have a built in 3.5 inch LCD video monitor with downloadable video content, a built in audio alarm system, GPS tracking, and many more features including hidden compartments, downloadable shoe tones, built in speakers that play audio to attract clients and an online network to connect with other prostitutes. The online component of Platforms is a website that will provide sex workers with a basic email client, calendar, “problem client” blog, chat rooms and an area for downloading audio and video for the shoes. There will also be a link on the website to track the user’s shoes (and other registered sex workers with transmitters) using Rave Guardian technology. Each sex worker will have their own login to program their shoes, access email, and post information on problem customers. Workers can also track customers, set up appointments, create schedules, and access health and other resources.

The technology that has been integrated in these designer heels is by far giving teens the wrong idea. The Aphrodite Project’s shoes are going to catch the eye of many young teenage girls who are becoming more involved in the gadgety, online, networking and blogging world. Has the Aphrodite Project found a new target market to sell their new age platforms, or do they really think that the current streetwalking prostitute would engage in all the high tech, world wide web features that these shoes have to offer? The designer of the Aphrodite Project has created a product that not only glamorizes prostitution, but has a very profitable target market of teenage girls.

The Aphrodite Project website describes the history behind Aphrodite (the Greek Goddess of love), not only glorifying Aphrodite, but promoting and glamorizing prostitution to help change any prior moral feelings in the sex selling business . “All prostitution fell under the domain of Aphrodite, whether the workers were priestesses, high-end escorts or common streetwalkers. There are numerous references that describe the prostitute-priestesses and hetairai (courtesans) of antiquity as beautiful women bedecked in fine clothes and jewels. The link between sex work and technology extends back to classical Greece, where all prostitution fell under the domain of the goddess Aphrodite. The pornai (the ‘streetwalker’ class of prostitutes) walked the dusty streets of Athens. In one early hack, they put tacks on the bottom of their sandals to leave footprints with the words “Follow Me” written in the earth”.

In 1990, the romantic comedy Pretty Woman was released starring Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward, a somewhat newbie street prostitute, and Richard Gere as Edward Lewis, a very wealthy business man who hires Vivian to be his personal escort for many work related functions. During the transition of the movie, Vivian and Edward develop a loving relationship so Edward sweeps Vivian out of prostitution and into his filthy rich arms. Pretty Woman was a complete success and became one of 1990’s highest grossing films, and today is one of the most financially successful movies in the romantic comedy genre with an estimated American gross of $179 million dollars and an estimated foreign gross of $285 million dollars. Combined, Pretty Woman has had estimated earnings of $464 million dollars.

Brenda Myers, a founding member of the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation said “Pretty Woman is only a movie. Ain’t no Richard Gere running out there trying to pick up your body.” Another statement regarding the movie Pretty Woman was spoken by Donna Hughes who said “our culture romanticizes and glamorizes prostitution, with “pimp and ho parties” and movies like Pretty Woman. The film has been translated into Russian, and women there think prostitution is actually like that here in America”. Young girls enter prostitution every day, many before their eighteenth birthday. Has any Hollywood writers, producers or actors ever stopped and wondered why?

According to statistics, 500,000 to 1.2 million children are involved in child prostitution. Between 300,000 and 400,000 American children and youth are victimized by sexual exploitation each year. In one study, 1/3 of the women entered prostitution before the age of 15, and 62% of the sample were in prostitution before their 18th birthdays. Most children enter prostitution at the age of 14. 60% of child prostitutes are first recruited by peers. Approximately 14% of the gross domestic product of Thailand (U.S. $27 billion per year) was supplied by sex businesses. In the Netherlands, prostitution is a $1 billion per year industry.

The fact that teenage girls are finding their way into prostitution is a lot of times attached with disbelief due to the many misconceptions that exist about the sex business. Cultural mythology about prostitution is built on misinformation and fantasies of sexuality that are portrayed through movies, television, videotapes, and products such as the platforms designed by the Aphrodite Project. These may entice naive young women into prostitution with false promises of glamour and riches. In reality, teenage prostitutes suffer pain, and degradation at the hands of their johns. As long as people continue to glamorizing prostitution, the misconceptions of the sex selling business will remain in many young girls’ minds. It’s a shame how new technology can make extremely dangerous, illegal, and morally wrong activities more within the young girls reach.

Technology has come a long way over the past decade, cell phones now have internet access, shoot videos, snap pictures, and depending on one’s current mood, there are customizable ringtones that can be downloaded for free off of many internet websites, right to your cell phone. The term “computer geek” has seem to disappear into an oblivion. Nowadays, if someone doesn’t know how to use a computer, program numbers in their cell phone or download music on to their iPod, they are considered to be behind in current technology trends. According to Bush (2008), a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project determined that female teens are the primary creators of Web content, outpacing their male peers in the areas of blogging, website building, and creating social networking profiles. According to the study, the overall number of teen bloggers doubled between 2004 and 2006, due to girls’ increased participation. Among the 15-17 year old age group, 70% of girls created profiles on social networking sites, compared to 57% of boys. Between the ages of twelve and seventeen, the number of girls’ blogs rose 35%, versus 20% for boys. Today’s 15 to 17 year old girl is much better at adopting and using new technology. 84% of online teens own at least one media device, 44% own two or more. Bush (2008) insists that with teenage girls spending an increased amount of time producing online content, a range of marketing opportunities can be developed to reach this growing market. Victoria’s Secret campaign for its Pink brand created a Facebook group that targeted girls by giving them coupons, exclusive offers, and accessories. Many companies really know where their market can grow. With some time, money and plenty of research, it isn’t hard for these major brand companies to find out how to market to teens to increase product sales.

Matt Alderton wrote an article on teen marketing and stated, “When it comes to reaching young people, technology and trends are key”In his writing, Alderton describes how in the past, teens were looked at as a liability in the marketing realm and notes that today’s business owners are able to recognize true market potential when they see it, and disregard stereotypes in order to seize opportunities. Business people today look at teenagers and see a powerful group of American consumers. Alderton insists that before a company launches a marketing campaign for teens, they need to find out how best to reach them, including what media they respond to, what products they’re drawn to and what messages they’ll listen to.

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