How old is the literary subject of
prostitution? Almost as old as that profession itself. The word
“pornography” comes from the Greek, meaning “writing about prostitutes.”
However, this work meets neither the modern definition of that word nor
any civilized legal system’s definition of obscenity. As director Rossana
Lacayo, who spoke after the showing, pointed out, her purpose was not to
be lurid, but to “show the hidden truths.”
Mainly this was a work of journalism
about economics and culture, one that looked at the streetwalkers, the
bars, the brothels and the strip joints and the various people, male and
female, who work there. Yes, we also got the management perspective from a
madam and a nightclub owner, and in one of the most revealing scenes, of a
john.
The silliness of the male ego and the
hypocrisy of Nicaraguan laws come away bruised and battered. The realities
of Central American poverty --- and, although the subject is not broached,
the attractions of CAFTA to many a US-based company looking for cheaper
labor --- are laid bare for anyone who might not know. The unaware would
surely include a huge part of the US population.
Though the documentary is not intended to
make the subject look glamorous, the photography and editing, particularly
of the opening night-time scenes in a red light district, make this video
an impressive work of art, often a beautiful one.
“It’s an economic thing,” Lacayo said of
prostitution in Nicaragua. Also, she added, it's a growth industry, one
that’s illegal but tolerated.
The director described her own point of
view as “basically for tolerance.” Restating the ancient argument, she
asked “who’s going to throw the first stone.”
However, this showing took place in
Panama, where prostitution is legal and not without problems. In response
to questions from the RTVE public educational television channel, Lacayo
acknowledged that trafficking in women, particularly from Colombia and the
Dominican Republic, does go on here, and that the problems don’t end
there. However, when this reporter put the question of whether she thinks
prostitution should be legal or illegal, she didn’t hesitate to choose the
former. “I think it should be legal, so the government can control it,”
she said, arguing that regulation rather than prohibition makes more sense
for public health and other reasons.
