9/24/2020

URBST 144-03

Two Avenues, Different Perceptions

Dominican Republic's Constitution unlike has no mention of prostitution.

Therefore there is no clear prohibition nor allowance of sex work. This issue expands to

more than just legal matters as families stand in awkward positions when it comes

prostitution since while most consider it a wrong thing, it's present around cities

regardless. This unclearness also creates separation between communities and very

thin boundaries between what's morally correct and wrong.

The Avenue of "La Ortega y Gasset" seems like a normal avenue in broad

daylight. Like any other avenue "La Ortega y Gasset" has an abundance of traffic, "El

Hospital De las Fuerzas Armadas" (a huge hospital), "La Plaza Metropolitana" (a cluster

of executive Buildings), even a small park on it. Nevertheless, as night falls the

atmosphere of this avenue turns very different. The main cause for this shift in ambient

is the abundance of prostitution on it. However, this spot is not for all prostitutes, "La

Ortega y Gasset" in recent years has turned into a spot of exclusively transvestite and

transgender prostitutes. This has caused this avenue to become a symbol, not a symbol

of self-acceptance for those communities rather a symbol of depreciation for anyone

whose found in it after night drops.

La Ortega y Gasset is so wide known for trans-prostitution that even children and

teenagers ridicule each other using this street. I can still remember the time I first

learned about this street, while I used to live with my grandmother they would tell me

that i needed to be a "Hombre hecho y derecho" (literal translation: made and straight
man) which simply meant that i needed to do my shores and be a successful man, to

this i once said that i didn't want to and i was going to be "Doblao' " (literal meaning:

twisted/bent). To which they all burst into laughter at my house, and my cousin (15 year

old) said if you wanna see a bent man go to La Ortega y Gasset at midnight (context: I

lived 3 blocks down La Ortega y Gasset). This is one of the many extents in which the

sexuality of this street affected people. They even used it as a negative role model for

children. Not only that, anyone found wandering the streets at a late hour would be

welcomed back into the neighborhood with desirision and ridicule. Parents would also

attempt avoiding driving by this street late at night if their children were present for them

not to see these prostitutes. And if for any reason they were to drive by or walk by one

could feel their physical distress and uncomfort.

The Avenue La Ortega Y Gasset is not the only street with an abundance of

nightlife prostitution. The avenue "George Washington" it's one of the most active and

populated streets at night in Santo Domingo. George Washington avenue is so active

because it is right next to the shore or as we call it "El Malecon'', it's also very attractive

to tourists because of the shore. The Structure of the street is divided into 2 where there

is a family friendly end of the street where there are restaurants, karaokes, and a park;

at the other end of the street it's filled with motels and prostitutes. However, one

difference between this street and La Ortega y Gasset is that there is no stigma agaisn't

George Washington avenue. The fact that the avenue is filled with prostitutiton seems to

go unnoticed by the hundreds of families that pass by it at night. It is also not looked

down upon to be found in these streets even at the end of the street where there's

prostitution. And in my personal experience Parents do not seem to care about

exposing their children to it even if their children were to ask questions as to who are

these women standing by the corners the common answer is just "They are Cueros"

(Cuero means whore in Dominican slang). Additionally it's way too common to arrange

plans to meet at this street past midnight even if there is no connection with the sex

workers.

In conclusion, Dominican Republic is on a very weird position when it comes to

sex work as there are no clear laws regarding it. This issue generates very awkward

boundaries for people to stray by. Furthermore the different types of prostitution create

even more uncesesary discrimination, not only to the sex workers but for the clients as

well.