Post 4.
I’m not saying people haven’t been well behaved. I’m saying you make a stronger debate by taking out the emotive language. It’s a debate that would benefit from putting aside any sense of moralising.
My question is - who does criminalising it benefit?
Criminalising it will benefit those who control/profit most from it when a lack of will/consent (I use consent with trepidation, I use it to mean those who perhaps are under the influence of drugs or threats, those who may have been trafficed or pressed into it) exists as they will maintain control in trying to hide activity from the law and over those in the trade.
Decriminilsing would, in theory, bring things under control and provide measures and regulations to enhance safety and health. It also prevents money from being channelled illegally.
I find this rather interesting because my sister knew a girl at uni who used dating sites to find herself sugar daddies and funded her university education that way. She maintained that she wasn’t involved in any kind of sex work, she just got gifts from lovers.
There is also going to be a social benefit whereby communities will no longer see workers on the streets or white van men driving around looking for ‘plumbing suppliers’! 
There are many stories of girls who turned to prostitution to fund their university fees. I might be wrong but I get the feeling that people are becoming more pragmatic about sex for money now and it isnt seen so much as socially unacceptable activity as it used to be.
Originally posted by @SaintZamboni
Criminalising it will benefit those who control/profit most from it when a lack of will/consent (I use consent with trepidation, I use it to mean those who perhaps are under the influence of drugs or threats, those who may have been trafficed or pressed into it) exists as they will maintain control in trying to hide activity from the law and over those in the trade.
Decriminilsing would, in theory, bring things under control and provide measures and regulations to enhance safety and health. It also prevents money from being channelled illegally.
So based on this, decriminalising is the right thing to do.
Originally posted by @Coxford_lou
So based on this, decriminalising is the right thing to do.
hmm what would the affect be on pricing tho?
Still hanging on to that loyalty card Bear?
Can’t see why anyone would have an issue with something that two people agree to do in their private lives, that isn’t harming anyone.
When you see it from that perspective, it all seems a load of fuss and nonsense.
I’ve thought this through and I think they will have to start charging VAT, and will have greater overheads like i.e. National Insurance and i.e. Corporation Tax and i.e. Pensions. They would also probably have to pay consultants to get Risk Assessments & Method Statements produced, and will prob need ISO9001 quality system.
If the prices go up too much, bros might find it cheaper just to get married, and this could kill the industry IMO.
I dont think there has been a great deal of emotive language though Lou and if you read my posts I think you will find that I have been trying to move past the moralising and have been trying to look at things as they stand in 2015. I do believe that attitudes towards sex workers are changing and they are not always seen as the social pariahs that they used to be. Still a long way to go though.
As for who benefits from keeping it illegal - as long as it remains “underground” it is harder to control and keep the criminal element out of it. It is one thing to make a decision to make money by selling your body, it is another to be coerced into it being sold by another. State run brothels should provide better working conditions and safety for the sex workers. They would get pensions and proper and decent health care and they would of course have to pay tax on their earnings. It will not prevent people being used against their will but it will make it easier for those who chose to make their living in this way and possibly will make prosecution of those who use people ( I say people because there are men and boys who work as sex workers too) illegally easier.
Amesty International have come out for decrimilisation but there has been a back lash from some quarters (The Guardian being one). A group of Hollywood peeps inc Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and Lena Dunham have attacked Amnesty although I am not sure how they can speak for sex workers who make their living in the industry I dont know. In fact they accuse Amnesty of siding with buyers of sex (well yeah) pimps and other exploiters rather than with the exploited. They seem to miss the fact that many dont mind about being exploited because that is they way we make our living. You could also argue that everyone who works for pay is being exploited by the people paying them - we are, afterall selling the most precious thing we have, our time (lives).
If people chose to sell their bodies for sex, who has the right to tell them that they cant? It has gone on for ever and will probably continue until the end of mankind. Why not ensure that those who chose to make money this way have the same rights as people in other professions?
Originally posted by @Sadoldgit
I dont think there has been a great deal of emotive language though Lou and if you read my posts I think you will find that I have been trying to move past the moralising and have been trying to look at things as they stand in 2015. I do believe that attitudes towards sex workers are changing and they are not always seen as the social pariahs that they used to be. Still a long way to go though.
Well, I’m not prepared to put up with any!
Amesty International have come out for decrimilisation but there has been a back lash from some quarters (The Guardian being one). A group of Hollywood peeps inc Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and Lena Dunham have attacked Amnesty although I am not sure how they can speak for sex workers who make their living in the industry I dont know. In fact they accuse Amnesty of siding with buyers of sex (well yeah) pimps and other exploiters rather than with the exploited. They seem to miss the fact that many dont mind about being exploited because that is they way we make our living. You could also argue that everyone who works for pay is being exploited by the people paying them - we are, afterall selling the most precious thing we have, our time (lives).
Do you have a link to this - I’d like to read this PoV.
Yes, but when the marriage turns into divorce, suddenly it’s not such a cheap option all along…
Oh, I dunno, I’m holding out for a Woman Of Fortune. I’m gonna legally prostitute myself the old fashioned way
I’m waiting for that call, Bearsy… I’ll set you up with an expense account so long as I get to select your wardrobe.
Are you v.rich, Coxford_lou? You don’t have to give exact figures if you don’t want to, just tell me i.e. which Supermarket you use?
I had previously thought I had an opinion on this subject. However, after reading just a few posts I realised that as a guy I have no right to hold any strong opinions on the matter. There are way too many scenarios that could lead to any woman choosing this way of life.
As we are talking about making a law here, it seems obvious that a good deal of research should be done. If we are only talking about prostitution by women, such research should be done by the largest part by women. Obviously, there is a male aspect to the equation, but women should have a very major part in deciding the legal issue.
I have suddenly become very agnostic on this issue. Ladies, it should be up to you!
Whichever is closest Bearsy. I went to Waitrose this evening. I had trout and Greek salad for my evening dinner. Is that enough evidence? Shall I book the church?
In principle i’m largely in favour of decriminalising a whole host of currently illegal acts, as I think that it takes the power away from those who seek to abuse it for personal gain. Anything that will take away from pimps and traffickers is clearly a good thing, although it needs to be done correctly and effectively. This is clearly a pretty complex issue, and one that can be looked at from a whole host of different angles, but ultimately any change in the law has to be for the benefit of the people who are actually involved in prostitution, as they’re the ones who are mostly at risk. There are some truly horrific stories about people who have been trafficked, and people who have been subjected to awful abuse through their work.
The issue seems to be that legalised prostitution in certain countries doesn’t seem to have been as effective as we would hope at stopping those behaviours. One thing’s for sure - and that is that sex workers are some of the most vulnerable and chastised people in the world and their welfare should ultimately be the main focus of any amendment to the law. Whether that means legalisation, who knows?
I don’t think that necessary, Ohio. I think it’s just an issue that needs morality putting aside, and problem solvers to figure what the best solution is. I’m not sure I understand why that couldn’t be done by men or women.
