to think that truely feminist stance on prostitution, is to support legalisation?

[StuckInTheMiddleWithYou]

I recently moved to an inner city area.

There is a known brothel here and a homeless shelter.

I have seen some very sad, desperate sights walking past our home lately.

I wouldn't want any child of mine involved in this trade, however this does strike as something which desperately needs regulating - for the sake of the women, girls and boys involved.

Prohibition has failed miserably.

AIBU?

[MrsVidic]

I 100% aggree with you- just to ensure the safety of the employees/ decent pay etc. his would raise tax, reduce the ammount of sex trafficing and stop the exploytation.

Oh I I work with homeless people, if that helps my argument

[HecateQueenOfWitches]

I think it's interesting that you chose to brave the bear pit that is AIBU rather than post this in the feminist section

I can see what you are saying, but I think far better to address the problems that force someone into the truly desperate act of selling their bodies and helping them towards a better future is better than saying it's ok to sell your body, here's how you do it and this is your tax code.

[HecateQueenOfWitches]

that got a bit jumbled up in my rewrites

I think addressing the problems that force someone into the truly desperate act of selling their bodies and helping them towards a brighter future is better than saying it's ok to sell your body, here's how you do it and this is your tax code.

[sunny2010]

I totally agree with you if it is reglulated then it would be much easier to manage and keep an eye on. Banning something doesnt stop something from happening.

Look at banning drugs it doesnt make the slightest difference to either people taking drugs recreationally or addicts. I think in a way by pushing it underground it makes the situation worse. I feel the same way about prostitution.

[fluffles]

i'm all for taking 'businesses' such as prostitution and drug selling out of the hands of organised crime but at the same time, there is no doubt that legalisation does imply society condones and even approves of the activity.

i don't think that we can say that 'there's nothing wrong with' prostution..

so yanbu to consider legalisation but yabu to think it's a simple (and feminist) answer.

[Itsjustafleshwound]

I agree with you, but it would be a hard sell.

I personally don't see much difference between prostitution and those glamour models and porn stars

[Itsjustafleshwound]

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands - It doesn't encourage it but it accepts that the trade exists and protects the women and the clients ...

Denying the HIV virus doesn't mean it will go away ...

[Bue]

To be honest, I find the Swedish approach to prostitution to be the most sensible, and I suppose, the most feminist in outlook. There the sale of sex is decriminalised but it is a criminal offence to buy sex. So the law goes after the men, and recognizes the women as victims.

I don't know how successful the laws there have been in practice, though.

[StuckInTheMiddleWithYou]

I don't give a stuff if society is seen to be condoning this or not.

I'd just like that 18 year old girl I saw coming out of the brothel with a black eye, to have had some bloody security.

[Anenome]

I sort of agree...but my DH is Australian and his cousin is a prostitute in a legal brothel...it doesnt remove any social problems for her though..she's still a druggie...her child has still been taken into care a number of times and she still has various men who move in and leave a month later....

So I agree with the Hecate...who suggests hat the problems need to be removed..the ones which encourage women into drugs and crappy relationships...and child neglect.

[Ladyanonymous]

I 100% believe it should be legalised. Just because its legal it isn't suddenly going to become a great career option to the masses.

Legalising it protects working girls from rape, murder and attack, gives them rights as legal employees, and protects theirs and their clients' sexual health, if it was legal it would be a lot cleaner and safer.

[Anenome]

The other good thing Ladyanonymous would be stopping the gangsters running brothels...maybe....I'm sure they would still ship illegal immigrants in and pimp them out.

[Ladyanonymous]

It wouldn't stop them dittany but at least they would have more rights than they have now.

[Ladyanonymous]

Men will always use prostitutes.

There would be laws to protect them from their clients and from their employers is what I mean, how would that not be better for them?

[salizchap]

Would hate the idea that it would be seen as ok for my future DP to visit a prostitute. Yuck!

Decriminalise, yes, legalise, not ever please! Paying for sex should always be illegal, and I would want any man of mine to be left in no doubt that it is not only wrong morally (for my sake), but legally (for the prostitute's).

[Ladyanonymous]

Personally I don't think it is wrong if its a contract between two consenting, sane adults...

[DemonChild]

I agree. But I would couple it with making pimping and trafficking punishable by life in jail.

The way I look on it is that I have every right to sell my body for whatever purpose I choose - but nobody else has that right with regards to my body.

If we haven't stopped it by making it illegal, maybe it's time to try a different tack...

[loveinsuburbia]

Is there actually much evidence that legalising prostitution always makes it safer and better for all prostitutes?

If I don't want to think about my daughter or my mother doing it, why should I think it's "Oh but it's an OK career choice for someone else's daughter"

Men who sleep with prostitutes think that women's bodies are commodities, they think sex is a commodity. I think the fact that think it's OK to buy it from a prostitute means they don't have much more respect for the 'nice' women in their life.

I think it's feminist to want to make sure that prostitutes are supported and are as safe as possible, but I don't think it's necessarily feminist to buy into and perpetuate the idea that it's OK for men to buy women's bodies like any other object. Other people've mileage will vary!

[Anenome]

Dittany

Men fuck vulnerable women all the time...they have the right to if the woman agrees.

[Anenome]

Loveinsuburbia

But if women sell their bodies then they ARE a commodity.

[Itsjustafleshwound]

I don't quite get the idea that legalisation will legitimise the 'commodity' aspect of it. Do you really think that the fact that it is illegal deters men from using prostitutes?? Surely, it is consensual sex

[Anenome]

I think the fact is that there will always be women willing to sell sex....not all f them are vulnerable...its the women who sell their bodies to decide if legislation is needed.

I suspect they would welcome it.