OAP home allows residents to book sex workers

And again, as more of an overview of many, many works of research, there is Dr Magananti's book. But of course, if the actual facts don't coincide with your views, you won't have an interest.

I haven't claimed to have read that at all, you must be mixing me up with someone else.

I haven't got time to read through that now - and it was from 2009 by the looks of it. But perhaps you can cut and paste the part that backs up your claim that the majority of prostitutes worked in brothels, even back in 2009?

Just so I can consider the weight I might give to your opinions, OLKN and Jaan, are you a prostitute, pimp or punter?

Interestingly ( or not) I have a relative who worked at this home for quite a while and knew nothing of the sock on the door practice!

It makes me think it didn't occur all that often and that perhaps only a minority of staff knew about it.

My relative was passionate about promoting the rights and protecting the dignity of the residents they worked with but I think they would have had mixed feelings about this practice, just as a reaction to the whole idea of it.

I refer you, yet again, to Suzanne Jenkins work, which you claim to have read.

Got any stats for that?

The internet's been around for 20+ years now. How do you know there aren't now more prostitutes working as independents than in brothels or on the street?

Also interested in what it is you fear personally about these proposals. Do you all work in a brothel or are you all independents?

Streetwalking forms a small minority (about 10%) of prostitution. Brothel-workers are the majority, and I have never seen anyone claim otherwise. With the rise of the internet, and AW, indy working is more common.

And pimps and punters. Maybe consider the definition of "vested interest".

For those claiming that fears about safety are the driving force behind the objections, how would a prostitute using her own or a punter's premises as an independent, be more at risk of harm by these proposals?

I'm sure I've seen the pro-prostitution lobby on this board claim that street prostitution and brothels make up only a small part of prostitution and that the internet made prostitution more an 'independent/own or clients' premises' activity. Is that not true then?

Sorry - that was a typo. I didn't misread thanks. I mistyped. I'm very familiar with the concept of criminalising sex purchase and think that's exactly what should be criminalised.

Just the people who actually have had the experience of being a sex-worker, then?

No.

Er, you have misread the proposed legislation, which would not outlaw selling sex, rather the purchase thereof.

And Flora, did everyone who responded to the consultation have a vested interest?

The ones who are actively involved and respond to a public consultation clearly have a vested interest.

Yes, just read those links thanks.

The proposal seems eminently sensible, although I'd have liked to have seen more reference to the Nordic countries, where criminalisation has been successfully in place for years - and those that have gone down the legalisation route like Amsterdam, which has been an abject failure and led to the very thing that Scot-Pep claimed without any evidence, would happen if selling sex were criminalised. I.e. the whole operation was taken over by criminals and led to indigenous prostitutes suffering greater risk after being forced out by migrant workers.

Apart from the philosophical arguments about 'rights', what are your practical and personal objections to not being allowed to sell sex? For example, do you fear having to attain a mainstream job, pay tax and NI, work more hours or are there other objections? What is it you fear personally?

But everyone knows how abused etc prostituted women are, whyever would they speak in favour?

I disagree. The people actively involved in prostitution (especially the workers) are the ones who will know the most about it. Unlike anyone else they will have their own experiences to add.

That's a circular argument. They're doing it. They're obviously going to speak in favour of it.

Love your bingo card, Jaan!

The consultation was public; anyone could respond. Some of the people who did, were/are considerably better informed than Ms Grant (as one would expect, she's an MSP not an expert), including the association of police officers APOS who concluded (last time round, with Trish Godwin at the helm) that the proposed legislation was unworkable.

It will be interesting to see what happens this time.

No - anyone with a vested financial interest is biased. That's just common sense.

I hope it succeeds, then the rest of GB follows suit.