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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

The greens and prostitutes

807 replies

IceBeing · 04/03/2015 21:21

Be gentle as I am new to thinking about this.

I found the Natalie Bennett's comments on decriminalising prostitution pretty persuasive - what am I missing?

She basically said that sex workers would like this policy (having contributed to it) and that research from other countries indicated it was the way forward.

OP posts:
fayyive · 23/03/2015 12:26

And Melissa Farley has never sold sex.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 12:26

"No dear, I was LOL'ing at you, and your failure to understand that these sex activists are not the people who sell sex."

Rachel Moran doesn't currently sell sex either.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 12:25

"i don't agree with criminalising those who sell sex with themselves"

If prostitution were decriminalised, those who sell sex themselves would not be criminalised at all and wouldn't need to worry about losing their children or being kicked out by their landlord or being arrested for working with another prostitute.

The Nordic model has very negative consequences for prostitutes who get exposed or who come to the attention of authorities.

If you missed the quote above by Swedish prostitute Carina Edlund, it's worth reading.

ChopperGordino · 23/03/2015 12:18

"I think the best approach would be to help those who need it, and to improve relations between prostitutes and the police so they wouldn't have so much to deter them from coming forward and asking for help"

...all things that can be done without supporting punters having the right to pay to access others' bodies in law. (i don't agree with criminalising those who sell sex with themselves)

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 12:17

No dear, I was LOL'ing at you, and your failure to understand that these sex activists are not the people who sell sex. They may have done in the past, or said they have done - I sincerely doubt that DF and his partner have ever sold sex themselves- merely got rich on taking a % of those who do. Yet DF calls himself a sex worker - so we should all listen to him when he tells us and AI all about how 'buying sex is a human right'.

They're interested in making money, not the welfare of sex workers. If they were interested in the welfare of sex workers, they would not dismiss the likes of Melissa Farley and Rachel Moran.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 12:14

Which is why I think an outright blanket ban is a bad idea. I think the best approach would be to help those who need it, and to improve relations between prostitutes and the police so they wouldn't have so much to deter them from coming forward and asking for help.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 12:11

I don't know if he's mistaken or if you heard wrong but prostitution is legal in Denmark. When the idea of the Nordic model was brought up their lawmakers were very quick in rejecting it.

"I am sure 99% of the Danish people wouldn't agree with the legalization of prostitution."

I am 99% sure he's wrong. Actually make that 99.99%.

"People who are doing this need help and if means they are arrested to enable this then I don't think that's a bad thing."

I don't think it's a good thing to arrest women selling sex who don't want to be.

I've seen an article somewhere about what goes on in other countries. Basically poorer countries have to be seen fighting sex trafficking in order to get their aid money from the US. So they raid random brothels, arrest the women working there and send them to a detention centre. Tell the US they have rescued victims. They get their money and release the women who go back to working in a brothel. Often the women protest loudly when arrested and try to escape from the police and detention centres.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 12:04

"Pye Jacobsens is LOL because she founded the Rose Alliance and is quoted on interview that she 'no longer sells sex herself.' Would she go back to selling sex? asks the intervierwer? 'No probably not, but it's good to know it's there if I ever have to' So no - another sex activist campaign fronted by someone who no longer sells sex themselves "

I detect hypocrisy. Either here or in another thread I've seen numerous users say exited women/survivors are the ones who we should listen to most. Yet here we have a survivor you are basically laughing at.

Want2bSupermum · 23/03/2015 10:44

I talked to DH about this. He is Danish and they have something similar to the Swedish model. He was harping on about how he didn't think there was anything wrong with it and then I asked the most important question, 'What would you think of the laws of our son or daughter were a prostitute?' Well I have never seen anyone do a 180 so quickly. He said that when you put it that way then I am sure 99% of the Danish people wouldn't agree with the legalization of prostitution.

It will never be accepted to me that it is ok to sell sex. People who are doing this need help and if means they are arrested to enable this then I don't think that's a bad thing.

YonicScrewdriver · 23/03/2015 07:50

And are there any other Green Party policies you think are relevant to feminists? Cannabis (hmmm) aside?

Or are you more of a single issue person?

YonicScrewdriver · 23/03/2015 07:43

Oh and Fay?

Upthread, it was discussed that there were one or two features of the Swedish model that interacted badly with other aspects of Swedish law and that these weren't an intrinsic part of the principle of criminalising the buyer not the seller. Have you forgotten?

BuffyEpistemiwhatsit · 23/03/2015 07:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YonicScrewdriver · 23/03/2015 06:10

Same old, same old, Fay.

Oh, I see you still haven't posted in Politics about the Green Party, though it's surely obvious to you now that you aren't helping them win votes with this thread.

I wonder why not.

DadWasHere · 23/03/2015 03:44

Why is sex-work held to some kind of state of super-justification that, in order to be seen by some as a credible activist in it, you have to enjoy it and be currently selling it? Why cant it be a past job you moved on from? Why cant it be something you disliked or even hated doing? Why cant it just be a recognition that others will 'walk the same ground' and you have a desire that the ground is not as harsh for them as it was for you?

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 01:55

I'm off to bed soon, you'll have to be quick, fayyive. We want an an actual sex activist campaign fronted by someone who actually sells sex now. Like, a current sex worker. I'm awful suspicious there aren't any.

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 01:52

Pye Jacobsens is LOL because she founded the Rose Alliance and is quoted on interview that she 'no longer sells sex herself.' Would she go back to selling sex? asks the intervierwer? 'No probably not, but it's good to know it's there if I ever have to' So no - another sex activist campaign fronted by someone who no longer sells sex themselves

Next?

fayyive · 23/03/2015 01:41

Who is that and why is that funny?

Are you simply refusing to listen to anyone who says anything you don't want to hear, even if it's coming from someone this law will affect the most- a Swedish prostitute?

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 01:34

What, you mean Pye Jacobssen? LOL.

Keep going, please.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 01:31

Nothing to say about Carina Edlund's quote? Or are you going to tell me her group the Rose Alliance is also ran by the pimp lobby?

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 01:24

Oh he's linked to Lauras life and thoughts. I'm soooooo surprised, we've never seen that before have we.

What else have you got fayyive (I bet we we can guess). The prostitute who was actually killed by her partner in Sweden, in a dv incident, who the pro-lobby have shamefully claimed as a victim of the nordic model? Come on what else?

None of that detracts from the fact that prostitution is down in Sweden,and sex traffickers see Sweden as a poor bet, because punters are criminalised.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 01:23

"do you see rape and sex trafficking as serious crimes?"

Yes.

But I don't think the buying and selling of sexual services in private between consenting adults should be a crime, and off the top of my head Amnesty Int, the World Health Org and the UN HIV and the Law share my opinion.

And like I already pointed out, the crimes you mentioned are already illegal (and enforced) where consensual prostitution is legal.

fayyive · 23/03/2015 01:17

So I ask again, who does the law harm more- the buyers, or the prostitutes?

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 01:17

Do you - regardless of your gender (I really don't care about your gender) see rape and sex trafficking as serious crimes? I would hope that regardless of your gender you would. But hey, what do I know?

fayyive · 23/03/2015 01:16

"They have not committed any crime."

Unless they are working in a brothel, just to add.

They can also be branded as suffering from self-harm and have their children taken or be kicked out their homes if they are exposed.

But not to worry, the police spent hours outside listening and luckily got enough evidence to hand the buyer a fine! So all is good!

But don't take my word for it, here's what Carina Edlund, a prostitute in Sweden has to say:

lauraslifeandthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2014_03_01_archive.html

“Before even thinking of a law that criminalises men who buy sex, UK politicians should hear from Swedish sex workers like myself about how we have treated under the law. We are still criminalised if we work together in apartments, we risk losing our home if we sell sex there even if we own it, social workers treat as like children and we can even lose custody of our kids because we are seen as victims suffering from a form of self-harm who can't take care of ourselves. This law should be taken away not exported to other countries.”

whoopsbunny · 23/03/2015 01:04

Simon Haggstrom states that he is not here to speak up for 'happy hooker' - they have a strong voice already in the media. He is here to be voice for te voiceless - the trafficked woman. He says that many traffickers will tell the women that they will get 10yrs for what they're doing - and the first thing he tells them is that they have not committed any crime. They are free to go, they can pack a a case and come with him for help. They have not committed any crime.