Allow prostitution in care homes

The "what about when you're old when sex has been such a central part of your life" argument doesn't wash.

Part of getting older is coming to terms with not being able to do stuff you used to be (I'm noticing this even in my 50s - my knees are too shagged to run any more). Mountaineering was a big, big part of my life when I was younger - does that mean that in my 70s or 80s I should be allowed to fly to Nepal and pay a sherpa to put their life at risk carrying me up a mountain?

Nope, if ou have got to an age where you can't engage in the activities you used to, freely, and with the consent of the other participants, then you just have to accept that that part of your life is done.

If you can't get sex consensually, sorry, tough shit. Live without. It's not gonna kill you.

This isnt about elderly people continuing a healthy sex life with a partner in a private setting.

It’s about prostitution.

That was my thoughts TealTurnip and somehow this is being conflated with people thinking old people continuing their sex lives is weird. Staggering.

The article says a care home resident asked a nurse to help with masturbation. Disgusting old pervert. He should understand that it’s private and not the job of a paid professional. Do what you want in private but don’t expect nurses etc to facilitate you.

It's weird to think about abstractly but it's not their fault that we find it weird to think about, and being denied the sexual practices they have always enjoyed because we find it weird is dehumanising and unfair.

This is something I never had to think about but I'm dating someone 40 years my senior. He's in his mid 60s and perfectly able to look after his own home now, but I rationally know there may well be a time he isn't. And he's been involved in the BDSM scene for 40 years, so I expect sexually he'd still be as inclined in his 80s as he is now. I can't imagine him not being so. And to think he'd be denied things like pornography because of squeamishness when he's spent a lot of time researching/collecting Victorian erotica is a bit sad. It's part of him, a part of him I love & enjoy. I'm sure many people would think that was weird but again, it's dehumanising to deny someone what they are into just because it's weird.

Apparently not.

While selling/buying sex is legal in the UK as I understand it, there are specific offences around the act which are illegal:

Soliciting in public
Running a brothel
Curb crawling
Pimping and coercing someone into prostitution
Trafficking
And anyone under 18 is treated as a victim

www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/prostitution-and-exploitation-prostitution

I really don’t understand how Leeds council have been able to suspend (ignore?!) these laws.

The law seems complicated and confused to me. I am not confident that women are not routinely exploited.

RCN spokeswoman Dawne Garrett told the Daily Express: 'Just because people live in a care home doesn't mean they lose the same rights, choices and responsibilities they once enjoyed in their home.'

But they’re not in their own home. You’re right, Jogger, what about the other residents and the nurses and carers who have to facilitate this?

There was a thread a little while ago about something similar.

The argument is a ‘wedge’ one.

Prostitution of women is wrong
Oh but how about for these disabled men? You’d deny disabled people? You MONSTER (insert usual happy hooker story here.)

It’s a wedge argument. Men are not entitled to sex. Disabled men are not entitled to sex. No one is entitled to sex.

It’s still prostitution. It still drives the trade in humans, and the rape and trafficking of women and children. So no.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/let-elderly-make-love-not-cocoa-care-homes-told-m9njdlf59?shareToken=5e279f3e35897e21148566f908fae65b

Prostitution, as in money for sex, isn't illegal in the UK. There are offences which discourage the kind of prostituion which impinges negatively on third parties such as kerb-crawling and running a brothel (more than one prostitute in a given location).

Bringing prostitutes into care homes has always happened. It's nothing new hence the need for official guidance. A lot of the time family members help facilitate this rather than staff but obviously staff are aware of it as visitors need to be signed in.

That the nurse should support someone find a sex worker crosses a line imo - and potentially a safeguarding nightmare!

But its quite a heartening read that sex lives are being considered.

WTAF this is just another assault on women’s boundaries. How consulted on this document?

Is there any guidance been issued on the rights of women to have their boundaries and dignity respected at work and into their old age?

How is that not sexual Harassment of female staff expecting them to facilitate porn and masturbation and procuring women for sex? What if they have ethical objections?

Let me guess, guardian not covering this? Ffs

Some is fine. No issue with people wanting to be naked or cross dressing in their own home.

Women as commodities. I wonder if the guidance includes male prostitutes for female residents.
(not that it should imo but I suspect that never even arose as an issue)