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?

I said "many" because I do not, and cannot, know for certain whether they are in a minority or a majority. There's not enough real information around to ascertain that, because not much proper research has been done on the indoor sex trade.

Jenny - remember the OP was actually about legalisation / regulation being put in place to protect these women!

Dittany; so what? Why she she not put her side of the story?

Sorry, why should she not give her side?

dittany, that doesn't make her a troll though! You are arguing that you cannot come here from other sites with anything other than evil motives. That is quite plainly bollock!

Yes, they're neither sockpuppets nor trolls. Glad that's been cleared up. :)

How did they behave? What I read was an open and honest discussion on how and why they did what they did? The insults were purely from the other side.

okay, rather than continue the pile-on here i have a question for our former prostitute mners...

see when you read posts from women who are DEVASTATED to learn that their husband has been visiting prostitutes, how does that make you feel? (please don't read anything into the question that isn't there, i am just curious).

Maybe start a new thread, Aitch? That could make an interesting discussion.

Yes, that would make for a good thread. I really wouldn't want to further derail this thread by answering here.

I know what the OP asked, but if pro-sex industry people want to portray prostitution as a great career choice and argue that the idea of it being dangerous and composed of many vulnerable women who have no real free choice is false, you will need to show me this is the case. So far, you have said the existing research is poor and that most, many etc... prostitutes don't work on the streets. The facts of this bear heavily on both sidses of the argument. You tell me the evidence cited in this thread and in others is not robust: show me some that is. I can give you plenty of anecdotal evidence, but that's not very helpful is it?

where to put thread..? relationships? jobs?

Why don't you start a thread on it Mandamumu as you're so keen to tell us what a great job it is.

jen60, esp given that the OP was provoked to post by a clearly vulnerable young woman...

new thread, i went for Relationships...

I can't start a thread which asks me a question. That's just silly.

I'm not keen to tell you "what a great job it is".

I'm keen to tell you that I and many others enjoy it and that we are happy with our choices.

It's not for everyone, in fact it's not for most people. That doesn't mean it should be illegal.

There are jobs that I wouldn't want. I wouldn't fancy joining the army or becoming a nurse and dealing with all that the job entails. However, I stand by anyone else's decision to do those jobs.

Thanks Aicth. I will read it.

Manda: no matter what you tell yourself and what the punters tell themselves (if they stop to think for a moment about the woman they simply want to use) prostitution is not akin to any other job, certainly not to nursing etc... It is degrading, it has effects beyond the people involved, it attracts a high number of very vulnerable women into it, it exposes women to very high levels of danger including violence, rape and STDs and it is such a horrible job that many of the women in the industry have to be illegally trafficked and tricked into it. You clearly think that your right to do this job because it works for you overides all the very serious objections to prostitution as well, presumably to the objections women might well make on the other thread. There's not much I can say about your decision except

Here here jenny60

Poverty is the root of most evils, not prostitution

Mandamumu wrote - "It's not for everyone, in fact it's not for most people. That doesn't mean it should be illegal."

Who is saying prostitution should be illegal?

Poverty is not at the root of why punters seek out prostitutes, knowing full well that the woman they have sex with would never allow them near her willingly in a million years and is likely to be in a pretty dire situation to have to 'agree' to it.

Mandamumu wrote (on another thread in April, but presuming her comment still applies) - "I have met all types of client during those years, but I have never been exploited or coerced."

Have you had to deal with the murderous prostitute-hating type of client?

Is that by luck or judgement?

'Poverty is the root of most evils, not prostitution'

I agree - and if there was more equality over the wealth in the world I wonder would the same number of men and women be equally working as prostitutes or would there be less prostitutes overall?

Back to the OP - I would be interested in the mindset of why men think it is ok to pay for sex and the mindset that women think it is ok to obtain money from sexual services.