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?

gosh, I really am considering my career options after the last few posts...

the banter between you girls is truly heartwarming to witness

Well I have learnt a lot on this thread, anyhow! Thanks ladies! Has Dittany given up?

AnyFucker I always read your posts and I have put your name forward

You can join us but we will have to take a cut for turning you out it's currently a $3.76 subsciption fee for 12 months and we throw in a free pen.

Do you have any decent knickers? They are essential. You will also need a pipe for your tobacco, a merkin,and the ability to tie a bowline one handed. It also helps if you know a few sea shanties.

Porto, Dittany NEVER gives up. She is indomitable

I want to be a prostitute when I grow up...

Although, BB, I am lovin' your daft sense of humour (I am serious about that bit)

But it IS legal now. The OP was about whether about it should be properly regulated to give better protection to the women involved. I agree with this. As someone commented on another thread - make it illegal for the decent law abiding punters, the only ones left out there are the undesirables who don't give a shit whether it is legal or not.

Whatever, the problem won't go away. It is called the "oldest profession" for a reason.

Dittany you can do what you please. As long as you don't come and rescue me it's fine.

Porto:-regulations? I'm not into control. I don't see what 'protection' that would bring. It's effectively making the state the pimp isn't it?

Look at Nevada. Women herded into little boxes in the desert having to abide by set fees. All overseen by some fat cretin like
that Denis Hof. Fuck that.

On the regulations side, I guess I meant more to protect the vulnerable. If you don't need to help, then fair enough, as long as you pay your taxes

Ok but what would be put in place to protect the vulnerable?

I'm not having a go Porto but it all seems a bit wooley when people say things like that. You can't protect women from pimps through regulation, you can't save women from addiction through regulation, you can't do away with poverty through regulation. What is left?

don't the regulated brothels have regular health checkups etc. ? If I was a prostitute, I probably wouldn't want a nanny state poking their nose in either.

Do you mean the UK Claig? There are no regulated brothels and no mandatory health checks. I think they have them in Nevada.

But you see that wouldn't be a regulation for 'protecting' WG's. WG's in parlours use condoms, escorts use condoms, independents use condoms all of these women are capable of getting themselves to a clinic-it's their livelihood after all. The only people are don't are those with a death wish and the likelihood of those individuals complying is zero anyway as I would expect that they would be chaotic in all areas of their lives

But then Harpy there are already safe accommodation schemes and detoxes aimed at women why would prostitutes need something different from what is already there?

No intervention out there today will stop someone from taking drugs unless they really really want to stop and then it's nigh on impossible even if they are willing.

Which opens up a whole other argument about legalising heroin which would itself stop the need for drug addicted women to go on the game

No I meant somewhere like Holland or Nevada. But I agree with you, it is just the usual big government nanny state involvement, and is probably against the wishes of most prostitutes, but nanny government knows best and never listens to the prostitutes themselves.

Are there happy hookers here saying that prostitution should be 'legalised'? - whatever that means considering it's legal already. I don't see any hookers here asking for drive through brothels or blowjob vending machines.

I watched the video Dittany. There is nothing new in there. I could gather you a swathe of WG's who would tell you the exact opposite.

Are you listening to us?

I don't believe that the majority of prostitutes are trafficked. I believe that the majority could leave it if they wanted to. If there was a referendum amongst prostitutes, I believe the majority would wish to carry on doing it and do not want to be saved. I don't believe Labour's figures about trafficked women, just as I don't believe their figures about global warming or about the 'dodgy dossier'. I think they are fighting a political battle and don't really want to listen to the voices of prostitutes. I base it on the fact that I used to have some friends who were prostitutes. Also I know that if I was doing it, I would want to be left alone to do it, and wouldn't want to be saved by the nanny state.

What is the position of teh English Collective of Prostitutes? Do they want it legalised or not? I don't know.