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?

The reason I am not a fan of saying it's legal to try selling people sex whilst saying it's illegal to buy is because it is basically saying it's okay to help people break the law (Aiding and abetting).

Prohibition allowed the gangsters to control the booze industry. Legitimate companies were put out of business and the lucrative trade then ended up all in the hands of teh gangsters. When prohibition ended, the gangsters controlled it and used their millions to enter legitimnate activities such as politics.

I said I provided a service I did not speak for anyone else.

Please do not put words in my mouth.

My story is not anothers.

Everyone is an individual even "prostitutes"

Really Saltatrix? I don't see how "offering" is the same as aiding and abetting? More comparably surely to the 14 year old girl who offers sex to a 21 year old, where he would be breaking the law to say yes to it. (And YES I'm aware that the two situations are very different, it's just an example in law of something where the offer is not illegal, but the acceptance is).

Ditanny, the rape and exploitation of vulnerable women is already outlawed in this country. Has it stopped? How will your proposed new law stop it? It has already been demonstrated how it will harm consensual sex workers, what kind of benefit to the abused will we really get?

Yes thats what I do I run a brothel and I groom young girls and exploit them

I suggest you go and volunteer in a place that caters for street workers or substance misusers and them come back and share the wisdom of your opinions with us then dittany.

Good night.

Those women have fucking brains dittany.

The worst thing about being an addict is people trying to take your desicions for you...argh!!!

"I'm worried that you are allowed anywhere near young people in crisis"...

Ditanny, I am shocked that you hold that attitude! Someone who actually knows, because she's actually been there, knows a whole lot more than you and your text book theorising.

A mentally capable adult is able to make choices which children cannot. It's well established that children even if they said yes may not know their full situation or have the ability to think it through (as well as being highly susceptible to pressure) based on their age.

A woman who chooses to go into prostitution is an adult who is capable of thinking things through properly and well aware they are helping someone do a crime. No other area would someone helping someone do a crime would they be let off free.

Yes for women who are forced into it then it's a no brainer only the punter who took part and people who forced her into it should be prosecuted and that is the set up right now.

"...and well aware they are helping someone do a crime. No other area would someone helping someone do a crime would they be let off free."

No-one having sex with a consenting prostitute in the UK is committing a crime. Only if you criminalise buying sex, will a sex worker be helping someone to commit a crime. And even then in Sweden, (where this nonsense started) sex workers are viewed as victims of their customers, not as accomplices.

Yes I know it's not a crime I was speaking as if this law was put in place.

Why do you care, ditanny? And have you heard of Google? It's a marvellous invention.

Sorry, Saltatrix, I misunderstood you.

Because I'm more interested in the truth than radical feminist dogma.

Yes thank you saltatrix they are different situations as I mentioned. Ok then, if I was desperate for cash and I went into the nearest shop and said I would work for £1.50 per hour. They would be breaking the law if they accepted. But I wouldn't be breaking the law to be underpaid.

"A woman who chooses to go into prostitution is an adult who is capable of thinking things through properly and well aware they are helping someone do a crime. No other area would someone helping someone do a crime would they be let off free."

Presumably because in this case, as in my example above, they are the only "victims" of the crime.