Number 10 petition to criminalise men who buy sex

[policywonk]

Sign here if, you know, you want to

5% of the Netherlands GDP comes from the sex trade, so yes there would be some strong incentives to say positive things about it. Actually given the huge amount of money made by the sex trade world wide, I'm amazed that there isn't more propaganda about it being so great. Perhaps that's because the johns quite like it seedy?

Oh, and having brothels doesn't mean no pimps. There are often pimps too (see the Nevada links - pimps apparently drive in more business and keep the prostitutes in line) or the brothel keepers pick up that role (again see Nevada, or the findings about Victoria, Australia).

I too thought of course legalisation would be the answer, but the evidence seems to suggest that places with registered brothels have an even larger underground scene, and even worse treatment of prostitutes.

And in any case I really question whether nomalising buying women for sex is a good idea in any way shape or form. Look at the impact of the growth of lap dancing/strip clubs etc? It's not very civilising is it?

Interesting that the only place that has made the buyers of sex the criminals has a parliament with more women than men, and a long history of equality. Oh and yes we probably shouldn't compare Amsterdam with Sweden, but the comparisons with Finland (also not somewhere you immediately thing - great I'll go there and buy a prostitute) also hold true on sex trade related crime (principally trafficking).

gosh, really? 5%?

i agree with you nooka, i can't think why women are so accepting that men should have the right to buy sex, like it's automatically enshrined in some way.

heres quite a good link which seems to use figures rather than personal tesimonies.

www.prostitutionresearch.com/laws/000022.html

Im surprised no ones also brought up the problem in Victoria and Queensland in Australia who have legalised protitution but have terrible trouble with trafficking and child workers.

Those who don't want to sign because they think legalisation is the way to protect prostituted women/children/men should take a look at Pinkglow's link.

I used to think legalisation might help to protect prostituted individuals , but now realise that it actually increases the vulnerability of those who are prostituted, through the legal protection of the exploiter.

(I'm all for decriminalisation of the prostituted, but absolutely not those who are exploiting them.)

I am genuinely shocked that anyone wants prostitution legalised.

First questions: would you actually want to be a prostitute? Do you think anyone really chooses prostitution as a means of income if they have any other viable option? (Shall I take that job in tesco? No, I think I'll be a prostitute instead.)

Second questions: would you want your son to visit a prostitute (when he's old enough)?

Third question: would you want to live in a street where prostitutes work? Or live next door to a brothel?

Yes, legalising might or might not make it safer for prostitutes, but going off to a quiet place with a man you don't know is never going to be a very safe job.

How about finding ways to help women out of prostitution, rather than just making it easier.

Signed.

I appreciate your passion for these terribly vulnerable people, dittany.