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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Red Light District

120 replies

Prawnsma32 · 31/01/2023 11:31

Just out of curiosity, how many of you would NOT mind your partner visiting the Red Light District during a stag party to Amsterdam.

OP posts:
2023a · 31/01/2023 13:36

Naunet · 31/01/2023 13:32

F you’re referring to me yet again, nowhere did I say what OP ‘actually’ meant. The comments people make in the defence of making entertainment out of vulnerable women is really something to behold though.

You didn’t say it, but everything is obviously about you.

Lollypop701 · 31/01/2023 13:37

Amsterdam is a beautiful city, it’s hard to avoid the red light district and in a stag it’s really not going to happen. It’s not seedy so much, as it’s part of life as usual. So I wouldn’t be bothered walking through it, or going to the bars

but it made me feel sad tbh because very few women provide sex service as a choice and they were beautiful women so my guess is most were pressured and desperate (like the majority of sex workers imo) to have it so on show felt wrong. Not sure there’s any solution as Amsterdam is selling itself on sex and drugs

Wonderland19 · 31/01/2023 13:40

My partner went to Amsterdam with his friend's, they walked through and had a look, didn't go in. Didn't bother me.

However anything like strip clubs or visiting any sort of worker, UK or abroad is an instant deal breaker.

Naunet · 31/01/2023 13:40

2023a · 31/01/2023 13:33

Unless you have an issue visiting every major city (all of which have the exact same issues), objecting to Amsterdam because of its seedy underbelly makes no sense. It’s really that simple.

Where has she said prostitution is free from exploitation? Or that prostitution in Amsterdam is fluffy?

This thread is a fabulous example of confirmation bias. You know the argument you want to have and, regardless of what’s actually said to you, that’s the argument you’re going to have.

So because prostitution exists elsewhere, it’s fine to turn it into a tourist attraction and put these women in windows for tourists to stare at and consider buying?! Amazing ‘logic’

2023a · 31/01/2023 13:44

Naunet · 31/01/2023 13:40

So because prostitution exists elsewhere, it’s fine to turn it into a tourist attraction and put these women in windows for tourists to stare at and consider buying?! Amazing ‘logic’

Yup, that’s exactly what I said. Spot on.

I was clearly right about what you’re seeking to do here. Will ignore you, now. Happy hunting.

Naunet · 31/01/2023 13:46

2023a · 31/01/2023 13:44

Yup, that’s exactly what I said. Spot on.

I was clearly right about what you’re seeking to do here. Will ignore you, now. Happy hunting.

Oh please do highlight where I’m wrong then? What did you mean if that wasn’t it?

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 13:51

Actually @Naunet she was referencing me.....
Feel free to apologise to 2023a and happy to reply to respond myself

NalaNana · 31/01/2023 13:51

I went to Amsterdam years ago with friends from uni and went to the red light district out of curiosity really (also there are bars there!). I found it really uncomfortable, needless to say we didn't stay long.

One thing I remember specifically was groups of men wandering round on stag dos laughing at the women in the windows etc. They would frequently shout things at us too and leer at us. I said to my friend at the time that I bet those men have wives/girlfriends/children at home and would never treat women with such disrespect anywhere else, but since they're all together in the red lights district they turn into animals.

Palmfrond · 31/01/2023 13:56

@2023a Read some of the replies referring to safe and well regulated prostitution. There’s no such thing. If you choose to believe there is, great, but you are deluded.
And yes, any city or town has prostitution, but, besides Bangkok I can’t think of any city other than Amsterdam where it’s actually an explicit part of the draw for tourists, but even if the OP was asking about going to the red light district in Leeds, or any red light district as a specific destination the answers would be the same.
So, the Op asks if she should be bothered. We don’t know if her DP is going to Shag a prostitute, but as far as going to a red light district, these places are strongly associated with deep human misery.

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 14:04

@Palmfrond again, it was my comment that @2023a just agreed with. Not entirely sure why people are trying to put it on one person...
And only Bangkok? Not heard of the prostitution industry in Paris or Berlin, no? Or the buy-a-wife in Cambodia or Thailand or Russia?

Yet all these places stand out for many other things than the red light district, just like Amsterdam. They're now 'strongly associated with misery', they're just more acceptable in society for some reason. Just like we see Thailand and Cambodia as beautiful countries, not the fact they are paedophile central

2023a · 31/01/2023 14:05

Palmfrond · 31/01/2023 13:56

@2023a Read some of the replies referring to safe and well regulated prostitution. There’s no such thing. If you choose to believe there is, great, but you are deluded.
And yes, any city or town has prostitution, but, besides Bangkok I can’t think of any city other than Amsterdam where it’s actually an explicit part of the draw for tourists, but even if the OP was asking about going to the red light district in Leeds, or any red light district as a specific destination the answers would be the same.
So, the Op asks if she should be bothered. We don’t know if her DP is going to Shag a prostitute, but as far as going to a red light district, these places are strongly associated with deep human misery.

  • Nobody has said that the prostitution in Amsterdam (or anywhere else) is ‘well regulated’ or ‘fluffy’, or anything else you’ve stated. Claiming people have is, again, the argument you’ve decided to have…with nobody. People have stated that it is legalised, safer and regulated. All of which is true.
  • There are over three times the number of prostitutes London that there are in Amsterdam, ‘explicit part of the draw’ or no. The only difference is the above legalisation and regulation. So, again, unless you have an issue visiting every major city (all of which have the exact same issues), objecting to Amsterdam because of its seedy underbelly makes no sense. It’s really that simple.
  • OP didn’t ask if she should be bothered. She asked if others wouldn’t be, and they’re answering.
Naunet · 31/01/2023 14:07

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 13:51

Actually @Naunet she was referencing me.....
Feel free to apologise to 2023a and happy to reply to respond myself

Apologise for asking a question?! No thanks 😂

Naunet · 31/01/2023 14:09

2023a · 31/01/2023 14:05

  • Nobody has said that the prostitution in Amsterdam (or anywhere else) is ‘well regulated’ or ‘fluffy’, or anything else you’ve stated. Claiming people have is, again, the argument you’ve decided to have…with nobody. People have stated that it is legalised, safer and regulated. All of which is true.
  • There are over three times the number of prostitutes London that there are in Amsterdam, ‘explicit part of the draw’ or no. The only difference is the above legalisation and regulation. So, again, unless you have an issue visiting every major city (all of which have the exact same issues), objecting to Amsterdam because of its seedy underbelly makes no sense. It’s really that simple.
  • OP didn’t ask if she should be bothered. She asked if others wouldn’t be, and they’re answering.

The only difference is

not the only difference, we don’t make a tourist attraction out of it FFS.

2023a · 31/01/2023 14:09

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 14:04

@Palmfrond again, it was my comment that @2023a just agreed with. Not entirely sure why people are trying to put it on one person...
And only Bangkok? Not heard of the prostitution industry in Paris or Berlin, no? Or the buy-a-wife in Cambodia or Thailand or Russia?

Yet all these places stand out for many other things than the red light district, just like Amsterdam. They're now 'strongly associated with misery', they're just more acceptable in society for some reason. Just like we see Thailand and Cambodia as beautiful countries, not the fact they are paedophile central

It’s going to be one of those threads, I think. I’m done.

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 14:11

@Naunet no sweetie, apologising for getting it wrong and being so incensed, you were clearly blinded to detail.

Or did you just not want to ask the right person your question?

(I'm being silly.... I am under no illusion there will be anything that ever resembles ownership or apologising ever coming from you ;))

CatchYouOnTheFlippetyFlop · 31/01/2023 14:12

The fact that the majority of women are trafficked in the red light area, there against their will, no way out of the situation, tricked into it in the first place, I think it's disgusting that people can view this as a bit of a laugh.

No - I would not be happy if my husband went there, but I wouldn't be married to him if this was something he would do.

Chasedbythechaser · 31/01/2023 14:13

PousseyNotMoira · 31/01/2023 11:38

It wouldn’t occur to me to be bothered by this, tbh. I’ve visited it during a hen. It’s a really fun area, I’m in favour of legalised and safely monitored sex work, and my husband isn’t going to cheat on me.

If you did just a teeny bit of research you wouldn’t write this about prostitution in Amsterdam.

Babdoc · 31/01/2023 14:14

If any partner of mine wanted to go and leer at traumatised and trafficked women for fun - let alone actually pay to rape one - I would dump the misogynist little shit forthwith.
What is wrong with people? How can you regard human misery and degradation as entertainment?
In the same quarter as the red light district is the Resistance museum, which tells the harrowing tale of Dutch women (and many more Korean ones) used as “comfort women” - ie raped in military brothels by the Japanese army in WW2. Visitors are horrified- but hypocritically don’t extend the same consideration to the poor abused women on the next street.

Palmfrond · 31/01/2023 14:14

@2023a Lovely bullet points, but you are either being intentionally disingenuous or you are some kind of difficulty processing the very basic level of information being presented in this thread.

2023a · 31/01/2023 14:16

Palmfrond · 31/01/2023 14:14

@2023a Lovely bullet points, but you are either being intentionally disingenuous or you are some kind of difficulty processing the very basic level of information being presented in this thread.

Pot, kettle, black.

Naunet · 31/01/2023 14:22

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 14:11

@Naunet no sweetie, apologising for getting it wrong and being so incensed, you were clearly blinded to detail.

Or did you just not want to ask the right person your question?

(I'm being silly.... I am under no illusion there will be anything that ever resembles ownership or apologising ever coming from you ;))

What are you even talking about, sweetie? If you have a problem with my posts, report me, but you don’t get to police what I write. I asked if she was referring to me, I’m allowed to do that, and I still stand by it, because whilst the reply was to you, it was referencing others.
Get over yourself.

Palmfrond · 31/01/2023 14:29

Fuck me this thread took a weird turn.

baileys6904 · 31/01/2023 14:29

Naunet · 31/01/2023 14:22

What are you even talking about, sweetie? If you have a problem with my posts, report me, but you don’t get to police what I write. I asked if she was referring to me, I’m allowed to do that, and I still stand by it, because whilst the reply was to you, it was referencing others.
Get over yourself.

Get over myself? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Says the person who thinks they're important or impactful enough to actually register on my 'give a shit' meter.
Let me try and be clear:

  1. I posted with an opinion
  2. Another poster quoted my post
  3. You then responded to that other person about my post as if they know my thought process behind it.
  4. Rather than admit the mistaken identity, you decide to just fire off a bit more.

Cracking job for a Tuesday ❤️

IWineAndDontDine · 31/01/2023 14:31

2023a · 31/01/2023 14:05

  • Nobody has said that the prostitution in Amsterdam (or anywhere else) is ‘well regulated’ or ‘fluffy’, or anything else you’ve stated. Claiming people have is, again, the argument you’ve decided to have…with nobody. People have stated that it is legalised, safer and regulated. All of which is true.
  • There are over three times the number of prostitutes London that there are in Amsterdam, ‘explicit part of the draw’ or no. The only difference is the above legalisation and regulation. So, again, unless you have an issue visiting every major city (all of which have the exact same issues), objecting to Amsterdam because of its seedy underbelly makes no sense. It’s really that simple.
  • OP didn’t ask if she should be bothered. She asked if others wouldn’t be, and they’re answering.

Blaming other people from missing the points when you are replying things like this 🙄

IWineAndDontDine · 31/01/2023 14:36

Babdoc · 31/01/2023 14:14

If any partner of mine wanted to go and leer at traumatised and trafficked women for fun - let alone actually pay to rape one - I would dump the misogynist little shit forthwith.
What is wrong with people? How can you regard human misery and degradation as entertainment?
In the same quarter as the red light district is the Resistance museum, which tells the harrowing tale of Dutch women (and many more Korean ones) used as “comfort women” - ie raped in military brothels by the Japanese army in WW2. Visitors are horrified- but hypocritically don’t extend the same consideration to the poor abused women on the next street.

Couldn't have put it better myself. It's "legal" to go and look. But it doesn't make it any less disgusting and morally corrupt to treat women as entertainment in between their rape sessions. I read a book recently where the author was a victim of this exact trafficking in RLD. She witnessed women being beheaded in snuff porn films which was a threat if they stepped out of line, she was used in games of Russian roulette by the pimps, she was dismissed by authorities when she ran into a police station half naked begging for help. But I guess carry on leering at these poor women to feed your curiosity.