French considering criminalising paying for sex

[thunderboltsandlightning]

Following in the footsteps of Sweden, Iceland and Norway:

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8938219/France-considers-measures-that-could-see-end-of-prostitution.html

Tres bien les Francais!

and

maybe they have been "inspired" by the awful revelations about DSK and his cronies?!

This is excellent news

Hope this will be another country stopping the onward march of the pimps
Shit, it's half past one! How did that happen? Night all

Oh this is good news. Or at least it will be when they adopt it

All the "sex worker unions" are horrified of course.

Lets hope that it becomes European law and that we have to follow suit, although choosing to adopt such a law would be infinitely better than being forced to.

Yes, Elfenor, those 'unions' like IUSW which are usually represented by pimps employers/owners of escort agencies. Oh, thank you, Selma bloody James

It's an idea that is definitely gaining traction.

Once you think about it of course, it's the obvious solution to prostitution. Prostitution has never been about what women want, but rather men's desire to commodify and have immediate sexual access to women.

The Telegraph article states "Only soliciting and pimping ? living off the earnings of a prostitute ? are criminal offences."

There can be loopholes in "living of the earnings of prostitutes" legislation.

My understanding of similar British legislation is that in the UK, certain categories of men can live off the earnings of a prostitute, without penalty, if they are e.g. the husband of the prostitute.

I wonder if these loopholes exist in the existing French laws and I wonder if they will be closed as part of this proposal.

aviatrix - DSK was apparently a well known user of prostitutes.