Should it be illegal for men to pay for prostitution?

[EatsBrainsAndLeaves]

Should we criminalise all men who pay for prostitution, alongside help for women to leave prostituion?

And this is very unfair, plus I would also say when you first take the plunge into prostitution, for a lot of people it's not an easy decision, hence why so many would not do it.
The last thing women in this position need, is to have their decision questioned by a majority who have never walked in their shoes.

summerflower

Yes, at a global level the issue of sub prime lending did lead to this. However how many funded community development projects were unsustainable because they had no way to generate their own income?
I don't see how you can deny that the money spent over the course of the last decade on such projects did not have an impact on today's public finances.
Sub prime lending was in part used as a multiplier as then these new homeowners would then spend further money on their properties thus creating a flux of construction jobs, as did multi million pound regeneration projects. Then that bubble that was created went bang, construction suffered greatly when the money dried up.
Some argue that the ability to access finance is a driver in social mobility, however both the UK and US governments were wrong to then allow the market to profit from this by charging the lowest earners the highest rates of interest.
I don't see why you have to patronise me, "despite what the current government would have you believe."
My idea's about this were formed over nearly a decade ago, when the company I worked for was a commentor on government policy and was raising it's own early day motions.
I'm not an economist just an interested spectator.
I try to do my research ad form my opinions from what I know.
Anyway this is really digressing from the original question!

This thread has jumped the shark!

summerflower

Perhaps you miss the point that we are all one and the same, I do what I do for the same reasons any other woman chooses to work long hours, I simply implied that by not allowing me the choice as you feel it impacts negatively on all other women would be then make me a martyr to that cause.

I don't feel I've had a go at anyone, I implied that how women see other women is as harmful as the feminist ideal that implies it's just men who view women in a negative light.

I don't see why you have to patronise me, "despite what the current government would have you believe."

Let us be more libertarian and try to ban fewer things than we do , not introduce new bans. The ability to sell sex is one of the very few areas women have any supremacy over men. Modelling is another as they charge more than male models. Also it is easier as a pretty very badly paid young slim girl to do well on a divorce and out of a marriage financially than a badly off attractive man. Now as more equality emerges this may all come on more to an even keel and women may be off there paying to buy sex and men makling a fortune out of a divorce like my ex husband, but for now it remains one of the few areas we in a sense have one up on men.

it remains one of the few areas we in a sense have one up on men.

I would slightly rephrase that Xenia to read "it is one of the few areas a proportion of women in a sense have one up on men" I don't see that prostitution as performed by street sex workers, trafficked women, women driven into it by drugs, abuse or poverty have, in any sense, one upness on men. If any sex worker does it is only those who a) enjoy it an b) work in a clean, safe environment out of free choice who could claim to have one upness on men. And even then I would be most dubious as he who pays the piper generally calls the tune - sentiment I would think you would endorse.

Do you pay for sex Xenia?

If we take the housewife as prostitute analogy I suppose nearly £1m....

But no, women virtually never have to pay. It's extremely easy to get sex if you want it and aren't fat. I suppose most people these days are fat so if you are one of the few who aren't it's unusual.

I have decided that you just have to laugh at your outlandish statements, Xenia, and not take them too seriously.

ahem

Gosh, that makes it look like I wrote something really bad.

I know, Pubes, it's my VERY FIRST DELETION!!! like .... EVER!

I don't know whether to feel really guilty or celebrate with a glass of wine

DP does have a massive cock though.

DP has a massive cock would be a great username.I'm going to have that if I ever name change.

What sort of naughty things did you two say that got your posts deleted...?

I read them and can't even remember, so don't know why they were deleted.

The posts were a smidge... accusatory.

I would say offensive defensive. Defending SAHMs from accusations of handmaidenry.

Since my first ever deletion I've been feeling all gobby and snarly. I've found myself swearing more in RL. Is this normal? Have I gone to the dark side?

messy, does the dark side have cake??

Have any of you actually been bothered to watch the video of the Swedish prostitute?? The Swedish Law evidently doesn't work in reality, it does in fact make things WORSE for the women concerned. To such as Beachcomber - you may well work with those in need, but contrary to popular opinion THEY are the minotity. The 'pyramid' link given whenever was the wrong way up! We are the woman in the supermarket next to you, the woman picking up her kids next to you...WE are the silent majority. A majority who's opinions you choose to ignore. I've 'worked' for over twenty years and whilst I've met one or two ladies with dodgy history, the vast majority have suffered NO coercion or pressure from outside sources.

Have any of you actually been bothered to watch the video of the Swedish prostitute??

It's clear (some) feminists are only interested in hearing what a prositute has to say if she has a tragic tale to tell which involves stories of being raped and beaten and begging to be rescued from the sex industry. But show them a video of a prostitute who doesn't want criminalization then they will put their fingers in their ears.

Here's the vid again if anyone missed it:

(I say some because there are other feminists who identify as "sex-posititve" who tend to lean towards legislation.)

Yes, I watched the link - I have seen it before in fact, a few times.

I have mixed feelings about it. In a bit of a rush now, if I have time I'll expand later.

I don't work with 'those in need' (I don't work in the centre BTW - I'm a volunteer), we see all manner of women. Most of the women we see have no intention of leaving the life. They come to us for certain services but the vast majority get what they require and go back to work. We see the same women over and over again - about half work the street, about half are what gets called escorts.

If a woman wants to exit prostitution, we will help her, but we don't attempt to influence the women in any way, at all.