Amnesty International says laws against buying sex breach men's human rights

[DonkeySkin]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2545003/Amnesty-calls-legal-prostitution-Charity-says-laws-ban-people-buying-selling-sex-breach-human-rights.html

The organisation is planning to adopt a position that calls for the full decriminalisation of the sex industry, including johns and pimps.

It is tabling a paper for its UK branch to vote on that says it is a human right for 'consenting adults' to purchase sexual consent from another person (regardless of the desperate circumstances that person may be in, presumably). The paper also devotes time to that latest favourite cover-all for sex-industry advocates, 'the rights of the disabled', as a reason to allow the continuing expansion of the global sex industry with no oversight or concern from governments.

Apparently the human rights of the (overwhelmingly) women and girls who are coerced, trafficked and enslaved inside the sex industry to satisfy the demand from men for paid sex are of no concern.

Oh, sorry - Amnesty does remember to devote a whole two words to this, conceding that prostitution takes place in an 'imperfect context'. That would presumably be the context of a worldwide patriarchy that devalues female human beings, denies them education, safety and fairly paid work, and tells men they have the right to use their bodies for sex regardless of their actual desires. Not to mention, systemic racism, colonialism and exploitative capitalism.

Good to know Amnesty is prepared to stand up for the most vulnerable people on earth - male sex buyers.

Please watch the documentaries called 'American courtesans' and 'scarlet road a sex workers journey' to learn about real sex workers and what they are doing and saying. Despite what some in this thread have stated, sex workers have NOT been given much of a voice in these discussions! We have consistently been denied and silenced. Most of the time discussions have been reserved for trafficking victims and former sex workers who oppose decriminalization. Otherwise there has been a concerted effort to silence sex workers who desire to do sex work and who support decriminalization. Neat thing is, we are determined people who refuse to be silenced. We just won't go away and we will be heard. All the way to the Supreme Court! Canada has the right idea, prostitution laws are unconstitutional! Enforce laws that address actual trafficking. Enforce laws that address child exploitation/abuse. Criminalizing consensual sex workers OR their clients is destructive to society. People allow their ideologies to block logic and reason. It is not rational in the least to believe that you can end the demand for commercial sex. Therefore the task is to establish harm reduction - go after the real criminals not adults seeking intimacy with other consenting adults. It shouldn't be anyone's business what another person chooses regarding their body and mind. Unless of course YOU want to be like a pimp- controlling other people by determining what they can or cannot do according to your personal views and feelings and needs. The American courtesans film is free on hulu right now in the documentary section of their site.

There are healthy clients just as there are healthy sex workers! This topic cannot nor should it be casually broad stroked!

Criminalizing consensual sex workers OR their clients is destructive to society.

I think the ability to purchase sexual consent is destructive to society.

The so called Nordic model only works in the minds of the people who support it. Here is an interesting read for you regarding your beloved Nordic model: www.lrb.co.uk/blog

Decriminalisation seems particularly beloved of those who plan to make a profit from selling sex and don't give a fuck about all the people damaged by the trade.

Including the societies blighted by the idea that the weak are there to be bought and sold by the powerful.

Joinyourfellows do you understand what SOVEREIGNTY is? You can't claim to honestly be supporting my right to agency and bodily integrity if you are telling me I don't have the right to do sex work to earn my living. You can't have it both ways. Just as you don't get to force your religious ideologies onto me, you shouldn't (nor should anyone) be able to force any other ideology onto me, including how you perceive sex work! Some people (many people actually) THRIVE doing sex work. It is a healthy situation. Can't wrap your mind around this? Then it's time to do more investigation. Healthy social engineering leaves ideologies at the door and puts logic and reason at the forefront of the discussion.

Going back to when I used to frequent magistrates' Courts, there never used to be anyone - ever- charged with soliciting or related offences. The Police and CPS didn't seems that bothered. And I don't know if sections 14-16 of the Police and Crime 2009 has come into force yet, but I've not heard of prosecutions for those either. Again the bobbies don't seem bothered about it.

Anyone know links for the crime stats for these? (I had a very quick look, couldnt see anything)

Sovereignty doesn't mean you have a right to do anything you want. Laws are basically things that stop people doing things, whether or not they want to, and we have them all over the place about all sorts of things, for the good of society.
DominaElla, I don't actually care whether you want to sell sex any more than I care whether someone wants to do insider dealing. Or burglary.

However, in this case, what we are talking about is not persuing people selling sex anyway. It is more like pursuing the victorian svengalis who used children to do their burglaries for them (analogy getting more baroque).

Joinyourplayfellows do you really believe that people like myself don't care about the victims of trafficking because we want to establish harm reduction for EVERYONE not just trafficking victims? The sex worker advocates and organizations I am aware of and those which I am affiliated with and support absolutely care about the victims of trafficking. Believe it or not you can care about BOTH, trafficking victims AND consensual sex workers who want to do sex work, not to mention the clients!

Why do so many people want to broad stroke everyone a certain way rather than taking a deeper look into every aspect of these issues?! You are accusing me and others of something which (no offense meant) you yourself appear to be guilty of based on your words.

I could state that YOU are willing to disenfranchise literally millions of people throughout the world who CHOOSE to do sex work in the name of rescuing those who are forced.

Decriminalization wouldn't harm the victims of trafficking, ON THE CONTRARY they wouldn't be arrested and subsequently traumatized by the legal process anymore! Wouldn't that be better for them? Since there are indeed laws which address trafficking law enforcement would have more time and resources to address these crimes rather than dedicating resources towards consenting adults engaging in consensual sex! This doesn't make sense to you?

I am DEEPLY concerned about child sexual abuse and exploitation which is greatly taking place OUTSIDE of the adult industry!!!

No, you don't get to sit here and play that way.

Have you done your homework?
PLEASE DO....let's all of us have the best understanding of every angle of this issue and not find ourselves causing further harm to people who are already in vulnerable situations.

ww.policeprostitutionandpolitics.com

it does come across often that people want to punish sex workers unless they are victims and yet I don't hear you crying out that the VICTIMS of human trafficking should not be arrested. Why are you ok with trafficking victims being arrested?

Of course then you would have to admit that there is a difference between human trafficking and consensual sex work. Eh?

By the way duskandshiver, I don't recall stating I wanted to sell sex. And by the way, sex work doesn't always involve the act of sex. There are a variety of vocations in the adult industry which do not involve the act of sex. As for myself I specialize in couples therapy. I educate and assist couples in developing better communication, deeper levels of trust, the work (which I am deeply honored to be doing) is extremely fulfilling. Did you assume something different? It's ok, that's what MARGINALIZATION and STIGMATIZATION does. It allows people to project emotional violence at us. We are dirty, we are shameful, we are criminal, we are only up to no good- like inside trading and burglary.

Sex shouldn't be a human right you say?! mind blowing. Sex shouldn't be my right, but shoving your ideologies down my throat should be your right?! Look up the word RATIONAL. please get some!

Harm reduction is an expression that makes me go

It is most usually employed WRT drug addiction - and, with drug addiction, is an honest admission that the practice is harmful .

When co-opted by pro-prostitution lobbies as an argument for decriminalizing the buying of sex, it is hypocritical, self-contradictory and entirely dismissive of the gendered nature of both the buying and the selling of sex.

Crikey, Domina, please stop shouting.

Different areas treat soliciting differently. Some areas do indeed prosecute for it, especially when there are complaints by residents.

I know many women who have been prostituted. Some say when they were in it, they too said it was empowering, blah blah.. They said they needed to believe that to get through each day. It was a self defence mechanism. But they were lying to themselves.

And that makes sense. How many abused women on here argue - it isn't that bad really, we have good times, our family life is overall good. Only when they have LTB to say a year later - I didn't realise how bad things were. I just accepted it as normal.

That is why it is so important to listen to those who are no longer being prostituted. They understand what actually happened to them.

And the pro sex work crowd always ignore the fact that prostitution is largely controlled by criminal gangs. It doesn't operate in some la la fairy land where women have any control.

I could state that YOU are willing to disenfranchise literally millions of people throughout the world who CHOOSE to do sex work in the name of rescuing those who are forced.

Yes, I am quite willing "disenfranchise" the negligibly small number of women who freely choose to sell their bodies for sex to protect a far higher number of vulnerably women from unspeakable abuse and violence.

I don't want to live in a society where women (and young gay men) are treated as commodities.

I don't even want to stop you selling your body.

I just want to stop men being able to buy sexual consent.

I think society would be better if men couldn't use money to coerce consent.

Sorry if this has already been posted. I have read all 11 pages, but I might have missed it.

Why even Amsterdam doesn't want legal brothels

and this

change.org petition

www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/amnesty-international-demand-that-the-nordic-model-be-implemented-for-the-protection-of-prostituted-and-trafficked-human-beings?share_id=tylkDvIPdn&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition

Domina I am not a libertarian neo-liberal. Therefore I do not value individual personal choice above all else. I am not too bothered about restricting the activities of people who choose to be 'sex workers' because I believe the whole idea of 'sex work' is both cause and effect of gender inequality, which is more important than the personal choice of a few deluded individuals

Thanks Julia, I just signed. The Nordic model sounds the best we can hope for at the current time really. Urgghh, I can't believe Amnesty of all organisations could look at sex as a human right. I am glad DH didn't perceive it as one of his rights after I had given birth.

Of course, you would have had the human right to knee him in the bollocks for even suggesting such insanity :D

He wouldn't have had any bollocks left, if that had been suggested....

DV ought not to be the subject of humour