The "so what can we actually do" thread...

[ImSoNotTelling]

Hello

Following on from the thread about changing the law on rape to grant anonimity to the accused, a few people have started to think about what we can do to get involved, to actually try and change stuff.

So I guess this thread is for suggestions, ideas, and for people to link up to actually try to change things.

So far we have someone possibly standing for pariament!

So come on everyone.

What's the plan....

I'm too "tired" to read all 17 pages of this thread. I will catch up on it over the next few days. Please forgive me for (no doubt) stamping over old ground.

Pressure groups have their place, in anti-sexism as elsewhere, but by nature they must be very clearly focussed. Otherwise, they become quango-like and get hijacked by vociferous minorities. The latest one I joined, and then quit very quickly, was OBJECT. Its stated mission suited me well, but its actions & communications reflected narrow interests that I didn't like. A while back, I stopped supporting a charity for women in developing economies (I was one of their big fundraisers) because the focus had narrowed and 'my' funds were being diverted away from the women I had pledged to assist.

So I'm suspicious of pressure groups, especially ones that claim to espouse all-encompassing values such as women's interests. There are government departments (european, world, national and non-political) in place to support women's rights as well as the rights of other under-empowered sectors and, as long as they remain in place, I thinks that's good enough in general terms.

I'd like to see changes throughout media representations of gender roles. This happens pretty well in school (hurrah) but videos, games & magazines are getting dumber by the month, afaics. I'd rather support a music video producer, with connections, who has the vision to sell female artists without making them pose in their knickers! I'd love a clothing chain to sell cute & sassy outfits for girls, in every colour but pink. I'd like female and male celebs to stop the botox & fillers, and look as good as they do naturally ... actually, I'd like to kill the movie moguls who insist on everybody looking 25 at 45: can we get a pressure group for that??!

There already is FAR more information available about power imbalances and the techniques used by oppressors to control targets. I'd love for this to be presented in neat, bite-sized form, to all women of every age. Assertiveness should be taught on curriculum, and the basic rules & rights made public everywhere - in libraries, council offices, supermarkets, baby groups and direct mail. Why not?

In fact, if we have one pressure group: can it please agitate for assertiveness training everywhere?

I'm out-ranted. Thanks for your patience! I will catch up ...

It'sGraceAgain I really don't get what your objections about perfectly good organisations such as Object. Do you expect a campaign you support to perfectly align with your ideals before you'll support it?

msrisotto:
"OBJECT campaigns for an end to the sexual objectification of women in the media and popular culture. We challenge the normalisation of the porn industries through lads mags, page 3, advertising and lap dancing."

All of which I agree with.

However, the majority of campaigns I was invited to support had to do with "stamping out" prostitution. Indeed, the latest one leverages the Bradford murders to protest against proposed 'legalisation' of the trade.

To my mind, prostitutes are women and deserve protection as they go about their business, which is legal. Prostitution is not a form of pornography. OBJECT said it wanted to challenge the popular objectification of women, but seems more interested in challenging women whose trade it disapproves of.

LeninGrad - thanks, I need to catch up on the thread

Yes, I know that. Personally I'd like to see the whole sex industry de-criminalised, taxed and regulated: I feel that any form of 'driving it underground' increases the risks. (The Prohibition argument.) Though I understand the reasons for wanting to criminalise the punters.

Apologies for thread diversion.

It'd be easier to catch the murderers if they had to pay by credit card, the books were open for examination and there were security cameras in the brothel.

Yes, I am serious. Whole different topic, though, and I have to get stuff done.

I also agree that legalising prostitution would exacerbate the problem. How would you know what to legalise? Where do you draw the line? How do you make sure that everything is above board? You can't, not really, and I just think it's far too dangerous - and there are bound to be loopholes, too, which would allow trafficking, etc. It's awful enough that it happens as it is, without legalising it.

Hang on a sec. Prostitution IS legal. The illegal parts are pimping and kerb crawling.

My theory (which is similar to my theory about drugs, as it happens) is: If "living off immoral earnings" becomes a proper, above-board business, the majority of working prostitutes will choose to run their own brothels as registered, accountable businesses with health checks and paper trails. The electorate will benefit from the taxes thus paid. The cops will be aware of the places of business and no doubt keep an eye on them.

This approach would not eliminate exploitation or corruption, but it would disincentivise it quite significantly. I confess to cherising rosy recollections of the few licensed brothels that still existed in Soho when I first moved to London - I hate those sex supermarkets in Frankfurt (are they still there?) but legislation could, in fact, limit the number of prostitutes, hours worked, minimum trick time and so on. It's not a "solution" to an age-old problem but it is humane and rational.

Since it seems impossible to eradicate prostitution, I can't understand why such a majority is opposed to making it work better for society and for the women (and men) working in it.

Are there any reliable statistics comparing the explosion of trafficked girls in Amsterdam with the same over here? Are you sure the Dutch figures aren't more prominent because of regulation? Presumably you can't count 'em at all here, since the whole thing is hidden.

Prolesworth, it's nice to hear you're not totally opposed to all my views

The prostitution and drugs trades are very closely linked at the moment. Not only because of pimps using drugs to keep the women hooked in, but also because they're big-money SECRET industries, perfect for money laundering. Most of the major players traffic women and drugs.

Once again, bring them into the light and the opportunities for abuse are fewer. I assume that money laundering is the reason why most proposals for full legalisation/regulation mention payment by credit/bank card.
It just makes more sense to me ...

cheers

Might have to delay tomorrow's reply, as I was too busy arguing with Dittany to get anything done today