Sexual Offences Act Revisited
"Do we think it's right in the 21st Century that women should be in a sex trade or do we think it's exploitation and should be banned?"The English Collective of Prostitutes and the vice chairman of the Police Federation say Harriet Harman is wrong to seek to outlaw prostitution, warning that such a move would simply force prostitution underground and make women more vulnerable to violence. Let us know what you think.
"Can we really stop this trade [in human trafficking] when we've still got a lawful sex trade going on?"
3 comments:
When Football clubs can have a Christmas party in a hotel and 'invite' numerous ladies in to 'entertain' their players who needs prostitutes on the streets as well?
'Banning' prostitution would be like banning the tide, banning drugs or banning breathing - impossible to enforce. The fault lies more with the men who control and use prostitutes than with the women who find themselves in the unfortunate position of being prostitutes. The problem lies with how to protect these women, and giving them pathways out of the 'profession' without condoning prostitution. This is a classic example of the limits of effective state and legal action. There should to my mind be strong laws against those who exploit the women, a lightness of touch on the women themselves and an empowering of those 'third sector' agencies who seek to help women out of prostitution.
It displays a fundamental lack of understanding of human nature to think that 1) women or men cannot choose to sell sexual services (or services such as a caning that their clients perceive as sexual), 2) that it is even possible to eradicate sex work - in every society there have been willing buyers and sellers of sexual services, 3) that the criminal law is a remotely useful tool for regulating personal morality - it isn't it.
Decriminalization and full rights for those working in sex industry is the safest option for those in sex industry. It would eliminate many problems, and any remaining problems are dealt with under other law (rights, employment law etc.,) anyway.
Only a hypocrite or a fool would think otherwise.
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