After a well-publicized international debate, the delegates from Amnesty International voted on Tuesday to support a policy that calls for decriminalization of the sex trade, including prostitution, payment for sex and brothel ownership. Amnesty International has been the focused of a determined and passionate lobby campaign by celebrities opposing the move. However, the majority still found that criminalization contributes to the abuse of women and girls around the world.
The vote was taken by 400 members from 60 countries. They heard for a host of Hollywood stars and luminaries like Jimmy Carter calling for the group to reject the proposal and “stay true to its mission.”
The group spent two years studying the impact of criminalization in comparing jurisdictions with legal and illegal sex trades. It found that those jurisdictions criminalizing the sex trade had a higher incidence of arbitrary arrest and detention, extortion and harassment, and physical and sexual violence. With the vote, the group will now join other groups seeking decriminalization in lobbying governments and politicians. Libertarians and others support decriminalization as a matter of individual choice so long as the trade involves consenting adults. They argue that it is easier to regulate the industry in places like Nevada where it is legal.
Others argue to shifting the most severe penalties of the “johns” but keeping the trade illegal to prevent the abuse of young girls and women.
Margot Wallstrom, Sweden’s foreign minister, insisted that the concept of choice for women in the trade is a “myth.”
What do you think?
Darren is wise. He sees the State of Washington taxing cannabis heavily and that just supports the black market.
This thread is at risk.
P&P
Yes indeed tax the hell out of it, proceeds go to PP. BRILLIANT, no kidding.
Annie
If you don’t want to fund Planned Parenthood don’t bang a prostitute.
That may be why McConnell wants to keep them going.
Annie
The mail flaw with my idea is if they had a BATFP running things it would take eight months to get your ashes hauled.
“what should we call the agency that does it? ”
The Really Internal Revenue Service.
Chief Consort – I think it has always been a state option, so they would have to be state bureaus. And I think we should force PP to do all the sex exams for free. God knows they have the money.
As far as criminalization goes, no give the working girls a break. Of course yes it’s going to need to be highly regulated, what should we call the agency that does it? The Federal Bureau of Safe Sex?
I think it should become the rallying cry for Glibertarians from coast to coast. “Make Prostitution Legal!”, next to the sign that proclaims “Defund Planned Parenthood!”.
Annie
The BATF has tax stamps for alchohol, tobbacco and ammo.
I say we slap a stamp on every hooker V and give the proceeds to Planned Parenthood.
At some point you have to decide what is most important to you – punishing pimps and johns, or helping individual prostitutes.
Criminalization gives pimps a powerful tool to coerce prostitutes. Prostitutes who attempt to work without a primp are sometimes called renegades. Simply leaving a pimp for another pimp is understood, accepted and controlled by recognized rules. Renegades, however, are a bad example to other prostitutes – “I can count and I know where to cop, why do I need a pimp”.
Pimps attempt to suppress renegades with violence, intimidation and interference with her business. Techniques to interfere include threatening violence to dates, revealing their activity and informing to the police. What recourse does the renegade have – complain to the police that her former pimp is interfering with her prostitution?
The unintended cooperation of pimps and LE is a powerful tool pimps used to control prostitutes and maintain them in the business.
In addition, criminalization of prostitution leads some individual police officers to ignore crimes against prostitutes. It is as though rape is simply a disagreement about a business deal. Other acts of violence against prostitutes are treated as though the victim was largely at fault – ‘ wouldn’t have happened if she had not been there doing that’.
Criminalization is a powerful tool that prevents prostitutes from exercising control in their own lives. Criminalization makes it much more difficult for prostitutes to leave the control of pimps – the first step toward a more conventional life.
Those who want to give prostitutes the tools to control their own lives oppose criminalization.
Since Feminists believe that PIV is de facto rape, and that women cannot give reliable consent to heterosexual intercourse, decriminalization is just more patriarchal oppression, and therefor reactionary and hateful.
Praise for what young women are now taught in Universities by Proper Feminists:
— S.P. Schacht and Patricia H. Atchison, “Heterosexual Instrumentalism: Past and Future Directions,” in Heterosexuality: A Feminism and Psychology Reader, edited by Sue Wilkinson and Celia Kitzinger (1993)
— Marilyn Frye, “A Lesbian’s Perspective on Women’s Studies,” speech to the National Women’s Studies Association conference, 1980
I agree with both Isaac and Darren.
Legalize prostitution for people over 18 or 21 and severe harsh penalties for anyone who is coercing or using under aged persons. And….I add….severe penalties for anyone who is allowing or encouraging addictive drug use in their establishments. Many prostitutes on the streets now are working to get their next fixes and are in terrible condition.
Also, regulation after legalization is needed, but like everything the government does it becomes heavy handed and people will just work around the regulations and we will be back to a sex trade with all the bad elements in it.
Regulation and health checks would ensure the health of the workers (physical and mental) and those who patronize them. Reduce disease and drug use. Instead of sleazy dirty back alleys or filthy infested hotel rooms, create an atmosphere that is more respectable and controlled. Safer working conditions and safer conditions for the patrons.
DBQ
Do you think the Feminazis will be satisfied if we make prostitution safe, legal and rare?
Of course it should be decriminalized. The state should be encouraging legalization since fewer police would need to be chasing these ‘criminals’, fewer jail cells would be needed and public health would be less at risk. But that makes too much sense in evangelical, puritanical, christian America.
On the plus side, congress critters such as Sen. Vitters (R-La) wouldn’t be committing a crime when visiting their favorite night spots. And with a brothel open door policy congress types may spend less time trying to design needless wars and burdensome regulations. Sound like a winner to me….
Legalize it is fine. But the devil is in the details.
Governments can put so many regulations and taxes upon this that the black market will continue to flourish due to cost advantage and better locations offered by black market prostitutes to the johns.
I grew up in a city where prostitution was decriminalized but regulated. “The girls” as they were known, had three houses on the edge of town, known as “The Tongue River Clinic,” During WWII, it was ‘the place to eat’, they had all the food coupons. You had to get reservations months in advance.
I have always thought decriminalizing prostitution was a good idea.
Paul
Was that in Montana by chance?
When I was in High School we used to run cross country at Custer Battlefield. Imagine if you will a bunch of white kids being chased across the Little Bighorn by a bunch of Indian kids from Tongue River.
The Tongue river is a great place for a whorehouse, just ahead of the French Broad and Grinder’s Switch.
pinandpuller – it was where the Tongue met the Yellowstone in Miles City, Montana.
Paul
I’m sure the Tongue met a lot of things in those days.
I wonder if it was a remenant of mining days.
A friend and I were walking around Jerome, AZ and came across a house with a red light in the fixture out front. Not too many mosquitos in those parts if you know what I mean.
pinandpuller – I heard, not sure that it is true, that ‘red light district’ comes from the railroad men leaving their lights outside while they were ‘visiting.’
Decriminalize prostitution but mandate that the University of California sex consent form be used to insure the women aren’t being coerced.
Decriminalize prostitution for those above 18/21 and jail anyone trafficking minors or enslaving people for any reason. Is this that difficult to understand. You take a girl out on a date, buy her dinner and other stuff. You get some, she gets some, with a little education and open mindedness, all is right with the world. Stigmatize it, outlaw it, and you get diseases, unwanted pregnancies, social discourse, etc.
It’s natural and fun and should be done privately and freely with no recourse. Or, let’s lock em all up with the pot smokers. Yeah, get tough.
If a human wants to sell some time and a hole in the wall with another human then it s their right. It is their choice. This is a choice, not an echo. If porkin for dollars was legal we would have fewer failed marriages. Women in America and around the world know that they have something to trade to hubbypoo for his support monetarily. If both work then why do they need to get married? If a women wants to trade the hole to a mole for some money then who cares? I do not care.
This way the hookers could work more freely in any bar or Walmart parking lot and the sanctity of the marriage would go the way of the lions in Africa.
Women have no agency, except for abortion.
In all else they are victims of the Vast Patriarchal Conspiracy by BadWhiteMen.
Everyone knows that.
“Margot Wallstrom, Sweden’s foreign minister, insisted that the concept of choice for women in the trade is a “myth.” ”
Actually I do not think that statement is very illuminating. But the real question is whether women have greater ability to make their own choices with criminalization or without.
The answer should be obvious. A criminal record and official ostracism by law prevent all but the strongest and luckiest form moving forward in their lives.
Those who believe that women and men should have the tools and freedom to construct their own lives will oppose criminalization of prostitution.
De-criminalization also offers the possibility for safer working conditions.
Criminalization assures unsafe working conditions and creates daunting obstacles for prostitutes to move on in their lives. Why would anyone who cares about women and men prostitutes want criminalization? The clear answer is they would not.
“The only American element missing is puritanism and we can do without that.” – Oh no, we have that now and it’s called political correctness.
http://jollypeople.com/files/2008/12/27428.jpg
I believe I’m consistent. Ban big game hunting in Africa and prostitution everywhere. Both are immoral. Both provide an orgasm. One a mental ejaculation and the other a physical one. It’s not just a women’s issue either. Men also service other men. The Mayor of Batesville, Indiana had sex with an HIV infected male prostitute who kept that information secret from the Mayor. That story just broke and is trending in the wee hours of the morning right now.
Of course prostitution should be legal.
Why not decriminalize prostitution?
It embodies two very American concepts: free choice; and capitalism (a meeting of the minds (or something else) between a willing seller and a willing buyer).
The only American element missing is Puritanism; and we can do without that.