W5 report: Canadian women caught in the sex trade

[gugu]

Thanks for the thoughtful post Violet. How many absurdities could we add to the ones you point at. If I may, respectfully, i will try to nuance one passage:

Decriminilzation lets you and I have greater control on how the sex trade should be run. I mean we've been doing that forever, and we do it pretty well. It basically just means the government and police butt out, and if sex workers or clients need help they can come to them safely. The government obviously will still try and butt in, but at least the people who actually know how this industry works have more of a say of how to operate it.

Decriminalization has 2 distinct meanings:

1 from the law perspective, it is the act of extracting from a criminal code offenses related to prostitution unless otherwise criminal;

2 from the political point of view, it is a public policy stating that the way to deal with prostitution is to have it totally unregulated.

Pure decriminalization, as a public policy, does not exist nowhere, not even in New Zealand (larger brothels are, for good reasons, regulated). Even Alan Young, the canadian demolition lawyer in the Bedford case, admits that decriminalization is only a first step to at least some level of regulation. As a citizen, I believe sex workers should be as free as possible to exercise their trade or profession, but i also think that the cities should have the powers necessary to regulate in circumstances where the activity becomes a true nuisance.

 

[Violet Blake]

Pure decriminalization, as a public policy, does not exist nowhere, not even in New Zealand (larger brothels are, for good reasons, regulated). Even Alan Young, the canadian demolition lawyer in the Bedford case, admits that decriminalization is only a first step to at least some level of regulation. As a citizen, I believe sex workers should be as free as possible to exercise their trade or profession, but i also think that the cities should have the powers necessary to regulate in circumstances where the activity becomes a true nuisance.

I believe the only laws in New Zealand are that you can't pay a minor for sex, and condoms must be used. There may be different bylaws, I'm not sure. That's usually where the problems start, is when municipalities enact bylaws that are totally counterproductive to the ones the federal government did away with. Unfortunately there's not a whole lot to be done to avoid that. But that's why decriminilzation is the only place to start. Because regulations will come, hopefully with as much input from those involved in the sex industry as possible.

Thanks, Violet, for sharing your perspective. It's particularly valuable since, in the eyes of the abolitionists, you're supposed to be a helpless victim who needs to be saved. I would love to see a debate between you and one of the anti-prostitution fanatics.

lol I hate getting into confrontations. However, although I may be sweet and nice usually, if I have to I don't hesitate to defend myself to crazy people!

 

[curious2012]

Wow. I'm floored. Beauty and brains. Such a turn on!!!

Wish I could afford to meet her in person :lol:

 

[daydreamer41]

Legalization vs decriminalization:

A few people mentioned legalization, and how Germany is a model to follow. Actually, legalization has many problems. Decriminalization is the best method, and New Zealand is probably the best model to follow. The main problems with legalization is that allows the government to control everything you and I do. For example, they might demand that clients get regular STD testing, or that you need to provide ID to the sex worker/agency. And for sex workers, we would need to get licenses, which are exorbitant compared to any other comparable business, which means vulnerable sex workers won't be able to afford it, they'll be criminilzed, and we're back to the problems we have now. Not to mention licenses usually mean a sex worker's real name is attached to that license and publicly available.

Decriminilzation lets you and I have greater control on how the sex trade should be run. I mean we've been doing that forever, and we do it pretty well. It basically just means the government and police butt out, and if sex workers or clients need help they can come to them safely. The government obviously will still try and butt in, but at least the people who actually know how this industry works have more of a say of how to operate it.

Obviously sex trafficking exists, but so does human trafficking in other industries, and that get's absolutely no attention. Why? Because it doesn't involve sex, and that's what this comes down to. The rescue industry is anti-sex trade, they are not interested in helping sex workers. So take these kinds of videos and anything claiming massive hysteria around sex trafficking with a grain of salt. Because it doesn't help real victims of sex trafficking, nor does it help the majority of sex workers (ones who are doing it with a degree of choice), and it doesn't help you, the client, either.

Violet, I agree with you decriminalization is better except for one aspect. The sex trade needs to be zoned, and it has to a zone that is far away from residential areas.