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Government's u-turn on prostitution

The government will announce plans next month for a national zero tolerance campaign against kerb crawlers and street prostitution after shelving plans to introduce licensed "red light" zones.

[...]The Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart told the Guardian that it was wrong to regard those involved in prostitution as sex workers. She said tough measures were needed to tackle the markets for prostitution. "I'm not tolerant of the view that prostitution is the oldest profession in the world and there's nothing we can do to reduce it," she said.

[...]Ministers are expected to rule out overhauling the 50-year-old prostitution laws, a decision that spells the end for plans floated by the previous home secretary, David Blunkett, 18 months ago to give local authorities discretion to set up tolerance zones, small licensed brothels and a register of prostitutes.
Full article

They never fucking learn, do they? :rolleyes:

I had expected this kind of attitude from the Tories, but not from Labour.

Clueless idiots.
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think the Torries now would be the ones more likely to approve of red light zones.

    Personally i think we need regulated, taxed, health inspected brothels in this country.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    Personally i think we need regulated, taxed, health inspected brothels in this country.
    Same as we need for everything else currently under prohibition - drugs and euthanasia.

    but that attitude offends those who feel that their morality should be everyone elses morality
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If they haven't (by any stretch of the imagination) managed to curb the consumption of drugs by force during the last century or so, what on earth makes them think they will be any more successful with something that is as old as mankind itself?

    Compare the working conditions and the health benefits for sex workers in countries like The Netherlands against those here.

    But no matter. Better to keep women on the back streets of the local industrial estate/train station than in a far safer, cleaner and regulated environment. Well done to the government.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I had expected this kind of attitude from the Tories, but not from Labour.

    Where have you been for the past 8 years?

    This piece of legislation smacks of New Labour command and control legislation.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Strangest thing is the man behind the plans for a part legalisation of the trade was none other than David Blunkett. There are obviously people even worse than him in New Labour.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote:
    Strangest thing is the man behind the plans for a part legalisation of the trade was none other than David Blunkett. There are obviously people even worse than him in New Labour.

    I think the only reason he supported it was because the horny goat could get some cheap slags himself.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    turlough wrote:
    I think the only reason he supported it was because the horny goat could get some cheap slags himself.
    :lol:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yet another good, very bold and practical proposal, brought down by sheer need to satisfy the tabloids
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fuck the tabloids! Damn it, we need legal taxed regulated and health inspected brothels!!! How many more men need to catch genital warts (or warts on their tongues) before we get it??? Damn it!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    Fuck the tabloids! Damn it, we need legal taxed regulated and health inspected brothels!!! How many more men need to catch genital warts (or warts on their tongues) before we get it??? Damn it!
    I agree...

    I don't really think prostitution is a good thing for women, but it's safer if it's legal.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    indeed. Legalised, taxed, regualted borthels would make it much safer for women and would reduce street prostitution.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Walkindude wrote:
    indeed. Legalised, taxed, regualted borthels would make it much safer for women and would reduce street prostitution.

    If you can see the legalisation and harm reduction argument with prostitution, how come you can't see it when it comes to drugs?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Prostitutes don't kill people, rappers do!!..No wait, thats guns.... (sorry for any non uk people you may not get the joke there.)

    Anyway, yes, prostitution has been around since the beginning. It is as old as any insitutuion and provides a harmless service to those in need. It becomes dangerous at street level and has a use. Legaislation and regulation would take many girls off the strrets, reduce the drug problem, reduce kerb crawlers and make the whole practice safer. Its sex.

    Drugs are different, shot up, snorted, smoked purely for kicks with dangerous health effects that needs to be curbed not encouraged. Legalisation would encourage brothels which isn't a bad thing but legalsing drugs would increase drug use and that is a bad thing.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Walkindude wrote:
    Prositiutes don't kill people, rappers do!!..No wait, thats guns.... (sorry for any non uk people you may not get the joke there.

    Anyway, yes, prostitution has been around since the beginning. It is as old as any insitutuion and provides a harmless service to those in need. It becomes dangerous at street level and has a use. Legaisation and regulation would take many girls off the strrets, reduce the drug problem, reduce kerb crawlers and make the whole practice safer. Its sex.

    Drus are different, shot up, snorted, smoked purely for kicks with dangerous health effects that needs to be curbed not encouraged. Legalisation would encourage borthels which isn;t a bad thing but legalisng drugs would increase drug use and that is a bad thing.

    Well I'd question your assertion that prostitution is harmless for a start. But don't you see that exactly the same arguments apply to drug use? It happens, its a fact of life, so lets make it safer? How can you argue that legalising drugs would increase use but legalising prostitution wouldn't increase prostitution? It makes no sense.

    Anyway, yes, drugs has been around since the beginning. It is as old as any insitutuion and provides a harmless service to those in need. It becomes dangerous at street level and has a use. Legaisation and regulation would take many drugs off the strrets, reduce the drug problem, reduce kerb crawlers and make the whole practice safer.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ---
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its abuse.
    But the current system does not help the victims of this abuse.

    They make it worse not better.

    Fining a prostitute just means they'll have to fuck more people to make the money to pay the fine.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Randomgirl wrote:
    Fining a prostitute just means they'll have to fuck more people to make the money to pay the fine.

    :banghead:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its abuse.
    While I would consider what a sex worker I know does to her customers to be abuse, they apparently do not, and pay for the privilege
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Prostitution is disgusting. Any move towards licensing would be effectively legitimising one of the most degrading and exploitative trades. Prostitution is simply put wrong, most people find it unacceptable and it’s good that the government has seen sense. Most prostitutes turn to selling sex through sheer desperation. The government should fund more programmes to get prostitutes off the street. The zero-tolerance campaign against kerb-crawlers/street prostitutes is an excellent idea – those arrested however should be faced with a choice of going to jail OR participating in a programme that helps to get them out of prostitution, finds them a proper job, etc.

    I’m surprised those on here who would consider themselves to be on the left and concerned with the poor and vulnerable do not believe we should be tackling the causes of prostitution – primarily poverty. Instead it seems people think we should be tolerating something that is nothing more than abuse of some of the most vulnerable people in society.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes I believe we should be tackling the root causes of prostitution. That however would require a complete restructuring of our society and economic system. Until then, lets use a harm reduction approach and regulate it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote:
    Yes I believe we should be tackling the root causes of prostitution. That however would require a complete restructuring of our society and economic system.

    More programmes and more help for prostitutes would help. So would giving tougher sentences to pimps and putting more police energy into convicting them. Getting a grip on illegal immigration might reduce the number of teenage girls who are smuggled into the country and forced to work as sex slaves. Improving education and introducing programmes in schools directed at young people in poor inner city areas more likely to fall into prostitution than other members of society could also surely help too. I don't know much about this subject but surely those ideas would help tackle a few of the causes of prostitution? And none of them require a 'complete restructuring of our society and economic system' as far as I can tell.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I’m surprised those on here who would consider themselves to be on the left and concerned with the poor and vulnerable do not believe we should be tackling the causes of prostitution – primarily poverty. Instead it seems people think we should be tolerating something that is nothing more than abuse of some of the most vulnerable people in society.
    And adopting zero-tolerance and denying prostitutes the chance of cleaner, safer environments tackles what, exactly?

    How many years... No, how many centuries... No, how many bleeding millennia is going to take for some to understand, that you will never, ever, ever, ever, EVER, solve issues such as prostitution or drugs by force/punishment?

    It will never be won that way. Never, ever, ever.

    So why don't we try to make things better for those concerned instead of making things worse???
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You didnt address Disillusioned's point - namely that those on the left should regard the existence of prostitution as unacceptable.

    You seem to be ignoring that and focusing on a stop-gap measure to make a prostitutes life slightly better than it would otherwise have been.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The risks of prostitution and the so called degrading of women in prostitution comes fromt he fact that its illeagl rather then the act itself. They are made criminals by their job, they have no protection on the streets and are open to drug abuse, pimps, rape and murder.

    Legalising brothels and the possibility of some moniterd red light zones would greatly reduce this threat. Working in a brothel gives security. While cannot guarentee a punter won't go nuts, in a legalised brothel there would be security and safety precusions to deal with any customers who got out of hand. It would give the women a safe and secure place to work, inside, not out on the streets, with compnay. They would earn a wage, got to work and do a job. The majority of brothels do not take on girsl who are addicts and those that work in brothels have no incentive to become a drug user that would would drop or at least stop numbers growing.

    A suggested idea for girls who cannpot get work in borthels could be monitered re dlight zones. Re dlight zone spicking up punters but monitered by a section of the loice or security that could step in if a punter beceom violent. Thats a just a theory mind.

    I think legalising borthels is a good idea. I also agree wit whoever said it that they should crack down on pimps and trafficers, who do force girls into prostitution. That of course would never be legal and nor should it be. Girls who want to become prositutes is fair`enough but girls forced into it is wrong.

    Some, a few a, fair few women actually willing go into prostitution, be it at a brothel, massage parlour or their own place. There are plenty of women who see this as way of making good money. Can I argue thta it isn't? No I cant. Would I want a fmaiy membe ro fmine doing it, no not really bu tit is their choice and we are all indivduals free to make our choices.

    Legalising brothels would give many street girls places to go and so reduce the danger to them.

    In th past, many socities had legalised prostitution and it was accepted. I know in Australia now they have legalised prostitution.

    I see no point in keeping it illegal.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its no wonder you don't have a girlfriend.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Walkindude wrote:
    The risks of prostitution comes fromt he fact that its illeagl rather then the act itself.

    And the same goes for drugs.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You didnt address Disillusioned's point - namely that those on the left should regard the existence of prostitution as unacceptable.
    Has anyone on the Left ever suggested that prostitution is acceptable?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Walkindude wrote:
    The risks of prostitution and the so called degrading of women in prostitution comes fromt he fact that its illeagl rather then the act itself.

    Someone selling sex, selling their body is degrading.
    Walkindude wrote:
    Some, a few a, fair few women actually willing go into prostitution, be it at a brothel, massage parlour or their own place. There are plenty of women who see this as way of making good money. Can I argue thta it isn't? No I cant. Would I want a fmaiy membe ro fmine doing it, no not really bu tit is their choice and we are all indivduals free to make our choices.

    Yes, some people choose to go into prostitution and yes there are a few enterprising escorts who make lots of money and live very comfortable lives. However, I’m pretty sure that they comprise a very small minority of prostitutes and they’re not really relevant to the discussion regarding street prostitutes. And anyway the fact that some people are willing to become prostitutes and make money from it doesn’t make it right.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Walkindude wrote:
    Some, a few a, fair few women actually willing go into prostitution, be it at a brothel, massage parlour or their own place. There are plenty of women who see this as way of making good money.

    Do you not see anything wrong with a society in which some women find that selling their bodies is a better way of making a living than selling their labour?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Blagsta wrote:
    Do you not see anything wrong with a society in which some women find that selling their bodies is a better way of making a living than selling their labour?
    I sell my mind to my employer, and I consider that to be better than selling my labour.

    Why do you only talk about women? Men also sell sell sex.
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