[quote]French MPs have passed a law that makes it illegal to pay for sex and imposes fines of up to €3,750 (£3,027, $4,274) for those buying sexual acts.
Those convicted would also have to attend classes to learn about the conditions faced by prostitutes.
It has taken more than two years to pass the controversial legislation because of differences between the two houses of parliament over the issue.
Some sex workers protested against the law during the final debate.
The demonstrators outside parliament in Paris, numbering about 60, carried banners and placards one of which read: "Don't liberate me, I'll take care of myself".
Members of the Strass sex workers' union say the law will affect the livelihoods of France's sex workers, estimated to number between 30,000 and 40,000.
Sweden was the first country to criminalise those who pay for sex rather than the prostitutes, introducing the law in 1999. Other countries have since adopted the so-called "Nordic model": Norway in 2008, Iceland in 2009, and Northern Ireland in 2014. Earlier this year, the European parliament approved a resolution calling for the law to be adopted throughout the continent.
But many advocacy groups warn the model makes sex work more dangerous.
Catherine Stephens, an activist with the UK-based International Union of Sex Workers, and a sex worker herself, says criminalisation makes those in the industry "much more likely to have to accept clients who are obscuring their identity, which benefits people who want to perpetrate violence".
Ms Stephens told the BBC that criminalising those who wish to purchase sex makes them less likely to report concerns about a sex worker's wellbeing.
"We have had cases where clients have helped people escape from situations of coercion ... Criminalising the client actively works against that, discouraging them from coming forward. We need to create a situation in which it is easy to report harm, violence and coercion. Blanket criminalisation of premises, brothels, or clients absolutely works against that."[/quote]
[url]http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35982929[/url]
I'm actually surprised that in today's day and age we're making prostitution essentially illegal. I'm even more surprised it's coming from a leftist government who usually support bodily autonomy.
[quote]Those convicted would also have to attend classes to learn about the conditions faced by prostitutes.[/quote]
i am pretty sure prostitution has terrible conditions associated with it because it's an illegal industry, forcing it underground and out of the protective light of government regulation so great job dipshits
Not surprising to me, really. Even when people campaign for "bodily autonomy", what they really mean is, "You can do this thing if I'm okay with it". I know some leftists want prostitution illegal because it's "exploitive" and ignore the negatives such as human trafficking, sex slavery, and general danger that results from criminalization.
good job, accomplishing nothing but those feel good pat on the backs.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;50090604]Not surprising to me, really. Even when people campaign for "bodily autonomy", what they really mean is, "You can do this thing if I'm okay with it". I know some leftists want prostitution illegal because it's "exploitive" and ignore the negatives such as human trafficking, sex slavery, and general danger that results from criminalization.[/QUOTE]
These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.
[QUOTE=Captain James;50090877]These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.[/QUOTE]
Define why prostitution is "wrong"
aye, i've never understood why it's wrong. I'm sure it can spread disease and crime hotspots... but shit, if it's legal and regulated with health checkups like a lot of countries, it's perfectly fine.
Making it illegal is not going to stop prostitution
[editline]8th April 2016[/editline]
Obvious is obvious but it's a shit legislation
[QUOTE=Captain James;50090877]These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.[/QUOTE]
Why is it wrong? How do you judge what is right or wrong?
[QUOTE=ChronoBlade;50090919]Making it illegal is not going to stop prostitution[/QUOTE]
In fact it increases the risk of making it a hell of a lot worse, more or less giving criminal groups an incentive to fill in what could easily be a regulated and safe practice.
[QUOTE=Captain James;50090877]These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.[/QUOTE]
Ah yes that is [I]completely[/I] and [I]totally[/I] true. That's 100% what happened when New Zealand decriminalized and regulated prostitution.
The police straight up said this was a retarded idea because it won't stop prostitution for shit, it'll only force prostitutes to take their business to even shadier places, and will reinforce prostitution rings in which working girls aren't even paid directly.
There's going to be a lot more cases of dead prostitutes in the following years due to how they have to completely isolate themselves with their clients.
[QUOTE=Captain James;50090877]These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.[/QUOTE]
If you make it illegal you will make people hesitant to go to the police. At least if it's legal offenders will be put behind bars.
[QUOTE=Captain James;50090877]These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.[/QUOTE]
Just because these things would still happen, doesn't mean it should be illegal. Why fight crime by making it [I]easier[/I] to be labeled a criminal?
Ok, so if you're convicted of prostitution, they make you attend a class about on the worst case situations they face as a prostitute? i mean, what is this? Job training?
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;50091287]Ok, so if you're convicted of prostitution, they make you attend a class about on the worst case situations they face as a prostitute? i mean, what is this? Job training?[/QUOTE]
Workplace sensitivity training.
Nice job putting a lot of working people in shitty situations, asshats.
Hey man, it worked for alcoho- oh wait no it didn't.
[QUOTE=greasemunky;50091510]Hey man, it worked for alcoho- oh wait no it didn't.[/QUOTE]
It worked for all substances. Except it didn't and just made it more lucrative and enticing for criminal enterprises.
[QUOTE=Captain James;50090877]These things would still occur even if it was legal. It's questionable at best to put a halo over something wrong.[/QUOTE]
No, they really wouldn't. Not nearly to the same degree, at least. There is always going to be a demand for paid sex, and the conditions you're referencing are the result of the criminal underworld meeting that demand. In making prositution legal, you're providing a safer, cleaner, and regulated alternative, which will attract the vast majority of customers away from the dangerous and dirty services provided by pimps and gangs.
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;50091287]Ok, so if you're convicted of prostitution, they make you attend a class about on the worst case situations they face as a prostitute? i mean, what is this? Job training?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]French MPs have passed a law that makes it illegal to pay for sex and imposes fines of up to €3,750 (£3,027, $4,274) for those buying sexual acts.
[/QUOTE]
The one who buys gets in trouble, not the prostitute
Huh, I never thought France would outlaw something like that its basically part of their culture in some way.
Oh, Well. It's still legal here and should remain legal.
[QUOTE=Max;50091652]The one who buys gets in trouble, not the prostitute[/QUOTE]
So the John gets the fine? Thats fair.
But why subject them to presentation on the horrors of their job? Its not like they where going to go stab the prostitute.
[QUOTE=Max;50091652]The one who buys gets in trouble, not the prostitute[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;50091678]So the John gets the fine? Thats fair.[/QUOTE]
While prostitutes have never technically been criminals by law (being a prostitute isn't an outright crime), they're often arrested on proxy charges.
The only reason they're not outright criminals is because France has already outlawed the concepts of proxenetism and organized prostitution, and branded prostitutes as inherent victims.
Basically the government goes on the basis that a woman who's a prostitute [I]must[/I] have been coerced into her situation, and that everyone involved is at fault except the prostitute herself. There are protests from prostitutes rather frequently, in which they demonstrate that they are able, consenting, mature adults who want their job to be recognized and not treated as slavery.
The issue is actually very similar to the ban on burqas a few years back. The government takes direct action to ban/outlaw something they consider hurtful for a certain group of people, without asking for that group's opinion, and then ignoring that group's protests on the decision.
Selling is legal. Fucking is legal.
Why isn't selling fucking legal?
It's okay to have consensual sex for any reason. Except money.
Always found it stupid. I know you want to stop the spread of STD's and shit, but there's ways to make it legal and collect taxes on it and everything. Brothels are top notch places, at least in Nevada
Making any particular market illegal where there is always going to be demand just makes it a more dangerous market. Illegal prostitution spreads STDs, allows more sex trafficking, and in general tends to be more dangerous for workers and consumers. Just a fucking stupid move.
The majority of sex is prostitution the man usually doesn't pay directly in money though. He just buys her food, drinks, gifts, provides accommodation, etc.
[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;50090595]i am pretty sure prostitution has terrible conditions associated with it because it's an illegal industry, forcing it underground and out of the protective light of government regulation so great job dipshits[/QUOTE]
Seriously, I cannot fathom why nobody in the higher ups understands that legalizing something and thoroughly regulating is at least 50 times better than outright criminalizing something and fighting for it.
Never made sense to me, women get less money, men get less sex, no one wins. Why support such a law then?
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