THE LAW

What Sex Workers Want

Will decriminalizing prostitution make it any safer?

By Dina Fine Maron | Newsweek Web Exclusive

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  • Posted By: Sarah0102 @ 04/26/2009 9:30:44 AM

    Wooden writing, maybe at the level of a college freshman, if that.

  • Posted By: Sarah0102 @ 04/26/2009 9:28:38 AM

    Wooden writing, maybe at the level of a college freshman, if that.

  • Posted By: mistressmax@mindspring.com @ 02/09/2009 1:00:30 PM

    This piece is boring and the inclusion of 'researchers' like Farley who's position is completely undocumented is to put propaganda in place of actual facts.

    You ought to read "Selling Sex in Cape Town" by Chandre Gould as primer to evaluating standards of research in the sex industry.

    Additionally, your inclusion of the other unsubstantiated numbers of those who are actual involved in forced labor is to only perpetuate gossip.

    Try consulting actaul experts like this one:

    http://www.nodo50.org/Laura_Agustin/only-10-of-alleged-trafficking-cases-in-the-us-confirmed


    Your piece can hardly be considered creditable reporting by a reputable news agency.

    I hope you can do better in the future for your sake as well as ours.


    Maxine Doogan
    http://espu-ca.org/wp/

  • Posted By: mistressmax@mindspring.com @ 02/09/2009 12:59:23 PM

    This piece is boring and the inclusion of 'researchers' like Farley who's position is completely undocumented is to put propaganda in place of actual facts.

    You ought to read "Selling Sex in Cape Town" by Chandre Gould as primer to evaluating standards of research in the sex industry.

    Additionally, your inclusion of the other unsubstantiated numbers of those who are actual involved in forced labor is to only perpetuate gossip.

    Try consulting actaul experts like this one:

    http://www.nodo50.org/Laura_Agustin/only-10-of-alleged-trafficking-cases-in-the-us-confirmed


    Your piece can hardly be considered creditable reporting by a reputable news agency.

    I hope you can do better in the future.


    Maxine Doogan
    http://espu-ca.org/wp/

  • Posted By: LoveToy @ 01/21/2009 4:20:38 PM

    Just buy a friggen toy from FollowThatPackage.com and please yourself

  • Posted By: muscles722 @ 01/20/2009 4:56:05 AM

    rioguy....you have some good points. Ok, so where gambling is legal, there is less abuse? Where younger age limits to drink is legal, there is less alcohol related trouble? Where prostitution is legal, there is less sex crimes? I think it depends on culture. Take Singapore for example, they have minimal crime rates because they don't 'F' around when it comes to punishment. You can say the same thing for just about any place where culture is born and respect is established. Congrats Brazil, you also have one of the highest rates of STD's and AIDS as well. As far as America is concerned, we have horrible culture roots. Think about how this country started. Big deal, we are/were a superpower. Now look, economy is in the gutter because of greed(mainly) i think. No body here gives a "S' about family and taking care of their own. So, since sex workers want rights, well, why not? I can think of worse things.....government.

  • Posted By: rioguy @ 01/17/2009 12:33:56 AM

    The only problem with decriminalizing prostitution in the United States is that too many ultra puritan groups like the evangelical christains are intertwined with politics and would put up road blocks til the end. The U.S. is just too sexually repressed to ever latch onto the idea of open sexuality. We think a woman showing her boobs at Mardi Gras is the hottest thing in the world because the reality is that most Americans have NO sex life. I lived in Brazil for fourteen years and prostitution has always been legal there. There is less sex oriented crime and its not even greatly regulated nor does it need to be. Its legal. Period. Women are allowed to work. No pimping. That's it. Like with any business different venues for sex have developed over the years and you have high quality places where the girls are checked monthly and bargain basement places where you take your chances. To the women its a job. Period. The whole demeaned victim thing went out the window a long time ago there. America may be far ahead of the world when it comes to many issues but on the subject of sex America is back in the 19th century.

  • Posted By: christopherkidwell1 @ 01/05/2009 4:40:13 PM

    Also, to skinnyminny2... the fact is that any woman dating is in a 'dangerous profession' unless they stick with people who they have known for YEARS... which most people don't want to do, because they know that they like the people in question who they have known for many years..... but don't like the thought of a sexual relationship with them or don't want to break that friendship if it doesn't 'work out'.
    The best thing the world could do would be to tell woman (as I told my daughters) to NOT expect to be monogamous with anyone, and to make it clear that you are not going to be monogamous with anyone!

    • Posted By: Libricrat @ 01/12/2009 6:12:47 PM

      Outside the box thinking but, I like it.

  • Posted By: skinnyminny2 @ 01/07/2009 6:12:34 PM

    Tough luck? What tough luck? I was a dancer and a model. Made a lot of $$ but couldn't stand some of the clientele. Now I have a degree and a job in a science field.

    My beef was that these guys thought we actually gave a rip about them, like they were in some dream world. They were idiots, and a few were violent when we tried to ignore them (I broke one man's arm who dared to grab me--wonder how he explained that to the little wifey). These guys are losers, especially those who resort to violence.

    Not sure how the 'tough luck' comment is relevant.

  • Posted By: christopherkidwell1 @ 01/05/2009 4:32:05 PM

    Excuse me, Catbuns1978, but I am known to treat females of all ages VERY well, yet I can never seem to get a piece of ass like my *** friends can, who act like *** and are proud of it.
    Oh, and as to marriage: the only thing that is - an institution that devalues both people in it by making it appear that they are only good enough to sleep with one other person. It's the worst MAN-MADE (get that, no god making it, maybe a devil, but no god!)) invention in the history of this entire world.
    And, yeah, that does make your husband a 'whore', since he is only staying with you because you make the money.

  • Posted By: christopherkidwell1 @ 01/05/2009 4:29:33 PM

    Yes, it will make them MUCH safer. The fact is that the main reason that prostitution is so dangerous today is that they are not able to go to the police when someone tries to harm them for fear of being arrested themselves. Luckily, I know a woman is a prostitute whose brother is a police officer..... and he makes sure that any reports that are made do NOT mention her being a prostitute, so she can come to the police when something 'bad' happens.

    To skinnyminny2..... that's your tough luck. I guess you are looking for the 'David Duchovny' of the world, the people who are the most 'beautiful' externally...... yet their inner minds are sewer pits and they treat people like crap.

    Secondly, it is not a 'deficiency' to have to pay for sex. The real deficiency is in the fact that woman will not sleep with men who are not 'attractive'.... then they bitch and moan about being treated badly by people who are attractive or being raped by those people who aren't attractive because they get SO frustrated..... that they snap, go insane or near insane, and rape someone.

    The best way to make ANYTHING safe is to bring it out into the open. That's true with pedosexuality, homosexuality, heterosexuality outside of marriage, etc. Better to be OPEN AND HONEST about it, than to hide it in the shadows or darkness where anything can happen.

  • Posted By: skinnyminny2 @ 01/02/2009 6:46:50 PM

    I'm not sure how a woman could stand to have sex with what probably consists of unattractive, pudgy, smelly, unclean clients. Yuck. I used to work as a model/dancer and couldn't stand them looking at me let alone any physical contact. Even the way they look at you--like we'd ever consider even giving them a second glance. Fortunately that job helped pay for my college degree (and probably also sent many men home with empty wallets). Guess that's the only way some men can get attention (or maybe some of you fellas couldn't score a pretty woman as a mate). Either way, it's your deficiency and you know it.

    As far as making prostitution 'safer'--honestly, its workers might want to learn combat fighting. No man is going to want to go home to his wife and explain that he got beaten up by a prostitute he attempted to rape. Other than that, you ladies are in a dangerous profession. Get used to it and learn to fight or get out because you're easy targets.

  • Posted By: cowboy2121 @ 12/20/2008 10:56:05 AM

    kayletta are you making atleast 50% of the income in the home and you have never withheld or threatened to withold sex to get your way in an argument or decision ? if you answered no then you are with him for the money and therefor he is paying to be with you its that simple

    • Posted By: Catbuns1978 @ 01/02/2009 2:43:42 PM

      I love some of the comments from the so called gentlemen in this blog. Problem is you boy's, you get respect if you give it. If you just want a piece of meat, then by all means pay for it. Want something more, act a little more grown up. By the way married, and I make the dough in the family. So does that make my husband a "whore"? Nope, makes him a grown up man who knows when he has it good. Whenever, always there. And, don't gotta pay!

    • Posted By: Catbuns1978 @ 01/02/2009 2:43:22 PM

      I love some of the comments from the so called gentlemen in this blog. Problem is you boy's, you get respect if you give it. If you just want a piece of meat, then by all means pay for it. Want something more, act a little more grown up. By the way married, and I make the dough in the family. So does that make my husband a "whore"? Nope, makes him a grown up man who knows when he has it good. Whenever, always there. And, don't gotta pay!

    • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 11:05:49 AM

      I don't see anything in Kayletta's post that would lead us to believe that she has a job. She enjoys the benefits of staying at home and having a husband provide for her financially, according to what she posted. She insists it has nothing to do with her providing what her husband wants. Apparently she thinks she deserves to be provided for in the fashion in which she feels she is entitled, and does not have to give anything back, sexual or otherwise.

  • Posted By: bzzdog @ 12/29/2008 9:33:13 PM

    Women sex workers are searching for happiness by dealing with those men and women who live in a very unhappy environment of brutality and contention. I am opposed to legalizing contention.

  • Posted By: Qidisrupt @ 12/27/2008 8:31:18 PM

    Legislating morality will not work...if these people want to screw each other to death; let "em! But let these sex workers be solely financially responsible for their own "tests" and whatever else is a financial burden for them. Personally, I live by a different moral code and I could not and would not give my hard-earned money for a cheap bang. For me, I prefer sex between a man and a woman within the bonds of marriage.

  • Posted By: jrmlang @ 12/20/2008 8:51:40 AM

    I still cannot understand why men need the use of a whore ??

    • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 8:54:16 AM

      Because their wives want their entire paycheck, and the whore only wants part of it?

      • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:04:49 AM

        Hey, Einstein, families aren't free! Get it!? You have to PAY for a wife and children! So if you don't like it, do us all a favor and stay the HELL SINGLE!!!!

        • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:07:18 AM

          I have to pay for a wife? Wasn't that my point, that I have to pay for a woman to be with me?

          • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:09:57 AM

            You sure made it sound like all wives want is the husband's paycheck. Well, listen up, buddy, life isn't free. Groceries aren't free, neither is heat, clothes or the highspeed internet you're using right now. If you want a wife, and children, you have to fork over what is necessary. And don't think for a second a 'whore' isn't going to try to get your life savings. I've seen that happen, too.

            • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:15:28 AM

              Why doesn't the woman have to pay for having a husband, then? She gets it for free and only has to provide sex. What difference does it make, then, if she works as a prostitute, or works as a wife? See, this returns to the original article now. Why shouldn't prostitution be legal? What is the difference between working as a prostitute and working as a housewife? Both use sex to receive money. If either stop offering sex, the man leaves and looks for a new sex provider. This is the way it has been since we lived in caves and hit each other over the head with rocks.

              • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:18:58 AM

                Pay for a husband? For what? For having YOUR kids? For taking care of YOUR kids? For cleaning YOUR poopie undies? You're in a fantasy world, little boy, and if you want to continue making a moron of yourself AND THEREBY PROVING MY POINT ALL THE MORE, continue posting, by all means. LADIES READING, THIS IS WHY I STAYED SINGLE AND HAPPY...AND HAVE A LOT OF MONEY IN MY BANK ACCOUNT. THIS IS WHAT IS TRULY GOING ON IN THEIR HEADS!!!! By all means, proceed....

                • Posted By: Libricrat @ 12/23/2008 5:01:11 PM

                  Don't say thier heads. This idiot speaks for himself and himself only!

                • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:27:35 AM

                  So a man has to pay for a wife, but a woman doesn't have to pay for a husband. A man has to pay for what he wants, and a woman doesn't. This is why you stayed single? Why not get married, since you expect everything to be handed to you for no other reason than because you were born female?

                  • Posted By: jenthechemist @ 12/20/2008 10:00:12 AM

                    Funny that you are still stuck in the 50's.....women make money, we run businesses, and frankly, after the invention of step ladders, drive through oil changes and vibrators, men are pretty much obsolete. We are also in charge in the bedroom, if a woman says no, you are left to choke it yourself. The whole point here is that legalizing sex work, will help to protect those who choose to participate, both the men and women. Men now need to bring even more to the relationship, because women aren't looking to get married and take care of someone else full time, when they are perfectly able to take care of themselves. So, you're left with 2 choices, be in a relationship and keep it in your pants, or be single and do whatever the hell you want. No one is forcing anyone to get married, and the whole idea of a gold digger puts the responsibility on both parties.....the men who are so blinded by boobs they sign away their fortunes, and the women who do the blinding. GET REAL! Every relationship is a 2 way street, be an adult and be responsible for yourself.

                    • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 10:43:29 AM

                      You're replying to englishtnscones@yahoo.com and not to me, I hope? She is the one that tells me that I have to pay a woman if I want her to be with me, and then does not answer my question about whether she is a prostitute or not.

                      I am sad that I have never married, but that is because all of my girlfriends wanted to stop working and live off of my paycheck. I told them all no and here I am, still single. A relationship is not about one person giving the other person everything they want. It is about two people giving each other what they both want. If you can't work that out with your partner, then you have no relationship. Marriage is legalized prostitution. I won't pay a woman for sex, so therefore I can't get married. Hmm, maybe you were replying to me after all. This is my experience, and if it looks like being stuck in the 1950s, well, that's because many people still want the part of "traditional values" that favors them, like all of my past girlfriends.

                      • Posted By: stargazer22 @ 12/22/2008 4:06:07 PM

                        I am sick and tired of men who constantly surround themselves with whores and strippers and then complain about how ALL women are goldiggers. Why don 't you stop looking in the gutter and find a nice woman? There are plenty out there, you just aren't attracted them because you are too busy looking at the whores...

                  • Posted By: jenthechemist @ 12/20/2008 9:58:36 AM

                    Funny that you are still stuck in the 50's.....women make money, we run businesses, and frankly, after the invention of step ladders, drive through oil changes and vibrators, men are pretty much obsolete. We are also in charge in the bedroom, if a woman says no, you are left to choke it yourself. The whole point here is that legalizing sex work, will help to protect those who choose to participate, both the men and women. Men now need to bring even more to the relationship, because women aren't looking to get married and take care of someone else full time, when they are perfectly able to take care of themselves. So, you're left with 2 choices, be in a relationship and keep it in your pants, or be single and do whatever the hell you want. No one is forcing anyone to get married, and the whole idea of a gold digger puts the responsibility on both parties.....the men who are so blinded by boobs they sign away their fortunes, and the women who do the blinding. GET REAL! Every relationship is a 2 way street, be an adult and be responsible for yourself.

            • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:14:05 AM

              If you want a woman, you are going to have to have money. We're not free. No matter which way you turn the rubik's cube, you better bring something to the table or you ain't eating. So go to your whore, and keep your finger's crossed she doesn't give you a life-long itch, if that's your method of saving money.

              • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:17:35 AM

                So you work as a prostitute, then?

                • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:26:08 AM

                  Hope you have a daughter someday.

                  • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:31:29 AM

                    I wish I could have a daughter. I tried to adopt a girl, but as a single man I was told to take a hike. Only married men need apply for adoption. I wanted to raise a girl to be an independent adult, and not to believe that she should only want to live off of men. If she wanted to be with a man someday, good for her, but as an equal partner, not as a provider of whatever the man wanted in exchange for his paycheck.

                • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:25:48 AM

                  All women are in men's eyes.

                • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:20:12 AM

                  Didn't you read my other posts, Einstein?

                  • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 9:22:28 AM

                    By the way, I am for legalizing it, if you'd read my other posts, Einstein.

                  • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:22:27 AM

                    "If you want a woman, you are going to have to have money. We're not free."

                    So you are a prostitute?

    • Posted By: cowboy2121 @ 12/20/2008 9:09:46 AM

      because it is easier to pay a hooker one time then to put up with a nagging complaining gold digger all the time

      • Posted By: hammerofthor @ 12/20/2008 9:35:04 AM

        Now if prostitution were legalized, you'd have fewer of those nagging gold diggers who only married you for your money. They would have to compete with the legal hookers then. Maybe that would motivate them to get their own jobs. Alimony should be abolished, too -- that is the real legalized prostitution right there.

    • Posted By: englishtnscones@yahoo.com @ 12/20/2008 8:57:13 AM

      We'll know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop before we have the answer to that, my dear!

  • Posted By: mtntexas @ 12/23/2008 1:01:09 AM

    Any woman that wants to make one man miserable instead of making a lot of men happy don't get my vote!

    - John Wayne

  • Posted By: D-Bag @ 12/22/2008 4:13:53 PM

    Someone mentioned that caveman probably had prostitution and child molesting went on because there was no orgnized goverment to legislate it. What? There is strong evidence that the "Virgin Mary" was only 12. Mohammed took a 12 year old bride. As long as this earth has been spiining, it was not until quite recently that we began to legislate who can marry. Less than 100 years ago, girls got married at 15. Prior to that 12 was a standard age. Now, all of sudden (less than 100 years) the bible thumpers want to criminalize a profession that has existed since the dawn of time. Yet, they broil in their own hypocrisy when you draw a parallel between prostitiution and the marriage. Have you heard of gold diggers? Trophy wifes? Women who trade sex appeal for a 10,000 square foot home and a Benz. How surprised we are when a husband strays from a marriage when the marriage becomes sex-less or is reliant on money and goods.

    I say legalize prostitution.

  • Posted By: D-Bag @ 12/22/2008 3:58:39 PM

    For all practical purposes, prostitution is a victim-less crime. I know that there are those that would disagree and say that this practice degrades women. That some women have no other options, but prostitution. I say no. Women who work in the sex industry do so voluntarily. Yes, they may be strung out on drugs. They make that choice voluntarily, as well. Think about it. What is the easiest job a women could do, for really good money (Vegas escorts make $1000/hr) that requires no formal education (sex is a natural act) and little actual work? Fact is prostitution is a lazy womans idea of making a living. How hard is to lay on your back and have sex? Let us not forget that male prosititution is no different than what these women do. I say legalize it, control it and tax it!

    There is no difference between a hooker and a gold digger/trophy wife. They are both trading sex for money.

  • Posted By: amwing @ 12/22/2008 3:10:09 PM

    I believe that decriminalizing prostitution would be a good move on many fronts. First, if you make it a law that in order to practise, you have to have medical checkups, and if you do not pass, you can not work until whatever it is is cleared, or if it is a terminal illness that is contageous, they can not work at all, maybe find other types of jobs within the sex industry. Second, if you tax it, you can put that money towards sex education or helping these women and men out of this field. Third, it will make it easier for women to report if anything has happened to them or report a woman missing. As a society, we look down on these men and women, so most of us do not care if another "whore" goes missing, or ends up dead. I would hope that these people would be seen as just that, people.

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