[Pants-of-dog]

....

Do you have any good reason why sex workers should not be consulted about sex work policy? Yes or no?

[Noob]

Do you have any good reason why sex workers should not be consulted about sex work policy?

None that you personally would find to be amenable.

Is there any reasoning at all behind your belief that the opinions of prostitutes ought to be the basis for which policies on prostitution need to be based?

All you have offered thus far is this:

Well, the obvious and most striking difference is that sex workers support decriminalisatin rather than legalisation.

This is my impression from discussing it with sex-workers and reading sex worker advocacy literature. I may be completely incorrect. I should clarify that my main point is that sex workers are an absolutely essential group odf people to consult when crafting sex work law and policy, rather than arguing for any specific policy.

Why don't you outline what you think should be done to mitigate the negative effects of prostitution aside from soliciting the opinion of prostitutes? Please also outline how decriminalisation is different to legalisation aside from the regulation aspect of them both. Thank you.

[Pants-of-dog]

None that you personally would find to be amenable.

Okay. Have a good day.

Is there any reasoning at all behind your belief that the opinions of prostitutes ought to be the basis for which policies on prostitution need to be based?

Obviously. Sex workers know more about sex work than anyone else. So if you want to have a knowledgeable opinion on sex work, ask a sex worker.

[Noob]

You offer nothing substantive on this subject.

Have a good day.

Indeed, bye.

[Pants-of-dog]

As long as we agree that sex workers know more about sex work than racist authoritarians.

[Noob]

We agree on virtually nothing. Have a nice day/evening, Pants-of-dog.

[Topmost]

Sexual morality is always internalized. This means that if you allow something to others you allow it to yourself. If you are a male person accepting casual sex or prostitution for others is no problem to you. And because you accept casual sex to others you accept it to yourself and you have no moral problems picking up one-night-stands or buying sex.

But if you are a woman it is a different situation. If you accept that other women can have numerous casual sex partners and are allowed to sell sex, you would allow it to yourself too. You could be a sexworker or you could have hundreds of casual sex partners. Morality is internalized. If you allow it to others you allow it to yourself.

It is no use to claim, that there are a special group of women, the fallen women, the prostitutes, to whom casual sex is allowed. In the history there was a deep division between the fallen women and decent women, but today we do not believe there are a mystical line between “them” and “us”.

This is why female politicians cannot accept legalizing sexwork.

[Godstud]

In the history there was a deep division between the fallen women and decent women,

This does not apply to all over the world. This is a common misconception among most "Westerners".

This is why female politicians cannot accept legalizing sexwork.

That's simply not the reason. The reason has more to do with public perception of morality, and sex.

Sex is just sex. It only has any deeper meaning if you make it that way. In Western culture, sex is almost a dirty word, because we've made it that way. It's simply puritanism.

Many cultures don't see prostitutes as "fallen women", or such nonsense, but as a legitimate way to make money. Not all cultures view prostitution in the same way as North Americans.

[Topmost]

This does not apply to all over the world. This is a common misconception among most "Westerners".

Yes. Different cultures have different moral concepts. There are cultures where a woman is considered to be stupid, if she do not ask a gift from a casual sex partner. Problems come when women of these cultures come to America or Europe and continue to express features of their own culture. Our women do not tolerate these cultural features. American or European women do not talk about toleration, but instead they develop moral panics about human trafficking etc.

[Dystopian Darkness]

I'm assuming the OP means regulation and not merely childish de-criminalization that doesn't solve anything. I have some doubts about regulating prostitution as a legal activity with labour rights (and duties). In the end, as long as it's possible to tax it to benefit the state, I think I would be all for it. But don't dream too much, state intervention in prostitution would need to be careful and strategically planned. No one wants prices to raise excessively, waving away potential clients and leaving street prostitutes as an easier alternative.

Currently the average age to become a prostitute is 13-14 years old. The average hooker usually has a pimp and 80-90% of them are raped frequently by the former and abused occasionally by clients. I say that if we can profit from this activity while ensuring there is some dignity to sex workers, then we should totally legalize and regulate prostitution.

In this case, I set morally aside. I don't give a crap about sexual morality (a vague concept in itself)

Is there any reasoning at all behind your belief that the opinions of prostitutes ought to be the basis for which policies on prostitution need to be based?

Not the basis, but should certainly be listened to. They are the ones working for the industry after all. You can't talk about a specific issue or proposal without listening to those who are affected.

[Ranb]

I cannot see any good reason why people shouldn't be allowed to sell sex. Unfortunately an unholy alliance of Conservatives and feminists want to stop it.

There is at least one very good reason why a person should not be able to sell sex; when it is someone else's body they are selling. A mentally healthy adult selling their body is one thing, a pimp forcing a child or other unwilling person into the sex trade is evil and should not be legal.

Ranb

[Godstud]

That is why human trafficking and child prostitution are the real problems, Ranb. Prostitution is legal, or illegal and mostly ignored, in most places on earth, but the exploitation and victimization of some kinds of prostitution is the real problem, not the prostitution itself.

[Quantum]

Trading sex for resources has been around for time memorial. Prostitution is just the most honest method of paying for sex and is no more different than nailing some barfly or taking a girl on a date and hoping for some action.

[Truth To Power]

I cannot see any good reason why people shouldn't be allowed to sell sex. Unfortunately an unholy alliance of Conservatives and feminists want to stop it.

There is at least one very good reason why a person should not be able to sell sex; when it is someone else's body they are selling. A mentally healthy adult selling their body is one thing, a pimp forcing a child or other unwilling person into the sex trade is evil and should not be legal.

So, are you saying that forcing a child or other unwilling person to make rugs, or harvest cocoa beans, or clean fish, or sweep chimneys is OK, it's just forcing them to have sexual relations for money that is wrong? Because we already have laws that prevent people from forcing children or other unwilling persons to perform those jobs as well as to work in the sex trade, so there is no need for any additional, separate law specifically targeting sex work.

[Lewis]

Legalising prostitution would almost certainly put most existing prostitutes out of work since the industry would be flooded with more attractive individuals.

[Truth To Power]

Legalising prostitution would almost certainly put most existing prostitutes out of work since the industry would be flooded with more attractive individuals.

That is extremely unlikely, as the barrier to entry is primarily psychological, not legal. Certainly it has not been noticeable in jurisdictions where prostitution has been legalized.

[DrSteveBrule]

Normally I would be in favor of legalizing prostitution as a means to reduce needless state intervention. The act itself does not cause harm directly to any entity or person, and the introduction of regulation would eliminate some of the criminality and danger that is associated with it.

However, I don't have enough confidence in my nation's ability to create reasonable legislation in this issue. Unfortunately, there's just too much that can go wrong. Imagine if pimps becoming a surprisingly large and influential lobbying group...

[Godstud]

See the countries where prostitution has been legalized(Germany), or at least ignored, and you see that this simply is not the case.

[Decky]

Imagine if pimps becoming a surprisingly large and influential lobbying group...

Already happened. I give you the confederation of British industry.

The CBI is the UK's premier business lobbying organisation, providing a voice for employers at a national and international level

We are here to provide a voice for businesspeople and their businesses on a national and international level. We speak for companies of every size, including many in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 350, mid-caps, SMEs, micro businesses, private and family owned businesses, start ups, and trade associations and in every sector, including agriculture, automotive, aerospace and defence, construction, creative and communications, financial services, IT and e-business, management consultancy, manufacturing, professional services, retail, transport, tourism and utilities.
Our mission is to promote the conditions in which businesses of all sizes and sectors in the UK can compete and prosper for the benefit of all. To achieve this, we campaign in the UK, the EU and internationally for a competitive policy landscape.

They basically run the Tory party and parts of the Labour party.

[The-Lizard]

I don't know how anyone can claim that "prostitution is not productive".

Legal prostitution is highly beneficial for society, as it provides;
- Increased safety: Legal prostitution will provide easy and safe access to sex, meaning less sexually frustrated individuals. Less sexually frustrated individuals means less people willing to engage in violent and irresponsible behaviour, and less people prone to depression and suicide. The availability of legal and regulated prostitution will reduce the profitability of underground prostitution, which means less pimping and less human trafficking.
- Improved public health: Legal prostitution will be subject to health regulations, and will reduce the number of unsafe sexual encounters between strangers. Less unsafe sex means less STDs and less unwanted pregnancies.
- State income: Legal prostitution can be taxed, providing substantial state income. The state will save vast amounts of money by spending less on healthcare (less STDs and less unwanted pregnancies) and law enforcement (no longer wasting resources on the persecution of prostitutes and their clients).