Sex For Sale
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Chill.
Just different perspectives. No bloodletting worth the friendship found over a small article.
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im bewildered...
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if you have the time,
read "Sex Slaves - the trafficking of women in Asia" by Louise Brown. -
Wow..
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Honestly there is no need to get personal in discussing this thread. I realy think we should leave out of the discussion the notion that prostitutes are evil people. I havent read anyone claiming that, just peole claiming others of saying such things.Originally posted by BabyRS:I don't think I'll ever understand why a woman / man trading sex for money is such a terrible thing as far as the existing laws are concerned. ....
... I am aware of the hazards that come with the job. ..... But I also believe that it goes with the territory as an occupational hazard, just as someone who handles dangerous animals is likely to suffer a bite at least once during their careers. When one enters a certain mode of employment, undoubtedly the perks as well as the negative aspects comes as a package along with it.
ok to get personal myself.... what disturbs me here is that some people actually believe that prostitution has always been a woman's choice and that it is a "normal" career path.
I am horrified that the plites of many innocent woman who are forced into this line of work is snubbed off as "well its your choice" as if these women had choices to begin with. Shrodingercat has posted good examples. These women are forced into prostitution to feed their famly and village. This is not a "choice" that all you people claim it to be.
But what realy horrifies me which i have not bothered to respond to, is the term is "Occupational hazzard"
Ask a victum of rape whether it was occupational hazzard to walk home adbucted and raped after working at a cafe at night...
How quickly we forget that once upon a time women were "sexually harrased at work" is this too occupational hazzard? part of your expected duties?
Please rethink what you claim to be true when sitting at the comforts of your PC typing these ideas.
Walk the life of a prostitute and then come back and tell me how fantastic life was.
You all joke that there are less dignified jobs out there. But remember there is no dignity if there is no choice.
Prostitution has been legalised to try and accomplish. Safety, Public Health, stem people smugglers and to collect taxes.
No politician will ever stand up and say.. "hey prositution is a great career that i recommend to all your daughters"
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There is a distinction between different types of prostitutes mentioned in many posts - free will prostitutes who become sex workers by choice and forced prostitution where women and children were abducted and forced to become sex workers. We are not talking about the second type here - I think all of us agree it is truly horrifying to be forced into prostitution.
I think when someone says.. 'its a choice' it isn't necessarily a snub. Can't remember much about the book Sphere.. but I do remember what it said about Choice - that even choosing to die is a choice.
These women could have chosen to forsake their families, they could have chosen to die rather than to live a difficult life for the people they love, they could have chosen some easier simpler lives than to undertake this responsibility. And it is for this choice, that we should not let moral judgement take away the dignity they deserve.
And in saying this, I am NOT trying to glorify prostitution but that a person is made up of MORE than the value of her body - so that selling it does not make her so much less of a human. -
In everything that we do in life, there is always a risk involved.Originally posted by Kan_i:But what realy horrifies me which i have not bothered to respond to, is the term is "Occupational hazzard"
Ask a victum of rape whether it was occupational hazzard to walk home adbucted and raped after working at a cafe at night...
How quickly we forget that once upon a time women were "sexually harrased at work" is this too occupational hazzard? part of your expected duties?
Please rethink what you claim to be true when sitting at the comforts of your PC typing these ideas.
Even those jobs that lets us work in the comfort of our homes carry some forms of negativity, and it is important to look at things on a case by case basis.
By "occupational hazard" in this case - simply put, it can be said that anyone can contract all these unfavourables even if they are monogamous. Have you heard of the 17yr old who decides to have unprotected sex with her boyfriend for the ONEand ONLY time - and in the process, became HIV+? But in the case of prostitution in general, we cannot run from the fact that by their chosen mode of profession, they are creating a wider door for these to seep in.
As for the examples you place forth, it's not right to term it as "occupational hazard" even though they may be sexually harassed at work, or raped whilst walking home from a late work shift. It has very little bearing on being directly related to the "job scope".
What I was trying (unsuccessfully, it seems) to highlight, is the fact that although prostitution may be the last career option that drives one to undertake, I did not bring into question why these women choose to do what they do. My point is merely to pinpoint the fact that many people choose to view it as an almost derogatory profession, and that these women are 'scum of the Earth' only there to tempt the moral consciousness of the common man. Contrary to glorifying and extolling "prostitution"... I feel that these women have their own reasons for being in the profession, and who are we to say any more, or any less; when chances are, we would NEVER know why? As such, instead of being ostracized and demeaned - the society itself should just accept the fact that they are there, and instead of trying to pass laws against it in the hope of eradicating it completely, why not do something to actually protect these women more? After all, to look at it on a broader perspective... it IS a chain reaction.
With all due respect, I, along with everyone else... have no right whatsoever to question anyone's choice. As with any other, I'm sure that they are made with reasons best suited to the individuals themselves. -
Originally posted by BabyRS:
Excuse my outrage.
In everything that we do in life, there is always a [b]risk involved.
Even those jobs that lets us work in the comfort of our homes carry some forms of negativity, and it is important to look at things on a case by case basis.
By "occupational hazard" in this case - simply put, it can be said that anyone can contract all these unfavourables even if they are monogamous. Have you heard of the 17yr old who decides to have unprotected sex with her boyfriend for the ONEand ONLY time - and in the process, became HIV+? But in the case of prostitution in general, we cannot run from the fact that by their chosen mode of profession, they are creating a wider door for these to seep in.
As for the examples you place forth, it's not right to term it as "occupational hazard" even though they may be sexually harassed at work, or raped whilst walking home from a late work shift. It has very little bearing on being directly related to the "job scope".
What I was trying (unsuccessfully, it seems) to highlight, is the fact that although prostitution may be the last career option that drives one to undertake, I did not bring into question why these women choose to do what they do. My point is merely to pinpoint the fact that many people choose to view it as an almost derogatory profession, and that these women are 'scum of the Earth' only there to tempt the moral consciousness of the common man. Contrary to glorifying and extolling "prostitution"... I feel that these women have their own reasons for being in the profession, and who are we to say any more, or any less; when chances are, we would NEVER know why? As such, instead of being ostracized and demeaned - the society itself should just accept the fact that they are there, and instead of trying to pass laws against it in the hope of eradicating it completely, why not do something to actually protect these women more? After all, to look at it on a broader perspective... it IS a chain reaction.
With all due respect, I, along with everyone else... have no right whatsoever to question anyone's choice. As with any other, I'm sure that they are made with reasons best suited to the individuals themselves.[/b]
Let me ask you a question then.
If your sister, mother or friend said to you i am going to become a prostitute. Would you encourage her to go into this new "career choice" that they have made?
or would you try and help them find another "career path" -
It IS their personal choice.Originally posted by Kan_i:Excuse my outrage.
Let me ask you a question then.
If your sister, mother or friend said to you i am going to become a prostitute. Would you encourage her to go into this new "career choice" that they have made?
or would you try and help them find another "career path"
I would ask why, but if they were adamant about doing so, I will not judge them nor would I shun them because of what they choose to do. But if there was even a remote possibility of reversing the decision, I would do everything I possibly can to do so. I would not 'encourage' them to, of course... but I am sure if they would even have to walk that path, they may have valid reasons of their own.
Being friends and family is all about acceptance and support. One's life, is one's own - and if the choice is thus, let it remain so. -
Hmm. just because something is someone else's choice does not mean you can't try to change their mind ba.
Just like if ur friend choose to take drugs - u will still try to change his 'choice' -
Respect them for their choice but voice your resentment over the choice made. Then accept the outcome of what your friends' and relatives' chose, because it is their life.
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^^^ Right on the mark.^^^Originally posted by Nelstar:Respect them for their choice but voice your resentment over the choice made. Then accept the outcome of what your friends' and relatives' chose, because it is their life.
That's exactly what I mean.
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I am amazed that you would try and reverse the decision. I mean in your opinion it is a normal line of work that you would be proud of performing.Originally posted by BabyRS:It IS their personal choice.
I would ask why, but if they were adamant about doing so, I will not judge them nor would I shun them because of what they choose to do. But if there was even a remote possibility of reversing the decision, I would do everything I possibly can to do so. I would not 'encourage' them to, of course... but I am sure if they would even have to walk that path, they may have valid reasons of their own.
Being friends and family is all about acceptance and support. One's life, is one's own - and if the choice is thus, let it remain so.
Disgusted at your use of words to try and normalise an industry that has always been at the exploit of women is me being kind. You use words like occupational hazzard and choice believing it to be true.
I realy think you should step outside your comfortable life and actually try to understand why prostitution has never been accepted.
You pretend to be understanding at the plight of prostitutes but have no idea what they are. being dignified is probably the least from their minds.
Shrodinger has posted a few examples that i am surprised you find this to be "normal". Prostituting to earn enough money to feed your family and/or village. Asking your husband to move out so a "foreigner" can come for his quick visits? What do you not understand that these women do not have a choice. And HIV is not an occupational hazzard... it is a death sentence.
I hope that my dear you will never face such decisions in life, to starve or sell your body. But please do not pretend to understand and then with 1 stroke brush away all the anguish that these women face. To pretend to be their friends on the one hand and totaly destroy them with "well its your choice, you live with it" simplistic view on life.
Pretty Woman is a movie do not forget that! -
Since when have I mentioned that it would be something that I will be proud to do?? Or for that matter - will be proud of having any of my friends or relatives indulge in?Originally posted by Kan_i:I am amazed that you would try and reverse the decision. I mean in your opinion it is a normal line of work that you would be proud of performing.
Disgusted at your use of words to try and normalise an industry that has always been at the exploit of women is me being kind. You use words like occupational hazzard and choice believing it to be true.
Obviously you have misunderstood the whole point of the matter.
I am not advocating, nor am I protesting against the profession on the whole. I do not judge, and neither am I here to question the choices of so many.
All that I have been trying to say thus far, is that we should not be quick to perceive this jobscope as a means to an end... and that all these women deserve a form of respect, in their own rights.
If you don't share my views, so be it. I am NOT glamourising the profession, and neither am I about to pretend that it doesn't exist. It IS the exploitation of women... but as long as there are people seeking these services, would eradicating it solve any problem?
It is a controversial subject, and I shall not dismiss your views as totally unrealistic, because you DO have a valid point, as do I - and the many people who have posted here, expressing their views. We cannot always view something through a one sided view - there are other things involved that we may not be aware of.
... and if you're asking me to get off my high, comfortable cushy horse - let me just say that often, being emphatic to the plight and situation of others does not require you to actually experience what goes on. Being aware, and viewing it with an open mind - is surely the closest one can get to most things in life.
We are constantly learning. I have learnt from your views, and have been made aware of certain incidences that Shrodinger has brought up, which I may be totally oblivious to, otherwise. Through it all, I have kept an open mind.
I do not claim that my views are right - and everyone should perceive things as such. Neither would I say that yours is the correct one, either. BUT these are OUR own personal views - it would serve us well to read and understand what people from different walks of life tell us, and in so doing, broaden our straight and narrow viewscope. However, it is ultimately our choice.
You have your own set way of thinking,
and I have mine.
I respect yours, because as another being who has taken the trouble to explain to us your stand on the matter - you are due the respect you deserve.
If you cannot agree with mine, I am not expecting you to.
In any way. -
watching CNA now about Anna Nicole Smith...
and this topic came to my mind..
so, she married the dude about a century older than her... and then he kicked the bucket and they're contesting her claim to the estate..
now he knew, she knew..
so, it's never a matter of who deserves what, or any morality... if he promised her a pile of cash for her hand in marriage, who are we, or the court to say different?
and seriously, how different is this from sex for sale?
to those who would want to impose their morality on others, remember, you do not have a right.. you may look down on those who choose this way and judge them harshly, but that is your way... do not seek to force those who see differently to come to the same conclusion as you...
and don't condemn those who see things from a different perspective.. i have said it and i'll say it again, these are the beginnings of fascism..