Should We Get Rid of the Sex Industry?

[Lightworker]

Also, for the girls that are there willingly, I sometimes think that in order to turn to the sex industry, you must be carrying some emotional pain, so either way, there is still some exploitation. Legalized exploitation. Plus, how can you be sure girls have truly consented?

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I would totally like to see the sex industry completely got rid of - but no idea how that could realistically happen.

 

[mrs_park]

The thing that worries me the most, is that a HUGE percentage of the worlds prostitutes are children

 

[aragornlover8]

]Also, for the girls that are there willingly, I sometimes think that in order to turn to the sex industry, you must be carrying some emotional pain, so either way, there is still some exploitation.[/B] Legalized exploitation. Plus, how can you be sure girls have truly consented?

I think that's a pretty big generalization. Some women are just really genuinely open about their sexuality.

 

[Twister]

^^ I saw a show a while back about the sex industry (including porn) and there was an ex porn star on there talking about her experiences (and she was very experienced, can't remember her name though) she stopped doing it when she got pregnant by one of the male 'stars'. It kind of hit home what she'd been doing. She went into the industry on her own accord, but she also said that she realised how messed up she was when she came towards the end of her career, and how many issues she actually had which were there even before she joined the industry. She also talked about how pretty much all the girls who do choose that career path have problems which is what made them turn to the industry, they may not realise it initially but they do eventually.

She also mentioned how her old videos from 15+ years ago Are still circulating the Internet and being advertised as new, so even though she did what she did years ago, people still think she's doing it now and because she signed a contract at the time she had no control over where her videos ended up.

I'm not saying that the first paragraph is the case for all girls, but it really wouldn't surprise me. And the second was just plain scary to be honest, she can't escape her past even though it was well over 10 years ago when she last made a video, must be awful for her.

Anyway, in an ideal world I'd like the sex industry gone but it's never realistically going to happen. I think places like the red light district in Amsterdam has got it right, the girls over there have to have a liscense, they must be of legal age and they all have a panic button in their rooms, with security guards on standby close by, oh and they must use condoms and have regular check ups. They're very well protected over there. I had a hard time walking through it when me and oh went last year, but that was more my own insecurity about oh looking at them in their scantily clad outfits to be fair. I don't feel comfortable with porn and the sex industry but banning it drives it underground where human trafficking will be more common.

It does upset me though how human trafficking does exist, especially since a lot of them are underage girls who probably don't understand. And I hate the thought that some of the girls used in porn even today are underage also. Tighter regulations are definitely in order.

Sorry for the long post I have rambled on a bit, just my thoughts on it all.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Interesting set of replies to this topic. To those who believe the 'sex industry' should be gotten rid of, how would you go about actually doing that?

I have the opinion that its wrong and would love it to not exist but that doesnt mean i have any idea how that would actually happen, or that i think it could happen

Doesnt change my stance on it tho.

 

[Natsku]

It would be impossible to get rid of it. For as long as there have been humans, there have been whores. Making it legal and regulated (like in Amsterdam) would be the best way to protect the women (and men) who choose to do it.

I had a friend who works in porn and pole dancing (watched her dance once - that was...awkward ) and she did it out of choice, partly for research for her degree and partly because its good pay.

 

[peanut56]

The police unit I work for was created specifically to investigate several murders of prostitutes in the city I live in. We work very closely with street prostitutes, escort services, and "rub and tug" massage parlors trying to help them get out of the industry, help them get off drugs, and keep them safe. The sad reality is that the vast majority of the women involved in this area of the sex industry are very heavily addicted to drugs. Some are not, and are addicted to the money, but those are rare. Almost every woman involved in this aspect of the industry does it to support their drug habit. (This pertains to prostitution only, and NOT the porn industry).
I can tell you that human trafficking is a very sad and real problem. There are constantly women being smuggled into the country (I am in Canada) to work in the sex industry against their will. I can also tell you that the number of prostitutes under the age of 18 (even under the age of 16) is shocking. And they come from all walks of life.
The sex industry (again, not talking about porn here) is a very sad and tragic place, and generally speaking, most people have no idea how bad it really is. But the reality is that it's never going to go away.

ETA: I should add that this is all based on my experiences working where I do - I realize that things are different in different cities/countries.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

87% of child molesters and 86% of rapists admit regular use of porn, with 57% admitting actual imitation of pornographic scenes.

That's a bit of an empty statistic though, it could apply to the whole population (male in particular).

There will never be an end to the sex industry. You could make it illegal and censor every fecking thing around, but as Tallybee said, criminalising things forces them underground. This is one thing we should keep as safe and above-board as possible. Human trafficking is hideous but it's not the fault of the legal sex industry, much the opposite I would've thought.

I also don't believe it is the consumer's fault women are being forced into porn. What an odd notion! Demand has nothing to do with it, it's all about the money. Sex trafficking would still happen if porn was abolished, they'd just be forced into prostitution like the vast majority are. In that case yes, I believe that people willingly paying for girls they know or SUSPECT are being forced are in every way as bad as the 'pimps'. However, someone legally paying for a night with an escort is not the same. IYSWIM?

It's pretty high and mighty to say that women going into the sex industry must have 'emotional problems'. I don't doubt some may have issues, most even, but there ARE women that find it empowering, are open to it or even just - shock horror - like their job
Aboloshing the sex industry as a whole would only serve to exploit the vulnerable further. No you can't know for certain that every girl you see in an online porn clip has consented (which is why I don't watch porn anymore). But making it illegal will solve that I'm sure, at least then you'll know none of them have

As for wanting sex to be held more sacredly, I'm not entirely sure what this is supposed to mean. Like, only for a man and a woman to do in loving matrimony?

I don't think the sex industry has or will have much of an impact on my son. I'm pretty liberal and if keeping the sex industry with tighter regulations means he might see a flash of bare tits or even.. *keep your hats on*.. watch porn himself one day, then whatever. I'm not messed up, his grandparents aren't messed up (his Dad is but that's another matter ) - I'm sure he'll turn out just fine. Even with all this nakedness.

 

[hb1]

Don't think it's possible and I would rather stamp out alcahol if I had a choice!!

But it could be regulated properly - there would always be an illegal side to it - as anything - there is in most industries....

hx

 

[hb1]

But how do you regulate effectively? how do you monitor it? eg, if you were to say, girls can only have 2 clients per night, how do you know thats whats happening?

Wouldn't you more approach it as sex industry workers need to be registered and properties operating as brothels also - maintaining certain standards eg health and safety, std testing etc etc then occasionally go in and check the staff are all registered etc etc They do this with restaurants for example ( apart from the std testing haha ) already

 

[Lina]

Societies moral demise would be cemented if the sex industry was legalised. Any legislation implies approval and therefore normalises what I believe to be an abnormal and debauched practise.

 

[BlackBerry25]

Sex is normal. People should be able to do what they want. It should be a social issue, not a legal one.

 

[tallybee]

Interesting set of replies to this topic. To those who believe the 'sex industry' should be gotten rid of, how would you go about actually doing that?

I have the opinion that its wrong and would love it to not exist but that doesnt mean i have any idea how that would actually happen, or that i think it could happen

Doesnt change my stance on it tho.

That's fair enough

The OP says 'Should we get rid of the sex industry?' so for me the debate needs to include actual ideas of how that could happen as well as whether ppl think it would be desirable

 

[angel2010]

I believe that people willingly paying for girls they know or SUSPECT are being forced are in every way as bad as the 'pimps'.

This to me is where a lot of the problem lies. Even if the industry was legalized and tightly regulated, there will still be that guy that wants to watch a 12 year old girl, or even be with one sexually (just one example).

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Dont see a huge problem with it tbh. Its the oldest industry too! I dont think we should get rid of it!

 

[lindseymw]

There are two sides to this, the legal one, which IMO no we shouldn't get rid of it and there's no reason to. There's obviously a need for it as it makes millions (if not billions) each year.

I do actually think prostitution should be legalised, not because I condone it but to make it safer. Prostitution will always exist whether we like it or not. I think it would be better to have regulated brothels than have girls/women stood on street corners getting picked up in cars.

Then there's the illegal side, which of course everyone would like to get rid of it, but getting rid of the legal side would not solve this problem.

 

[hb1]

Apparently Edinburgh had a policy of allowing brothels of a certain size - not sure if it was the case - I was at uni there and it may have been rubbish - but while I was there 9 prostitutes were murdered in Glasgow but nothing in Edinburgh - 2 different policies and 2 different outcomes for the workers.

It isn't right, I would prefer it didn't exist but there is no way of stopping it - but you can try and protect the girls that do choose that life - in doing so you can also try and help girls get their lives together as they wouldn't be working underground....

hx

 

[DanielleM]

I think as long as there is demand for red light districts/porn/the sex industry as a whole, there will be supply for it!!

 

[Tiff]

I think having it regulated would help cut out a bunch of the sex-trade issues. However, I'm not naive enough to think that by legalizing it that all human trafficking would stop. I have a pretty neutral stance on the whole sex trade industry as a whole. I don't actively hate it, but I am not out there campaigning for it either.