When it comes to the law,my feeling is that if it doesn`t harm anyone, other than perhaps oneself, then it shouldn`t be illegal.I reckon this concept is workable 98% of the time.(Suicide perhaps being one such tricky exception).So this could sort out Prostitution and drug dealing.The huge tax revenue can then be invested in programs designed to educate and help people from making choices that may not be good for their own personal welfare.It takes away the need for pimps and big time drug dealers, and would greatly reduce much of the criminality and violence associated with sex and drug addiction.

The only reason this hasn`t happened is because no Uk government wants to be seen to ignore the moral issues and opinions of a proportion of the voters,even tho it would make all our lives better. Only yesterday I walked out of the car park and saw an obvious female junkie standing next to the most hideous looking man I ever did see !!!

Legalise it now, and stop these poor woman from walking around thinking they are criminals!!Let them operate from home in pairs or whatever and then try to gently lead those that want to in a different direction.

Edit; The government would need to guarantee that ALL this new tax revenue would be invested in such projects,there would be billions to use and they could never be accused of gaining from what many people consider to be immoral activity.

What about women who are absolutely desperate and feel that they have no other choice. And prostitutes are human beings - they have absolutely the same right to safety as the rest of us.

But things just aren't that simple. Many people feel that they just cannot get work elsewhere despite trying. Having to pay rent/mortage, raise children (in some cases) and buy food and clothing costs money. Look how many unemployed we have in this country - some people feel that they simply have no choice but to become prostitutes. It's easy for us to say it's wrong, it's illegal, whatever, but I'm betting that most people on here will never have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, will never have to worry about not having a roof over their heads, and so therefore will never have to consider selling their body for sex.

No way, I ain't a prude and I ain't saying that prostitution is a bad thing, but its making a bad example for teenagers, they will automatically be out on the street to earn money, Its not a good thing (and I have never been to see one *winks*)

How would it make a bad example any more than prostitution is currently doing? To be honest, legalising it would make it more difficult for youngsters to become involved in it, because it would be better regulated.

I think legalising prostitution is a good idea, but also a bad idea. I'm one of those annoying fencesitters. I can see the good in it, but ultimately I don't think we should legalise it. Most (I generalise) of the women who get into prostitution are doing it to pay for drug habits. It's their own fault for getting addicted to drugs, quite frankly I don't care if they feel unsafe working as a prostitute, the simple answer to that is don't do it. It amazes me how ridiculous some people can be - why should we be talking about the rights of prostitutes if they're only in the trade to pay for drugs? I can see the sense in helping those who were sold into the sex trade, and I wouldn't ever deny them help, but the drug addicts can be left to go cold turkey and get a real job.

But if it was legalized then they would be screened for drugs on a regular basis. If they had a problem they would receive the correct medical help to aid them off drugs. Thats what happens in Holland. I've wandered round the Red light district in Amsterdam at night and it feels safe because you know where the district is. If you dont want to see it... you dont have to wander down those two or three streets that it covers. The fact that its so controlled and regulated there makes it a safe place. Plus its very lighthearted. Why hide the fact that people have sex???? Some either cant get it or maybe have a partner that cant offer them what they want :wink: Its so relaxed in Holland and because of this people are open about sex...... its a way of life isnt it?????

Some women dont have a choice about going on the game. Not everybody is lucky enough to have a fall back.

That's pretty easy to say when you've never been in the position where you've had to consider it. Just to clarify, I haven't been in that position either! But you know, I really believe in the phrase, "There but for the grace of God go I" Some people are living in terrible conditions and it isn't always their fault. Even if it is their fault, do you really think it's okay just to say well sod em, they got themselves into this?

A little bit of compassion wouldn't hurt.

My mum always says that phrase..... its something I have been brought up with.... never ever criticise something that has never happened to you, you might be in the same situation one day

Legalising prostitute is a great idea but it will never happen for a few reasons.

Firstly - Politically it's a vote killer. Any government that tried it would be laughed out of office and all politicians want is to stay in power.

Secondly - It's a logistical nightmare. The prostitutes would have to be provided with condoms, receive regular HIV and STD checks etc. Without these safeguards it would be extremely irresponsible business. Also, who would take responsibility for the prostitutes ie ensure they were safe and not being asked to do things that they object too. and on and on. There would have to be such an infrastructure in place that it would hardly be worth it.

Thirdly - There would be a feeling that other crimes were also being committed at such places ie drugs were being taken etc. So what would the people who lived in the same area think of their friendly neighbourhood brothel.

it's a great idea but it would never work.

I agree with you Grit that it will never be legalised but personally I think that for the safety of the "profession" it needs to be. Your right in saying that the party to legalise will face a battering and because of this nobody would touch it with a barde poll

The problem is no Government is brave enough to do it.

And until they do women working in the sex industry on the streets will be continue to be exploited, assaulted , raped, trafficked and be encouraged to take drugs. Women working the streets isn't a problem that is going to go away by doing nothing, and stronger laws making it even more illegal than it is now just drives it more underground.

Interesting nobody has mentioned male prostitution it's not just men that buy sex.

Good point. This is also an issue but its mainly through "escort" agencies. If the men are offered money for extras then they step over the line from being an escort to a prostitute. But then we are missing the male for male prostitute. That is also an issue too.... if we legalize women prostitutes do we then also legalize male for women and male for male???

Absolutely true kizwiz, its common knowledge that the safest place to be in amsterdam at night is the red light and coffee shop area, the place to avoid is the train station and the dam square cos its junkie central. the red light distrit is so well policed that the police station is right next to a coffee shop called "hill street blues".

I was once on my own in the red light "throwing a whitie" after a combo of these huge mexican mushrooms and "northern lights" and a kindly police lady kept me company for a bit til i got back on my feet. i felt safe as houses there but then got to dam square area and got mugged by 4 kiddies who pulled out knives......

Concentrating the brothels into one area will get rid of many of the problems, but I doubt if it'd pan out like that.

Agreed..... the train station is a no go area. I dont even feel safe there during the day and it must have been hell getting mugged there. I saw a documentary once about the station and the junkies live in the lockers!!!!! Its just not policed enough. I think they have got the mix right because the coffee shop and bars are right next to the red light district.... but then go over past Damn Square and your into the antiques and museum area..... which also seems a million miles away from the more popular redlight/coffee shop.

Oh and I know the hill street blues place....... I stayed in there all day once on a mates birthday. We bagged the tables right at the back sitting with a river view...... sitting there tripping our nutts off and smoking.... its was certainly the best way to celebrate :hugesmile:

But if it can be done in amsterdam..... why not in this country??? Having a "zone" where the brothels are located means that if you want to avoid all knowledge that this sort of thing exists then you just dont go into the area.

I agree. But getting it started would be a problem. It'd take a lot of time, money and effort and in the end who would benefit. The girls would benefit but i think the welfare of the girls would get lost in all the arguments.

I agree with you that its both costly and a political bomb! But I cant help thinking of the recent horrors in Ipswich. Maybe if these girl has some form of safe house to work then they may not have been targeted. Many women who work on the street regularly get beaten and abused just because they are looked on as worthless in some peoples eyes. My point of view is that everybody should have a right to be protected.

Looking into the drug side of things on the web I found it is estimated that 90 percent of the girls on the streets in Leeds I thought to be on Class A drugs. This gives you an idea of the prblems thes girls face:

Source: Leeds Today

The opposite has been proven in other countries where prostitution has been legalised.
Once it's legalised and regulated some of the more, lets say "underworld" prostitutes find other ways & means of carrying on without being regulated. Also, pimps get prostitutes to travel from different countries, with fake papers.

Legalising the way that these women pay for their problem is clearly not the way to go. Although they'll be on schemes to help ween them off the drugs, they're still getting paid for selling their bodies to pay for a habit thats killing them. :bored:

Yes, but legalising it would reduce the problem. It wouldn't make it any worse than it already is. People are already being imported to be sex slaves. Children are already getting forced into prostitution. If legalising it could stop that - even just slightly - it would be worth it.

Not all prostitutes are selling their bodies to buy drugs. That's a common and somewhat dangerous misperception. if we don't legalise it, they're still selling their bodies to pay for drugs.

There are other reasons for legalising it. 5 prostitutes were murdered last year. Anything that could help women (or men) in that situation is worth thinking about.

Thank you for pointing that out. I was talking about girls working on the street. I couldn't find any figures for drug use amongst girls that work from home but I would imagine that is much much lower.

And I would imagine there are no official figures on how many get raped or sexually assaulted. We just get to hear about the serious cases that make it to the police because thee was some form of violence involved and the police were called.

I know you weren't saying that Red, I didn't think you were at all. But a lot of people on the thread seem to think that the only reason people become prostitutes is to pay for drugs, and that isn't the case (I don't mean to sound like I'm having a go at anyone by the way - I'm really not, and this is a very interesting discussion!)