Hi, This is Louise speaking about prostitution. Should prostitution be legalised or not? Prostitution can be divined into to “groups”, the one who are forced into it and the one who take the step themselves. People, who prostitute, mostly women, have often been victims of sexual assault as children or have suffered some sort of trauma. Sometimes the prostitutes are addicted to drugs and need the money to buy it and then they sell their body. In many cases the woman are a well-paid and well-educated person, who might be lonely and social isolated (one main reason for prostitution). If the enter the prostitution because of the money, they found it hard to leave, it has became a life-stile to buy expensive cloths and eat at fancy restaurants. A sex-seller can be anybody, young-old, rich-poor, fat-thin, you cannot see whom, and they appreciate like which other job in any case. The buyer is often a middle-aged man with partner and children. Prostitution exists in the street (a “quickie” in a car), at the Internet, at bars and so on, and also like lady’s companion to a rich man.
People, who are all for legalised prostitution, says that the sex-seller are self- employed persons and that they need to pay taxes and charges and they cannot because the tax authorities would not accept that sort of work. A law against to buy sex bring about more crime and violence against the seller. One argument is the discrimination to prostituted; it is like which other job in any case. It will remove the social shame of their profession and they can take control and they will have rights.
The persons, who would like the prostitution to be illegal, say that it is immoral. It will stop persons to abuse women (often immigrants or forced there by trafficking) and children. It will end the violence of women by men and strengthen women and girls self-esteem. The sex-slavery and trafficking should end and the responsible person should be punished.
In Sweden the prostitute mostly are Swedish, but also from the Eastern Europe, Thailand, Africa and South America, but they prefer to call themselves escort girls, call girls/boys, gigolos and erotic masseur. In Sweden is it illegal to buy sex, but not to sell it. When the law came the street prostitution sank, because the customers could be taped, but now days the street prostitution has risen again since the seller look more “tidy”. The pimps have also risen in Sweden since the work is not that open anymore and the Internet have become a good place to market your business. It is a taboo subject here in Sweden and the discussions are very deep and people have opinions. How is it in Italy? Is it legal or illegal? What is the public opinion? Looking forward to your comments!
Hi Louise! The situation about prostitution in Italy is very different from Sweden. The prostitution market is controlled by criminal organizations: it's difficult to find a woman that prostitutes herself by choice. Most prostitutes come from Easter Europe and Africa, and they are treated like animals. To tell the truth, I don't know what the best solution is to solve this problem, that is to say if legalization is the right way. With legalization, we can eliminate the abuse of young girls; besides, their life conditions could improve. On the other hand. I think that criminal organizations will continue to control the market.
In response to Louise, Hi, This's Anna. Prostitution represents a big problem in Italy. Of course it is not legal. There is a debate in course about this issue, in particular about the opportunity or not to open again the so called "closed houses" in order to "clean" the streets. Actually, thinking about what I use to see in the streets during the night, I would say yes to legalisation...it's not so nice see all these women and transsexuals as well without clothes along the streets, but at the same moment i can't not think about that women, the most young girls, that are forced in this. It's very difficult to take a position. I think that if a person chooses to sell her body, she/he is free to do it, as well as a person that chooses to buy sex. Problems come when there is a pimping behind this “job” and unfortunately this represents the main scenario. In this case, I think legalisation would not decrease this traffic, however there is such belief.
In response to Louise... Hi, Andrea and Francesco here.
What about your comment? Well, the beginning of our reply should be the so-called "Merlin law" by which, in 1958, Italian Parliament decreed the abolition of prostitution regulation and the ultimate closure of brothels. The aim of this law could be the fighting to the exploitation of the prostitution.
However, we think this law didn't reach this target. In fact, in the last years there was a grow of sex-slavery: young girls, especially from Eastern Europe and Africa, reach Italy to find better economic and social conditions. Neverthless, in a couple of time, they often are forced to sell their body and to make their pimps rich. These crudel people are actually the only gainers of the business.
From another point of view, we have consider the so-called "private prostitution", namely when a person chooses freely to earn moneys selling their body. We think this kind of prostitution has to be totally liberalized and regulated by a legislative system which allows these people to do their work under a good medical control and paying taxes and fees. The raising of such a prostitution could solve the drama of the exploiting of street-prostitution.
Unfortunately, our political class is too much conservative about these issue. The presence of many catholic deputies within our Parliament will make much more difficult and slow this particular decision-process. Every day, we see a kind of hypocrisy in speaking about the liberalization of prostitution and, probably, we will not reach any considerable result till the political arena will remain the same of 20 years ago.
In conclusion, we are award that we live in a country where these delicate questions are faced without a real discussion with the whole society. We dream of a new and more realistic debate, hopefully with a new political class.
Thank you for you comment and I agree with you concerning the treatment of the forced girls and I do also think that it is difficult to solve this problem. When I started to read about this subject, I thought it should be legalised, of course, but now I don't know anymore...I think it should be prohibited to force another person into it and not when you do it by you own choise (because you need to pay taxes and stuff and maybe need medical care)...Perhaps we can have two laws for those different situations?
Thanks for your comment! I agree with you in almost everything, I don't know yet if I think it should be legalised or not, I think it should depend on the situation (if you are forced och if you do it of you own free intension). I have never seen a street with prostitued in Sweden, just in the Netherlands, maybe because I live in the country :).
This "closed houses", is it a house that everybody knows where it is? Is it common thing?
I totally agrre with you comments, thank you! It must be difficlut to live in an conservative society, in this kind of questions, but maybe it will change over the years when the new generation will come... How should you (the Italian) react if someone brougt up this subject in the public? I think we in Sweden find it difficult to understand that prostitution is common in our country, most of us think it will just happen in Poland and the Netherlands...
Speaking about prostitution, we think that it's necessary to make a distinction. On the one hand we can consider prostitution as a freelance profession, on the other hand as a form of slavery, that contributes to illegal people trafficking. We agree with Louise that in the first case legalization of prostitution can be a good way to regulate that social phenomenon, making it safe for sex-seller. In the second case, that represents a difficult argument to face, a regularization can't solve the problem. In this case safeguarding people before they enter prostitution is necessary. In fact in many cases prostitutes are been baited in their mother country, primarily Africa, East Europe, South East Asia, with the promise of a safe job and better economic conditions. In Italy prostitution is regulated by an old law (Merlin's law of 1958) that only abolishes whorehouses without regularizing the phenomenon. Public opinion considers prostitution like a taboo maybe because of the Church interference and for this reason the italian government doesn't face the matter in an effective way.
In respons to Louise In Italy there were brothels, until 1975, when the " Merlin Law " closed them. Now prostitutes are on roads and they are exploited and often forced to do by criminal organizations. The return of brothels would be a solution to stop this reality of roads, but at the same time it represents a return to the past! I think that we have the freedom to do what we want with our body, but I'm perplexed that we want to go back to brothels, because this is a solution from 40 years ago! Prostitution is an "old" problem, but it's true that society is changed and there is a different way to live sex and more sexual freedom. Why does prostitution continue to be a current topic?
In response to Louise, Well, I affirm that the problem is the lack of open-mindedness within our society. It will be very difficult to change the opinion of the people in a few years. We need to make aware public opinion to these issues. However,let me tell you, nowadays in Italy we have many more serious problems to solve, especially regarding the democratic partecipation of the people to the political life. The political debate upon prostitution should wait till we don't resolve other questions.
In response to Louise: now you know that in Italy prostitution is illegal, both buy and sell sex. For us this situation ia a forced condition, cause the Church pressure. I only think prostitution must be legalized to fight the illegal organisation that is behind and the condition in wich prostitutes are in. To legalize this market should improve safety not only for prostitutes, but even for who needs this "service". To legalize this market means that diseases as HIV and hepatitis can be better controlled, that prostitutes can have civil rights. Now in Italy the minister of equal opportunities wonts prostitution disappears from streets, but we know where prostitution will go to operate: in illegal closed houses. This not means to fight the problem, but change the problem location. Elisa
14 comments:
Hi, This is Louise speaking about prostitution. Should prostitution be legalised or not? Prostitution can be divined into to “groups”, the one who are forced into it and the one who take the step themselves. People, who prostitute, mostly women, have often been victims of sexual assault as children or have suffered some sort of trauma. Sometimes the prostitutes are addicted to drugs and need the money to buy it and then they sell their body. In many cases the woman are a well-paid and well-educated person, who might be lonely and social isolated (one main reason for prostitution). If the enter the prostitution because of the money, they found it hard to leave, it has became a life-stile to buy expensive cloths and eat at fancy restaurants. A sex-seller can be anybody, young-old, rich-poor, fat-thin, you cannot see whom, and they appreciate like which other job in any case. The buyer is often a middle-aged man with partner and children. Prostitution exists in the street (a “quickie” in a car), at the Internet, at bars and so on, and also like lady’s companion to a rich man.
People, who are all for legalised prostitution, says that the sex-seller are self- employed persons and that they need to pay taxes and charges and they cannot because the tax authorities would not accept that sort of work. A law against to buy sex bring about more crime and violence against the seller. One argument is the discrimination to prostituted; it is like which other job in any case. It will remove the social shame of their profession and they can take control and they will have rights.
The persons, who would like the prostitution to be illegal, say that it is immoral. It will stop persons to abuse women (often immigrants or forced there by trafficking) and children. It will end the violence of women by men and strengthen women and girls self-esteem. The sex-slavery and trafficking should end and the responsible person should be punished.
In Sweden the prostitute mostly are Swedish, but also from the Eastern Europe, Thailand, Africa and South America, but they prefer to call themselves escort girls, call girls/boys, gigolos and erotic masseur. In Sweden is it illegal to buy sex, but not to sell it. When the law came the street prostitution sank, because the customers could be taped, but now days the street prostitution has risen again since the seller look more “tidy”. The pimps have also risen in Sweden since the work is not that open anymore and the Internet have become a good place to market your business. It is a taboo subject here in Sweden and the discussions are very deep and people have opinions. How is it in Italy? Is it legal or illegal? What is the public opinion? Looking forward to your comments!
Hi Louise! The situation about prostitution in Italy is very different from Sweden. The prostitution market is controlled by criminal organizations: it's difficult to find a woman that prostitutes herself by choice. Most prostitutes come from Easter Europe and Africa, and they are treated like animals.
To tell the truth, I don't know what the best solution is to solve this problem, that is to say if legalization is the right way. With legalization, we can eliminate the abuse of young girls; besides, their life conditions could improve. On the other hand. I think that criminal organizations will continue to control the market.
In response to Louise,
Hi, This's Anna.
Prostitution represents a big problem in Italy. Of course it is not legal. There is a debate in course about this issue, in particular about the opportunity or not to open again the so called "closed houses" in order to "clean" the streets.
Actually, thinking about what I use to see in the streets during the night, I would say yes to legalisation...it's not so nice see all these women and transsexuals as well without clothes along the streets, but at the same moment i can't not think about that women, the most young girls, that are forced in this.
It's very difficult to take a position. I think that if a person chooses to sell her body, she/he is free to do it, as well as a person that chooses to buy sex. Problems come when there is a pimping behind this “job” and unfortunately this represents the main scenario. In this case, I think legalisation would not decrease this traffic, however there is such belief.
In response to Louise...
Hi, Andrea and Francesco here.
What about your comment?
Well, the beginning of our reply should be the so-called "Merlin law" by which, in 1958, Italian Parliament decreed the abolition of prostitution regulation and the ultimate closure of brothels. The aim of this law could be the fighting to the exploitation of the prostitution.
However, we think this law didn't reach this target. In fact, in the last years there was a grow of sex-slavery: young girls, especially from Eastern Europe and Africa, reach Italy to find better economic and social conditions. Neverthless, in a couple of time, they often are forced to sell their body and to make their pimps rich. These crudel people are actually the only gainers of the business.
From another point of view, we have consider the so-called "private prostitution", namely when a person chooses freely to earn moneys selling their body.
We think this kind of prostitution has to be totally liberalized and regulated by a legislative system which allows these people to do their work under a good medical control and paying taxes and fees.
The raising of such a prostitution could solve the drama of the exploiting of street-prostitution.
Unfortunately, our political class is too much conservative about these issue. The presence of many catholic deputies within our Parliament will make much more difficult and slow this particular decision-process. Every day, we see a kind of hypocrisy in speaking about the liberalization of prostitution and, probably, we will not reach any considerable result till the political arena will remain the same of 20 years ago.
In conclusion, we are award that we live in a country where these delicate questions are faced without a real discussion with the whole society.
We dream of a new and more realistic debate, hopefully with a new political class.
Andrea&Francesco
Response to Fabio:
Thank you for you comment and I agree with you concerning the treatment of the forced girls and I do also think that it is difficult to solve this problem. When I started to read about this subject, I thought it should be legalised, of course, but now I don't know anymore...I think it should be prohibited to force another person into it and not when you do it by you own choise (because you need to pay taxes and stuff and maybe need medical care)...Perhaps we can have two laws for those different situations?
Response to Anna:
Thanks for your comment! I agree with you in almost everything, I don't know yet if I think it should be legalised or not, I think it should depend on the situation (if you are forced och if you do it of you own free intension). I have never seen a street with prostitued in Sweden, just in the Netherlands, maybe because I live in the country :).
This "closed houses", is it a house that everybody knows where it is? Is it common thing?
Response to Andrea and Francesco:
I totally agrre with you comments, thank you!
It must be difficlut to live in an conservative society, in this kind of questions, but maybe it will change over the years when the new generation will come...
How should you (the Italian) react if someone brougt up this subject in the public? I think we in Sweden find it difficult to understand that prostitution is common in our country, most of us think it will just happen in Poland and the Netherlands...
In response to Louise
Speaking about prostitution, we think that it's necessary to make a distinction.
On the one hand we can consider prostitution as a freelance profession, on the other hand as a form of slavery, that contributes to illegal people trafficking.
We agree with Louise that in the first case legalization of prostitution can be a good way to regulate that social phenomenon, making it safe for sex-seller.
In the second case, that represents a difficult argument to face, a regularization can't solve the problem.
In this case safeguarding people before they enter prostitution is necessary. In fact in many cases prostitutes are been baited in their mother country, primarily Africa, East Europe, South East Asia, with the promise of a safe job and better economic conditions.
In Italy prostitution is regulated by an old law (Merlin's law of 1958) that only abolishes whorehouses without regularizing the phenomenon.
Public opinion considers prostitution like a taboo maybe because of the Church interference and for this reason the italian government doesn't face the matter in an effective way.
Beatrice and Stefano
In respons to Louise
In Italy there were brothels, until 1975, when the " Merlin Law " closed them.
Now prostitutes are on roads and they are exploited and often forced to do by criminal organizations.
The return of brothels would be a solution to stop this reality of roads, but at the same time it represents a return to the past!
I think that we have the freedom to do what we want with our body, but I'm perplexed that we want to go back to brothels, because this is a solution from 40 years ago!
Prostitution is an "old" problem, but it's true that society is changed and there is a different way to live sex and more sexual freedom.
Why does prostitution continue to be a current topic?
Silvia
In response to Louise,
Well, I affirm that the problem is the lack of open-mindedness within our society. It will be very difficult to change the opinion of the people in a few years. We need to make aware public opinion to these issues. However,let me tell you, nowadays in Italy we have many more serious problems to solve, especially regarding the democratic partecipation of the people to the political life.
The political debate upon prostitution should wait till we don't resolve other questions.
In response to Louise:
now you know that in Italy prostitution is illegal, both buy and sell sex. For us this situation ia a forced condition, cause the Church pressure. I only think prostitution must be legalized to fight the illegal organisation that is behind and the condition in wich prostitutes are in. To legalize this market should improve safety not only for prostitutes, but even for who needs this "service". To legalize this market means that diseases as HIV and hepatitis can be better controlled, that prostitutes can have civil rights. Now in Italy the minister of equal opportunities wonts prostitution disappears from streets, but we know where prostitution will go to operate: in illegal closed houses. This not means to fight the problem, but change the problem location.
Elisa
In response to Elisa:
Hi Elisa,
I agree with you, you gave me some more thoughts and it will give me some other perspective to use in my essay. Thank you!
Louise
Post a Comment