Legalize prostitution — then police it vigorously (Toronto Sun)

[eznutz]

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/10/25/legalize-prostitution--then-police-it-vigorously
TORONTO - Prostitution is called the world’s oldest profession for a reason. It has always been with us and always will be.

Written references go back to the Bible, and in the Victorian era it was known simply as the “social evil” with practitioners known as “fallen women.”

 

[LKD]

Legalize it and you'll see an increase in forced prostitution, sex slaves, underage etc.. watch crime shoot up, innocents getting murdered. North America with lax gun laws and availability of them is just unlike countries in Europe or Asia, where such crime is still alarming.. Legalization will only protect the women smart enough to be registered, those who work according to the laws in place and ofcourse provide income to the govt.

 

[GPIDEAL]

Legalize it and you'll see an increase in forced prostitution, sex slaves, underage etc.. watch crime shoot up, innocents getting murdered. North America with lax gun laws and availability of them is just unlike countries in Europe or Asia, where such crime is still alarming.. Legalization will only protect the women smart enough to be registered, those who work according to the laws in place and ofcourse provide income to the govt.

Why should that be the case? You will still make forced prostitution, sex slaves, human trafficking, underage workers illegal.

 

[dreamblade]

How would, pray tell, DECRIMINALIZATION (we're not talking about legalization) lead to that doom and gloom? The point is that Canada has legalised prostitution in 94, but kept provisions surrounding the trade (bawdyhouse, avails, and communicating) illegal. It was successfully argued that these provisions actually increase risk and exploitation, and the first 2 provisions have already been struck down by the OSC. Please do your research and base your arguments on fact instead of opinion.

 

[rld]

Legalize it and you'll see an increase in forced prostitution, sex slaves, underage etc.. watch crime shoot up, innocents getting murdered. North America with lax gun laws and availability of them is just unlike countries in Europe or Asia, where such crime is still alarming.. Legalization will only protect the women smart enough to be registered, those who work according to the laws in place and ofcourse provide income to the govt.

Has that been the experience in other first world countries that have legalized prostitution?

And I would suggest that both the gun laws and gun culture in Canada and the US are very different.

 

[wetnose]

Legalize it and you'll see an increase in forced prostitution, sex slaves, underage etc.. watch crime shoot up, innocents getting murdered. North America with lax gun laws and availability of them is just unlike countries in Europe or Asia, where such crime is still alarming.. Legalization will only protect the women smart enough to be registered, those who work according to the laws in place and ofcourse provide income to the govt.

Not sure if serious....

 

[LKD]

Has that been the experience in other first world countries that have legalized prostitution?

And I would suggest that both the gun laws and gun culture in Canada and the US are very different.

it might not seem like it, but trust me, a lot more crime goes on. I've witnessed first hand illegal/underage prostitutes working under the watchful eye of their pimps, them bolting numerous times while cops chase them, prostitutes beat up and robbed on the street while cops were patrolling not too far away and citizens unable to do much, women locked up in basements that looked like dungeons behind three steel cage/door entrances with half a dozen guys/bouncers who looked like they pump iron all day (<--- that was one of the scariest experiences ever.. there was a fear that I'd never get out of that place alive unless I agreed to pay them the money they demanded for a horrible service) Imagine a home where you need to get through a metal garage door first, then enter a steel door that looked like prison bars, down a flight of stairs until you entered what would typically be called the 'front door' out here.. All these doors are locked with chains..

 

[dreamblade]

it might not seem like it, but trust me, a lot more crime goes on. I've witnessed first hand illegal/underage prostitutes working under the watchful eye of their pimps, them bolting numerous times while cops chase them, prostitutes beat up and robbed on the street while cops were patrolling not too far away and citizens unable to do much, women locked up in basements that looked like dungeons behind three steel cage/door entrances with half a dozen guys/bouncers who looked like they pump iron all day (<--- that was one of the scariest experiences ever.. there was a fear that I'd never get out of that place alive unless I agreed to pay them the money they demanded for a horrible service) Imagine a home where you need to get through a metal garage door first, then enter a steel door that looked like prison bars, down a flight of stairs until you entered what would typically be called the 'front door' out here.. All these doors are locked with chains..

So how does that nighmare scenario come into play if decriminalization happens? As the Swedish model has proven, criminalising any transaction fails to "save" sex-workers, and is more likely to force the trade underground?

Also, if this is something you saw first hand, why not report it?

 

[rld]

it might not seem like it, but trust me, a lot more crime goes on. I've witnessed first hand illegal/underage prostitutes working under the watchful eye of their pimps, them bolting numerous times while cops chase them, prostitutes beat up and robbed on the street while cops were patrolling not too far away and citizens unable to do much, women locked up in basements that looked like dungeons behind three steel cage/door entrances with half a dozen guys/bouncers who looked like they pump iron all day (<--- that was one of the scariest experiences ever.. there was a fear that I'd never get out of that place alive unless I agreed to pay them the money they demanded for a horrible service) Imagine a home where you need to get through a metal garage door first, then enter a steel door that looked like prison bars, down a flight of stairs until you entered what would typically be called the 'front door' out here.. All these doors are locked with chains..

I am not saying a problem does not exist, but I think legalizing it will reduce the problem not increase it. Some prostitutes are afraid to approach the police because what they do is illegal. I don't see how licensing and monitoring the profession makes it worse. Kind of like suggesting driver's licenses makes it more likely cars will get stolen and drunk driving will happen.

 

[Aardvark154]

it might not seem like it, but trust me, a lot more crime goes on. I've witnessed first hand illegal/underage prostitutes working under the watchful eye of their pimps

That is far less likely in a scenario where outcall and bordellos are legal but street walking is not.

 

[IM469]

Legalize it and you'll see an increase in forced prostitution, sex slaves, underage etc.. watch crime shoot up, innocents getting murdered. North America with lax gun laws and availability of them is just unlike countries in Europe or Asia, where such crime is still alarming.. Legalization will only protect the women smart enough to be registered, those who work according to the laws in place and ofcourse provide income to the govt.

There is absolutely no proof to these wild assumptions and of course they aren't even logical. If prostitution is legalized, then it can be regulated where as if it is illegal and driven underground then underage girls are much more easy to mix in with the larger illegal mature prostitutes. When it is illegal, then the only place for working girls to get protection from abusive customers, etc are the pimps since they can't go to the LE. And if these pimps take all their money and abuse them - they have now where to go.

The only reason this is an issue has nothing to do with girls safety or underage exploitation (which obviously will increase), it is a morality issue.

 

[frankcastle]

The doom and gloom/dark side was there before legalizing prostitution and will be there afterwards.

The key to the changes would be providing safer work environment for people who want to work in the industry legally.

Those looking to force people into prostitution or use underage people will not look to follow legal channels as they run the risk of getting caught that way. So in my opinion changes in the laws won't affect that.

The slippery slope type argument is probably what has kept it from being legalized up to this point.

 

[kk56]

The Province is looking into this.
Before tax harmonization ( stealing more from us) professional services were only subject to GST

Now full PST ( full HST) applies. No wander, why....

 

[MattRoxx]

That SUN article is of course, horrible.

Until then prostitution will operate in a vague, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ form in Ontario. It will be (mostly) unregulated until police have clear determination on the terms of so-called “bawdy house” trade.

There's little that is "vague" about prostitution in Toronto expect maybe the B&S vagueness of some of the Asian agencies.

The slippery slope type argument is probably what has kept it from being legalized up to this point.

There's also the NIMBY argument of the idiot Mamoliti, And the entire purpose of the SUN's article comes down to this bit of nonsense:

“I’ve always suggested we bring them as far away from the city as possible,” he said. “Of course (the island) is an option, I don’t see why it shouldn’t be. Why is my neighbourhood an option and the island not?”

Which just about sums up the position of those in favour of legalized sex work.

Mammoliti 's ridiculous contention is NOT AT ALL the summation of the position of those in favour or legalized sex work. The SUN's *ahem* journalist plagiarized or re-used this old quote from an earlier article and obviously could not be bothered to speak to anyone who is actually in favour of legalized sex work, and in accepting it as a legitimate business which would set up in an area, pay rent, taxes etc like other licensed businesses.
Put in on the Island?! That makes no sense and could only be uttered by someone who never goes to the Islands, only imagines that area to be dead, wasted space, and has no real interest in allowing brothels to operate in the city.
I hate to break it to you Giorgio but there's already prostitution quietly happening in your neighbourhood.