10 years after the 1997 prostitution conference, what has changed? IMHO It would be easier to ask which countries is it illegal in, that would be a very short list, with mainly the U.S. were consenting adult sexual rights are denied.

Prostitution is LEGAL (albeit IMO, some not such bad restrictions) in Canada, most of Europe incl. England, France, Wales, Denmark, etc., most of South America including most of Mexico (generally located in special zones), Israel (Tel Aviv known as the brothel capital of the world), Australia, and many other countries. It is either legal or very tolerated in most all of Asia and even Iran has "temporary wives" which can be for only a few hours! New Zealand passed in 2003 one of the most comprehensive decriminalization acts which even made street hookers legal which is causing many concerns.

Personally I don't support (public nuisance) street hookers being legal unless in special zones. However, PRIVATE consenting adult sexwork should be legal as it is in most of the world except the U.S.

As long as prostitution is kept illegal, and women are persecuted for acts which harm no one, prostitute women will be subject to brutality at the hands of misogynists and moralists -- they are, arguably, the same group. And when prostitutes are treated as second class citizens, and in extreme cases, as less than human, then all women who dare to step out of their social constructs will be labeled as whores and treated accordingly.

For these reasons, the rights of all women are contingent upon the rights accorded to the most vulnerable women. - From Dr. Jocelyn Elders: March 1997 International Prostitution

Conference highlights: Keynote speaker was Dr. Jocelyn Elders. Elders was surgeon general until President. Clinton fired her for supporting masturbation. Elders called for prostitution to be decriminalized. Dr. Elders has also said: "We say that [hookers] are selling their bodies, but how is that different from athletes? They're selling their bodies. Models? They're selling their bodies. Actors? They're selling their bodies."

Please share your thoughts

OXOXO

- Jas

Honey, you said it better than I ever could have.  Thank you for the post.  Co-sign me to it all.

See you in Canada...

Hugs,
TS Jamie

-- Modified on 2/13/2008 10:27:49 PM

I think it is legal throughout most of Nevada, though there are county and city ordinances restricting it in cities like Las Vegas.  I'm not sure about other US areas that may maintain it's legality. There's no federal ban on prostitution, although there may be restrictions about transporting across state lines to commit a crime.  I'm not sure if that is covered by the Mann Act as I'm no lawyer.

Anti-prostitution legislation may be supported by, but isn't necessarily solely supported by the moralists and misogynists.  Legislators and law enforcement in my experience rationalize that this type of behavior correlates to other criminal behavior:  misogynistic violence, theft, slavery, etc.  Their intention is to 'protect' you from the evils that they perceive are magnetically attracted to prostitution.  It's much like anti-drug legislation.  According to stereotype drugs make you a less productive citizen, prone to committing violent crime and theft, etc.  I think you believe the criminalization leads to the crime as do I.  They believe the prostitution leads to the crime.  The difference between the prostitute and the athlete is that athletics does not lead to violent crime in their mind, where prostitution does.

I would take issue on your stance regarding streetwalkers.  Just as legislators have no right to abrogate your version of whoring, you have no right to abrogate a streetwalkers.  If you want to 'zone' streetwalking someone who doesn't like streetwalking has the power to 'zone' it out of existence.  Just because you think it is a nuisance doesn't give you the right.  When do we start 'zoning' the homeless, panhandlers, or the ugly because we rationalize that they are a nuisance?  Secondly where do we 'zone' them?  Likely economically depressed areas, because the rich certainly don't want that shit walking on their sidewalks.

I'm for maximum personal freedom and liberty. I interpret your solution as no different than the moralists and misogynists supposed attack on your profession.  In the 'zoning' example, you are grabbing the reigns of power and telling people how to live and what is right and wrong and where they can ply their trade just like the moralist you are complaining about.  Instead of being subjected to the moralist's utopia, you are forming your own utopia and forcing it on me.  I would rather shrink governmental power than just shift the same power to the hands of someone else with a different, yet no less oppressive agenda.

Well put Miss Jasmine. I have always been of the belief that everyone's best interests would be better protected if prostitution were legalized.

As the "moral" majority slowly but surely becomes the minority, perhaps we will become enlightened and realize that we can better protect everyone concerned through legalization / decriminalization.  Professional and client would have legit forum to complain in the event of crimes against them, a means to insure the health of professionals, not to mention positive impact on local economy via the local business tax that would go hand in hand with legalization, which I have to believe would far exceed whatever income is generated resulting from fines imposed on sex workers, as well he savings from the reduction in investigation, arrest and incarceration.

While not perfect, Nevada seems to have done something right over the years. As long as Buffy and Biff run local governments, I fear not much will change, until of course Biff gets caught up in a local sting and it is discovered that Buffy is the local Mamasan. Hypocricity is alive an well in our "enlightened" county.

I would say to anyone who visits Germany when you leave the Bahnhoff (train station) in Frankfurt go straight out the front and head down one of the streets across the plaza from there.. Along the side/cross streets at least 3 deep you will find 'meat market' hotels with more than enough heat to keep you happy..

Back in my past life even I could not resist the hottie temptations found there and I was not even into women..

If you visit Nurenburg be sure to tour the wall.. Go left at the main entrance once past the first set of building on a warm day the girls will call to you for favors..

Oh such is life in a real 'free' place...

Then of course there is Amsterdam.. Where damn near any lady out and about will see you for a few dollars.. Just stop and say 'hi' swing by a coffee house and get 'cozy' and 'comfortable' before retiring for some fun...

Turkey has some really great but hidden brothels.. You should find these on line prior to your trip there as I say they are UTR.. "Strangely" Turkish soldiers are usually the best source of this info..

There are massage locations (asian and non asian) that have been open for years with no issues. In addition, the O'Farrel (sp?) Theater in downtown SF has a basket of condoms as you pass through the front door for "extra" services in the club.  This has also been there for years.  I guess its the under the table money eyyy?  I know politicians dont want it on the streets or visible to the average person, but LE in specific areas, and these are only examples, has looked the other way and probably held out their hands for a tip for years.  Every large city has some outlet or a combination of a few different ones.

The only first hand knowledge I have of a country that has legal prostitution is Costa Rica, which I visited in October of 2006.  Prostitutes there must register with the police and carry their ID card, which verifies that they are 18 or over when they work.  There are very severe penalties for having sex, paid or not, with anybody under 18 in CR.

The most interesting thing about Costa Rica is not just that prostitution is legal, but that it is commonly accepted as a perfectly reasonable way for a young woman to make some money while she is going to college or to supplement her income while she is beginning her career.  There is by and large no stigma attached to working as a prostitute.  

Unfortunately, the situation in regard to TS girls is not so pleasant.  They have a very bad reputation for participating in "cash and dash" and client muggings.  Although I have no first hand information, I would guess that this happens because they are excluded from the legal prostitution arrangements which the GG's benefit from.

I'm not positive, but I think Rhode Island or one of those itty bitty states around there has legalized prostitution in some form.

Maybe one of our intenet researchers can verify and further educate us on this.

Hugs,
TS Jamie

I too am for I'm for maximum personal freedom and liberty. The sad facts are  when it comes to government, one must often walk before one can run.

While the defining of a specific section of a city be "zoned" for street walking, it is not without precedent, ie most cities have zoning regulations regarding commercial and residential areas. An oil refinery cannot be located in a residential area,nor can the brothels in Nevada. So it would be at least a first step if an area were designated for those so inclined to receive customers and engage in the pleasures of the flesh. Not the perfect solution, but a start.

I cannot help but believe that crimes so often associated with the oldest profession would be reduced significantly with decriminalization or legalization. For example, I would think that the pimps, who I believe are the individuals most often guilty of physical harm against "their girls" would be out of business and need to find an alternate source of their "free lunch" or find a real job.

It is no wounder that we rarely, if ever expect to see or hear "common sense and government /politician's" used in the same sentence. Kind of depressing. Just my 2 cents.

Itty Bitty?  No Itty Bitties around here!

Sorry, had more to say after that feeble attempt at humor.

There's a technicality that does make prostitution permissable.  Any private, i.e, inside a room(motel)or house exchange is considered just that, private; between two consenting adults.  Any exchange or discussion outside that private area where discussion of sex for money takes place is considered solicitation for sex and illegal.

-- Modified on 2/17/2008 5:41:16 AM

The problem with Nevada is that, since all the HBO cathouse specials and the like, most of the brothels have started to think of themselves as holy temples on the hill, and have priced themselves out of that range of everyone except insane rich people. There's exceptions like Shady Lady Ranch, but not many.

I know it's just MHO, but there is NOONE on this earth, man, woman or in between, that is worth $5000 for a single encounter. You're in the range of the rates for specialized surgery at that point.

There's a point where even the horniest guy says, you know, it's just sex.