Thursday, March 29, 2007

[prostitution] does iceland have the answer

Prostitution has become legal in Iceland after a new provision in the Penal Code was accepted by parliament on March 17. It is both legal to solicit sex and to buy sexual services, but it is illegal for a third party to profit from prostitution. The government argues most people who solicit sex do so because they have no other choice or because they are forced into prostitution by others.

By making soliciting sex legal, the government believes individuals who have been forced into prostitution would rather come forward and lead police to those responsible. A new clause has been added to this paragraph making it illegal for a third party to organize sexual relations between others for money, even though he or she does not profit from it. With the new law provision it has also become illegal to advertise prostitution.

Maybe they're onto something here. What do you think? Personally, from the male point of view, I can't see the point of prostitution. Lots of good ladies around without running those risks.

9 comments:

  1. As with drugs, keeping this illegal has neither stoppped it or helped those involved.

    Time for a change, if it does not work we can always make it illegal again.

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  2. Women who turn to prostitution do not usually see it as a career. Generally they need the money to support an addiction, or worse, are controlled and terrorized by their pimps (this is more the case with underage prostitutes). It's not a victimless crime.

    Keeping anything illegal doesn't stop it entirely (women are still raped, people are murdered daily, houses are burglarized) but to legalize these things would constitute something of a moral stamp of approval from the state for acts that are inherently immoral.

    I'm not suprised, though. It's the natural conclusion of an increasing desensitization to sex.

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  3. Two points of view with validity and yet opposed. Oh, to know what to do with this issue.

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  4. It seems to me that the Icelanders have hit on a pragmatic middle-ground that will at least reduce the exploitation of women and give the police the chance to offer protection against [some] violence. Although not perfect its a step in the right direction which I think the UK should take notice of. Its the "oldest trade" and I don't expect it to ever go away but if we can make it a safer choice then that can't be a bad thing.

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  5. I, too, think the Icelanders may have found a way forward here. It seems to me a better "solution" than any other government has tried.

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  6. Personally, from the male point of view, I can't see the point of prostitution. Lots of good ladies around without running those risks.

    Me either! Times have changed, sex is much freer now than it used to be. Literally.

    But I do realize there are those of us who find it difficult to "get dates." And then there are those who desire "forbidden fruit", so perhaps prostitution is for them.

    Deep down I'm a libertarian. I think we should legalize prostitution and drugs. My husband strongly disagrees with me. But we waste so much money on "The War on Drugs" when we should be spending it on addiction prevention and rehab services.

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  7. Yes, perhaps the other western governments might look to this and scrutinize the results. It might be the way forward.

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  8. The crime is not that a woman provides sexual service for money or that a man pays for these services, the crime is in that one forces another to engage in such sales or one is not old enough to make proper judgment. Therefore, I agree with the illegalization of a third party gaining benefit of the service. More effort should be put into seeking out traffikers and exploiters and punish them severely. Maybe 5 to 10 years behind bars and reparations paid to the victims as well. More effort should be put into preventing traffikers from easily moving victims across the borders as well. I for one find it more convenient to call up a girl and pay her for what I want than to beg my wife or girlfriend or even go out and try to score a date for one night in a bar. In Brazil girls are allowed to advertise in the classifieds of the local papers and provide their phone numbers for contacts. I don't understand the reason to make it illegal to advertise.

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  9. Keeping anything illegal doesn't stop it entirely (women are still raped, people are murdered daily, houses are burglarized) but to legalize these things would constitute something of a moral stamp of approval from the state for acts that are inherently immoral.

    LOL ... People dont ask to be raped, murdered, and robbed. These are illegal because force is used to deprive someone of their free will over their property. They are obvious violations of property rights. (see capitalism)

    If you're expecting the STATE (war, taxes) to lead you down a moral road..... GOOD LUCK...


    However, people offer sex for money and money for sex. There is no force used in a normal transaction. Being terrorized by a pimp constitutes duress, see above.

    Antiprostitution laws make what would otherwise be a legal transaction between two consenting parties illegal. It would be like saying that you can give hair cuts, but you can't charge for them.

    Third party profiteers are evil bastards. Why should someone share in profits after building a good reputation for having quality clean girls? RIDICULOUS!! I want to call a random girl I see on the right street... sounds better to me.

    Trafficking humans is a crime. See property rights above. Will making it illegal for someone else to profit off prostitution end trafficking?

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