Should brothels be legalised?

The term "Escort Agency" is questionable as well. I thought the idea expressed by one of the police officers that the women were working voluntarily because they held the card saying "Escort" in the photos was shocking. Somehow I think the term gives the trade a sense of respectability.

A lot depends on the definition of 'massage parlours'. Mobile phones and the Internet has revolutionised this business. Pop up brothels are easily shifted around. Air B&Bs are apparently being used.
Im sure that buffy is quite accurate in what she says but the formal 'massage parlours' aren't so much of a problem. The trafficked girls are in the ever changing new venues.

..... and this www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/chinatown-and-soho-18-arrested-in-prostitution-and-slavery-raids-as-police-storm-six-massage-a3374971.html

None of the girls in Massage Parlors are trafficked!

Really? www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/human-traffickers-forcing-girls-nail-4865613

Baggs buggers off.

Oh. Whoops! Wrong thread.

And if it was that, then more power to their elbows, I say.

Actually, on second thoughts, if the burning of the effigy was a comment on the council and the builders of the Grenfell Tower, I don't think it was so wrong after all.

I very much doubt if it was meant as a comment on the people who lived and died in Grenfell Tower. I think it was a comment on the event, which shouldn't have happened.

There's probably only one in each town and a few more in Cities and the Police do have the resources for this in Gb.
It's probably one "raid" every month or so, takes about an hour.
Yes, they have the resouces!
Off to watch Bohemian Rhapsody now, so will not be answering any more questions # interrogation ?

This

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40363513

But you are talking about all massage parlours and that simply can’t bectrue - how do the police have tge resourcesto check on all of them? And does this apply in W, S and NI?

maryeliza54 you may have gathered that I have some knowledge of this, the Police do regular random check on these places and speak to the girls but it is not this that stops a girl in there being trafficked, it is the other girls themselves.
It is not in the Massage Parlor owners interest to upset the girls who work on his premises.
It would be impossible for one girl to be a trafficked girl, the other girls would not stand for it and also impossible for all of them to be trafficked, #unworkable.
But if you think you know better, you carry on.

How do you know that none of them are trafficked? How many ‘massage parlours’ are there in the UK and you are certain about all of them? Recently there was an issue about women working in nail bars being trafficked - sorry just can’t buy your certainty

Are you saying that the Law are complicit with this because it's best for the girls or is it rather an excuse to let themselves off the hook

The Authorities know that they will never stop prostitution, so I suppose the answer is Both!

None of the girls in Massage Parlors are trafficked!
Definately!
You may feel that what I have said paints a Rosy Picture, maryeliza54 although I fail to see what is "Rosy" about it.

I can’t help but feel that’s a very rosy picture Buffy. I wonder how many of the women there have been trafficked, I wonder who is really behind all this and where the money is going? Are you saying the las are complicit with this because it’s best for the girls or is it rather that it’s an excuse to let themselves off the hook?

If it was made illegal to pay for sex, it would not stop prostitution, it would just be forced "under ground".
Much more dangerous for these girls and they would probably be forced to work for criminals.
I know for a fact that most Massage Parlors are brothels, the authorities are very aware of them and prefer the girls to be safe and not trading around the streets.
You may be surprised to know that these places and the girls pay Income Tax, the girls are free-lance and work for themselves by hiring a room in the "Massage Parlour", much like a hairdresser hiring a chair in a Salon.
The polar opposite to these girls who are snatched to be sex slaves, which needs to be stopped and the perpetrators given much harsher sentences than they do at present.

Greg’s? Sorry - drugs

I agreetrisher I basically think it’s an insurmountable problem that has got much much worse in recent years with the trafikking aspect - added to the links to Greg’s and organised crime. I really can’t accept the argument of dome feminists that it’s the woman’s choice - as pps have said, there’s rarely any real choice about it at all

That was my first thought as well. Then I thought how would that work in practice? Would the women really give evidence against the men? How would you get a conviction? Which made me think it would need a range of legislation to help.
Some feminists would argue that if the women choose to sell sex they should be supported and licensing would do that.

Yes make it illegal to buy sex.

I expect it’s the old fashioned feminist in me but the phrase ‘unlicensed women’ sends a shiver down my spine - women reduced to purveyors of licensed sex. Also I really don’t think it would ever work - look at all the failures in trying to license landlords, the faked gas safety certificates - the brothels and women without licences would go deeper underground and be even more dangerous places just like illegal lettings and sweat shops are - but yes, make it illegal to buy sex

M0nica I don't think that legalisation alone would work but combined with making it an offense for men to use unlicensed women or brothels it might help. Presumably most men wouldn't want to be criminals.

MOnica yes of course some of us do

trisher I get what you're saying as not a million miles from me there'd been a raid which initially allegedly had been ignored when young girls had been rescued from the clutches of many Asian men and who are now in prison. This had been going on for years. I remember crying as I was reading it in the local news. The incident was in Birkenhead.
I don't hold with brothels or unlicensed massage places.