Prostitution

I don't think so.
I think they are seen as rather clever, living off rich women, getting lots of sex and having a bit of a doss.

Yes,I should have thought about disabled women, they have needs too.
Aren't "gigolos" looked down on just as much as prostitutes?

Were there now, jeni. Do tell us the juicy details
And why is that different - because there are still unequal power relationships between men and women I guess.
I wonder how many parents of disabled young women think they need a gigolo.
Does it perhaps go back to some idea that men build up an unhealthy head of "steam" if they do not have the proper outlet? Why is it that, in the context of these arguments, masturbation is not viewed as a valid one?
Is there something that I just don't get - or is it a myth which it suits men to believe ?
It is bizarre isn't it that soliciting is illegal but can still be taxed. Bit like if they started taxing cannabis.

There were some very nice gigolos on the queen Mary!

Ella46, what about disabled women in the same situation? Are women's needs so different from men's?

I would be the last to condemn - but I just do not understand why a woman would want to sell herself by choice. Do you know any woman who has had a 'normal' life/upbringing who chooses prostitution?

I wonder how many men who say prostitution is a fine profession, would like their daughters to become prostitutes. Or mums? Had one of my daughters chosen that route, instead of working and studying hard to access decent jobs - I just do not know how I would have felt exactly, but it would have broken my heart and soul. Would any mother not feel the same?

There is also strong male/female bias. Why is it deemed fine for a man to use prostitutes- and yet women who do are not?

I heard this interview on Woman's Hour 12 June .. Rachel was a very interesting woman. It did make me think about prostitution and how it can be made 'sleazy and unsafe' because of mainstream attitudes and if society took a more pragmatic view would it be a healthier and helpful "industry"?

'Rachel Wotton is an Australian sex worker, whose clients include people with disabilities. She is the subject of a documentary 'Scarlet Road' which is being screened at the Sheffield Documentary Festival this week. Rachel says it's often the parents of the client who initiate contact with her, on behalf of their adult child. Two of her clients are interviewed for the documentary, as well as a set of parents. Rachel campaigns for the rights of people with disabilities and speaks at conferences on the subject all over the world. She joins Jane to discuss the issues.'

I hope the police attitude towards assaults on prostitutes has improved and that of some newspapers. I remember my outrage when the headlines read 'Yorkshire Ripper now targets innocent woman'.

The only significant link between prostitution and the incidence of rape is that prostitutes are in a high risk bracket as potential victims. So are young men who work as rent boys, and women in domestic relationships, from their partner!

Some women have 'stood by' their cheating high profile, husbands in spite of the huge humiliation - because they enjoy the life style these men provide?
Is that not a type of prostitution?

Prostitution has always been available though. Human nature surely?

But is that really a valid argument Ella ? The one about disabled men is also used? Is sex with a paid woman really a necessary outlet - or does its availability create the market. Nobody "needed" a washing machine for instance, or a cigarette, until they became available.

I think men who use clearly under-age girls should be prosecuted. Otherwise, the law of supply and demands operates. My daughter used to work in Drug/Alcohol abuse services and she says that many of her clients used prostitution to fund their habit - but of course it can happen the other way round, where a girl forced into the sex 'trade' turns to drugs to soften the reality of her life.
I wonder if it would be possible to set up brothels away from residential streets (say, on industrial estates?) where women could have some protection and medical/social workers could visit?
Incidentally, prostitution is defined as a trade for income tax purposes (burglary is not, as there is no implied contract between the two parties concerned). It is quite hard to check income, however!

What about the decent men ,who use prostitutes instead of being emotionally unfaithful (as well as physically), if the wife is disabled or just never wants sex.
Some men love their wives and don't want an affair, so use prostitutes.

Maybe a good moment to revive this debate on GN (NYE not a great moment for serious political debate!)
Scottish labour MP wants to make using a prostitute a crime. She has some valid arguments:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-18498858

The counter argument is usually something like: Men need an outlet for their urges and if they couldn't go to prostitutes there would be more rape.
Is there any evidence at all that there is a link between the availability of prostitutes and the incidence of rape, I wonder.
The other argument is "its always happened - like the poor, it is always going to be with us"

Best go and get ready for New Year Celebrations - I wish I was looking forward to it, but hey ho! See you all again Next Year x

Syrup sponge.. MMMMMmmmmm my favourite, reminds me of my mum's she used to get them from M and S years ago and I used to burn my mouth on the syrup Yummy! She did/does bake too, but for some reason the sponge puddings always came from M and S as did the Christmas pudding - now they come from Aldi, and just as yummy.

There can't be much that's pleasurable about street walking. Being a courtesan, maybe the luxury if the clients were rich men. Unfortunately have to go off and cook now. Just a fruit salad and syrup sponge, nothing risque like tarts helshea.

and why oh why do men say they "slept with a prostitute" come on boys.. I don't think there would be much sleeping involved.

I take the point about prostitutes not choosing to do that work if they won the lottery. I would have jacked in my very worthy job, too, if I won the lottery. It then comes down to whether we would do these jobs voluntarily? I would cherry-pick the bits of the job I loved and reject the managerial and admin tasks, just keep the working with people bit. Prostitutes might choose what bits of the work they had been enjoying and keep doing that, perhaps?

Sorry to let you down Petallus -but its probably going to be about baking or something similar! I tend to say what I'm thinking at the time, and at the moment I am making jam tarts... oh well.. Tarts? maybe?

I know that joke. Funny! But it does demonstrate very well the good old double standard because how come the woman in the joke gets branded as 'that kind of girl' by the man who is considering buying her services but somehow still considers himself to be stigma free?

carol There was an old joke which went something like:-

"Will you sleep with me for £5,000?"
"Err, well ... .... OK"
"So would you sleep with me for £5?"
"Certainly not! what kind of a girl do you think I am?"
"We've already established that. Now we are just haggling over the price."

Years ago I had a friend who liked to quote 'marriage is the oldest form of prostitution' and on the face of it, yes maybe. But the two things aren't really the same, especially these days when women can admit to wanting sex as much as men and feel free to say no if they feel like it. (It's odd to think that only a few years ago there was no such thing legally as rape within marriage). I would be willing to bet that only a small percentage of women work as prostitutes because they like it. How many would continue if they won the lottery? And men who visit prostitutes aren't going to be, in my opinion, the nicest ones around. Hey helshea you've introduced threads on masturbation and prostitution all in a couple of days. I wonder what's next

It's not illegal to be a prostitute or to sell sex for money - it's illegal to loiter for prostitution, and to kerb-crawl. Higher-end call girls don't have the legal problem, unless a person is using their property as a brothel, as it's illegal to use your premises for the purposes of prostitution.

There's no difference between a street prostitute and a higher end call girl - just a matter of haggling over the money.