A well done to Senator Mary White

[Jack in the Box]

It's good to hear a sane voice for a change. Senator Mary White deserves praise for pointing out the nonsense of imposing an oppressive Swedish type law in Ireland which criminalises the clients of sex workers. She spoke out against a proposal which certain senators were making including Ivana Bacik. You have an unholy alliance of the like of Ivana Bacik and Ruhama trying to dictate to everybody else.

The link for the email address of all the td's and senators is:

www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=-1&CatID=138&m=m

It would be nice to send an email to Mary White to acknowledge the stand that she took against unacceptable Swedish type laws and to say well done.

Her email address is:

mwhite@oireachtas.ie

[Morpheus]

Thanks Jack. Do you have a link or reference (i.e. what paper?) for her statement. I would love to read it before sending her an email.

Thanks,

[TomEA]

I would also like to hear her statement, I don't know much about the politics going on at the moment, but im always up for finding out :)

Yeah just pop a link on hre and I will read it when I see it

[monster_monster]

Thanks Jack. Do you have a link or reference (i.e. what paper?) for her statement. I would love to read it before sending her an email.

Thanks,


I would also like to hear her statement, I don't know much about the politics going on at the moment, but im always up for finding out :)

Yeah just pop a link on hre and I will read it when I see it

Here is a link to the debate and all the senator said. From what I can read she isn't standing up for the legalisation of prostitution or anything, she seems more to be asking for a national debate and then to make up her mind form there. As always as escorting etc. is not something that people want to be openly supporting I'm afraid that the more public Turn Off the Red Light will get a lot more publicity.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/seanad/2011/10/12/00008.asp#N127

[TomEA]

I see what you mean, she is not directly saying what we think she is.

More simply put she wants to be genuinly sure before she makes any hasty decisions, smart woman :)
If only we had more like her in the government rather than these corrupt lot that use it for their own benefit :mad:

[Morpheus]

Here is a link to the debate and all the senator said. From what I can read she isn't standing up for the legalisation of prostitution or anything, she seems more to be asking for a national debate and then to make up her mind form there. As always as escorting etc. is not something that people want to be openly supporting I'm afraid that the more public Turn Off the Red Light will get a lot more publicity.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/seanad/2011/10/12/00008.asp#N127

Thanks Monster for the link. It is very worrying. The debate is in full swing in the senate. I shouldn't really call it a debate because it is entirely one sided. Clearly it is very emotive because the main issue being highlighted is the trafficking of women for sex work. This is obviously completely unacceptable to all of us and should be stopped. Unfortunately it has led to the assumption that all sex workers need saving. What is worrying is that there is a strong lobby to push through the legislation without further debate.

Senator Mary White is the only one who has not only suggested holding out for further debate but also pointed out the other side of the argument- specifically naming the TOBL campaign. She also stated there there are concerns about the Swedish Model.

However, I fear that her lone voice may not be able to stem the tide and that we are all living on borrowed time in this community. (I do sincerely hope that I am wrong.)

[Morpheus]

Copy of my email to Senator Mary White. I attaced the URL link to the Youtube interview below (originally posted by Brock). Hopefully she will look at it and it may give her some fuel for debate if she chooses.

Dear Senator White,

I would like to thank and commend you for your stance that there should be more debate about the above proposed legislation, whatever your personal beliefs may be.

There should be no tolerance of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. However, I believe only one side of the debate for the above legislation has been heard. Ruhamma and the Turn of the Red Light (TORL) Campaign are very well funded and politically connected. I have no doubt that they have very good intentions.

However, Ruhamma and the TORL do not accept that there are sex workers who actually want to have a say in the matter. These are women who for whatever reason, have chosen to work in the trade. I am not referring to women who have been trafficked or forced into this work. Furthermore Ruhamma and the TORL do not accept there are any sex workers who have chosen to do so of their own free will.

Thank you for alluding to the Turn off the blue light campaign, which is hardly heard due to the stigma associated with sex work. It is clearly not possible for sex workers to expose their identities and debate this on a public forum.

While the Swedish model is being touted as the “Utopia” solution, there are other countries like New Zealand and Canada that have adopted the opposite approach and would claim better protection for women in the trade, and reduction in trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Below is a link to a clip on Youtube of an interview with a Swedish Sex Worker who outlines very eloquently, the hypocrisy and failings of the “Swedish Model”. It is very enlightening.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D7nOh57-I8

Thank you once again for your brave stance in pushing for more debate and pointing out that pushing through legislation will only drive the industry underground.

[monster_monster]

Thanks Monster for the link. It is very worrying. The debate is in full swing in the senate. I shouldn't really call it a debate because it is entirely one sided. Clearly it is very emotive because the main issue being highlighted is the trafficking of women for sex work. This is obviously completely unacceptable to all of us and should be stopped. Unfortunately it has led to the assumption that all sex workers need saving. What is worrying is that there is a strong lobby to push through the legislation without further debate.

Senator Mary White is the only one who has not only suggested holding out for further debate but also pointed out the other side of the argument- specifically naming the TOBL campaign. She also stated there there are concerns about the Swedish Model.

However, I fear that her lone voice may not be able to stem the tide and that we are all living on borrowed time in this community. (I do sincerely hope that I am wrong.)

actually she spoke for the govt. motion as seen on the TOBL website. All they are asking for is more time, instead of shoe horning the Swedish model in immediately Sen. White and others want a proper debate and to give the dept. of justice time to look at this situation further instead of rushing into anything.

The only person I have actually heard standing up for prostitution in Ireland is Mick Wallace but if the papers are to go by he looks doomed to loose his seat once made bankrupt

[Ebony Amber]

Copy of my email to Senator Mary White. I attaced the URL link to the Youtube interview below (originally posted by Brock). Hopefully she will look at it and it may give her some fuel for debate if she chooses.

Dear Senator White,

I would like to thank and commend you for your stance that there should be more debate about the above proposed legislation, whatever your personal beliefs may be.

There should be no tolerance of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. However, I believe only one side of the debate for the above legislation has been heard. Ruhamma and the Turn of the Red Light (TORL) Campaign are very well funded and politically connected. I have no doubt that they have very good intentions.

However, Ruhamma and the TORL do not accept that there are sex workers who actually want to have a say in the matter. These are women who for whatever reason, have chosen to work in the trade. I am not referring to women who have been trafficked or forced into this work. Furthermore Ruhamma and the TORL do not accept there are any sex workers who have chosen to do so of their own free will.

Thank you for alluding to the Turn off the blue light campaign, which is hardly heard due to the stigma associated with sex work. It is clearly not possible for sex workers to expose their identities and debate this on a public forum.

While the Swedish model is being touted as the “Utopia” solution, there are other countries like New Zealand and Canada that have adopted the opposite approach and would claim better protection for women in the trade, and reduction in trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Below is a link to a clip on Youtube of an interview with a Swedish Sex Worker who outlines very eloquently, the hypocrisy and failings of the “Swedish Model”. It is very enlightening.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D7nOh57-I8

Thank you once again for your brave stance in pushing for more debate and pointing out that pushing through legislation will only drive the industry underground.



This is a brilliant video Morph thank you!

[Jack in the Box]

Fair play to you Morpheus. That's a super letter.

[espresso]

Does anyone know how this public consultation works
Who is lookng at it were we go to put out our opinions

[curvyirishgirl katie]

Very Good Morpheus...thanks for the effort

[Rodney69]

Well done Morpheus, Fair play to you.

I read another article today in the Sunday Independent, not directly related
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/our-worries-are-on-the-rise-and-so-is-illicit-sex-2914238.html

But the version in the paper was slightly different. It referred to the proposal to criminalise the purchase of sex. But also talked about where do you draw the line in enforcing it.

e.g.
you spend all night buying a girl drinks and dinner, and you go home together.
you keep your trophy partner in the lifestyle she's accustomed - fancy house, clothes, car, holidays. Until the banks decide to take it all off you to pay off your debts.

[typhoon]

Good for her. She's going against the populist tide - I'd vote for her if I could!