Swedish-style Legislation Vote 07/05/2013

[The Equalizer]

From the Article
Comment

Deputy Thomas Pringle today tabled his Bill in the Dáil to criminalise the purchase of sexual services, with a vote on the Bill to take place next Tuesday, where he highlighted the importance of legislating in line with the Swedish model.
This clearly highlights that Deputy Pringle has failed to conduct sufficient research into the (negative) realities which Swedish-style Legislation will impose upon persons whom it supposedly serves to protect (namely Independent Sex Workers [as the negative implications of Swedish-style Legislation have been highlighted by both members of the EI Community and persons not in any way connected with the EI Community]).

“I strongly believe that prostitution is incompatible with contemporary values and that it is a serious social problem, which can and should be abolished.
Personal views have no place in consideration for introduction of Legislation which poses the severe negative implications of Swedish-style Legislation.

In reality, very few women choose to willingly engage in prostitution, with most who are involved having very few real choices.
I have highlighted on a number of occasions that any of the girls I met from EI were very intelligent (some were even educated to University level [and most were multi-lingual]), who never exhibited behaviours associated with drug and/or alcohol dependence, and never gave me the impression they were doing anything they didn’t want to do.
(It is also worth highlighting that, there are more persons in Ireland whom are homeless, unemployed, living in poverty and are actual victims of numerous other problems [and in alot of cases encounter problems accessing appropriate and necessary State Services] than there are “victims” of the Sex Industry. What is being done to help these people?)

This issue must be addressed – we must decriminalise the victims in this ‘trade’ and give them the option of rehabilitation, while targeting demand.
“Rehabilitation” in Ireland for persons "wishing to exit the Sex Industry" (re Ruhama and TORL) make life misery for persons whom they are supposedly trying to improve the lives of. In addition, “targeting demand” will remove (or reduce to levels which would prove impossible to survive on) the incomes of Independent Sex Workers.

For me it’s simple – anything that contributes to gender inequality and allows for the purchase of one human being for the gratification of another is not only unacceptable, it is fundamentally and morally wrong.
Purchase of sexual services is just that, the purchase of a service. Clients of Independent Sex Workers are not purchasing the Independent Sex Worker, and do not consider themselves to be purchasing another human being. The above bolden statement by Pringle speaks volumes (and not in a good way) about Pringle’s attitude towards Independent Sex Workers (and people in general, for that matter).

When they choose to support legalising an ‘industry’ that profits from breaching human rights in a most degrading way, they are attempting to justify the commercialisation of the human body, something which should never be for sale.
Persons (whether they be Male, Female or Transgender) whom are working in the Sex Industry of their own will are not having their Human Rights breached in any way and are quiet capable of speaking for themselves on this matter.

this much I know to be factual: the sex industry is a cruel and disturbing place that is run by criminals, and the only feasible way to bring this industry to its knees is to cut off the demand.
Swedish-style Legislation will actually be of benefit to criminals. This is beyond apparent in Sweden and Norway (where Swedish-style Legislation is implemented and enacted).

“We need to send a clear message to traffickers and pimps that women are no longer for sale in Ireland,” stated Pringle.
If Swedish-style Legislation is introduced, scum such as pimps and traffickers will raise a glass to Pringle.

[The Equalizer]

Excuse my forgetfulness, I earlier forgot to insert the appropriate link. Please find Below

(Link: http://www.thomaspringle.ie/?p=2124)

[LaBelleThatcher]

In reality, very few women choose to willingly engage in prostitution, with most who are involved having very few real choices.

He must meet a lot of sex workers so, out in Donegal? Which is probably why he refused to even respond when I offered to drive to Donegal to meet him...too much "same old, same old"....except he started following me on twitter ( maybe some of ye guys are just naturally more "from Mars" than others?)...or maybe just because I was good enough to fish with his father doesn't mean I will ever be good enough to raise my eyes and speak to the superior likes of him?

BUT REGARDLESS...taking it as read that the 90% of sex workers in Ireland who regularly drop into his local in Killybegs for a chat have assured him that they have few, if any, real choices (I suppose the 90% of the general population who have very few real choices but hang on to the job they have in this economy is just an irrelevant, coincidental red herring?) - when a person has few if any real choices WHAT KIND OF CRAP INVOLVES REMOVING ONE OF THE CHOICES THEY DO HAVE?

PLEASE somebody, tell me how that helps? (Unless you count "getting it over with quickly"?)

The sex industry is *NEVER* the cause of homelessness, unemployment and poverty - it is only related to any of those things as a SOLUTION...unless Ruhama get their way (as outlined in their submission) in which case it will, indeed, cause homelessness (though, of coure, their applications for funding for residential service provision are YET ANOTHER of they "coincidental red herrings".). I am not sure I understand why Ruhama think it will help, support and protect sex workers to be made homeless???

This issue must be addressed – we must decriminalise the victims in this ‘trade’ and give them the option of rehabilitation, while targeting demand.
“Rehabilitation” in Ireland for persons "wishing to exit the Sex Industry" (re Ruhama and TORL) make life misery for persons whom they are supposedly trying to improve the lives of. In addition, “targeting demand” will remove (or reduce to levels which would prove impossible to survive on) the incomes of Independent Sex Workers.

Ruhama have offered the "option of rehabilitation" since 1989 and the vast majority of all classess of sex workers have voted with their feet and shown a significant preference for selling sex over placing their lives at the mercy of any organisation that does nothing by lie to and about them, exploit them and abuse them. In my opinion they are making the ONLY healthy choice.

I would take my life rather than let Ruhama, or any other TORL org have the smallest power over me. Because I have learned the hard way how bad they truly are.

[Madden2k]

Is it correct to say that if this gets passed it will mean an immediate end to escort-ireland and escorting in general. I can't imagine many of the politicians will openly vote against it, even if they don't believe in it.

[LaBelleThatcher]

Is it correct to say that if this gets passed it will mean an immediate end to escort-ireland and escorting in general. I can't imagine many of the politicians will openly vote against it, even if they don't believe in it.

Of course it won't...in the long term, Escort - Ireland will be able to adapt and become significantly MORE profitable - if they choose to do so, and they may not, not least because there are other, really sinister, organisations gearing up to cash in as well and those pretty normal ordinary people at E-I may not feel able to cope with being under constant siege from organised crime for their market share.

Short term, a few dozen sex workers in all categories, who are standing close to the edge when the music stops will find their lives and families pushed off a cliff.

Likewise a few of the more harmless and vulnerable clients, and their families, will be made examples of

Substance abuse will increase (as it did markedly after the 1993 law) to deal with the additional stress, but that will decrease somewhat after about 5 years.

Some of the touring escorts will move on, those that stay will find their takings increase. The mostly Irish streetworkers will find their incomes decimated and either have to move under the control of those "really sinister organisations" I mentioned or turn to hard crime just to keep paying the bills.

It will all work REALLY well...