Did she really do research or just interview her male friends

[claremorris]

"Monica O'Connor, co-founder of University College Dublin's Sexual Exploitation Research Project (SERP) has spent well over 15 years researching prostitution and talking to women involved in it.

She is a huge supporter of the new law making it an offence to buy sex because, she says, prostitution is inherently harmful. In her book The Sex Economy, she found irrefutable evidence of the harm done to women through prostitution.

O'Connor says there is no evidence to show that regulating or legalising prostitution has even been successful anywhere. She says the evidence from Germany and the Netherlands, where liberal regimes are enshrined in the law, is that the conditions in which women are exploited are appalling, with pimping and coercion on the rise.

In a major piece of research in 2009, O'Connor looked at the Irish scene. It pointed to between 800 and 1,000 young women in prostitution here on any given day. It showed a highly mobile and organised business where women were moved around the country like cattle.

"I interviewed one young woman and she didn't know where she'd been - she thought she'd been in Galway and Sligo. There is evidence that some young mobile women are involved in between 1,200 and 1,400 sexual acts in a year. I understand people's desire to hold on to the idea of choice, but the vast majority are impoverished and vulnerable girls and young women who are targeted, groomed, recruited and coerced by pimps and traffickers.

"Once they are entrapped in the sex trade, there's no bodily autonomy or control over the sexual acts they have to perform," says O'Connor.

In her research, O'Connor also looked at what the buyers of sex were saying online and she found a language of consumerism that has crept in which, she says, has made it acceptable for men to buy their way into women's bodies.

Comments like "she doesn't enjoy her job" or "she was a bit switched off" and even "she wasn't good value for money" were common and O'Connor says the women involved were very aware that the bad reviews were meaningful and would have an impact on them.

The clients of women involved in prostitution here are, according to O'Connor, mostly young, professional, middle-class men in relationships.

"One woman said to me she'd scream if she saw one more baby seat in the back of a car. They are not the lonely old men portrayed in the media. In all countries, they are largely young professional, middle-class men.

"It's very much about the buyer wanting to do whatever he wants to do. In my experience what happens is they say 'I'll pay for no condoms or anal sex'.

"Listening to women, all of them ended up doing things they absolutely hated. All of them were coerced or raped at some point in the industry. When you read the surveys with men online, it's really about them saying 'I get to have the sex that I want to have. I'm paying so I get whatever I want. I don't have to bother bringing her to dinner or negotiating - I just pay'," she says."

[SteveB]

She does not quote any formal research or any published papers.

I think the answer to the question, "Did she do any research," is "no."

[philipkntz]

"Monica O'Connor, co-founder of University College Dublin's Sexual Exploitation Research Project (SERP) has spent well over 15 years researching prostitution and talking to women involved in it.

She is a huge supporter of the new law making it an offence to buy sex because, she says, prostitution is inherently harmful. In her book The Sex Economy, she found irrefutable evidence of the harm done to women through prostitution.

O'Connor says there is no evidence to show that regulating or legalising prostitution has even been successful anywhere. She says the evidence from Germany and the Netherlands, where liberal regimes are enshrined in the law, is that the conditions in which women are exploited are appalling, with pimping and coercion on the rise.

In a major piece of research in 2009, O'Connor looked at the Irish scene. It pointed to between 800 and 1,000 young women in prostitution here on any given day. It showed a highly mobile and organised business where women were moved around the country like cattle.

"I interviewed one young woman and she didn't know where she'd been - she thought she'd been in Galway and Sligo. There is evidence that some young mobile women are involved in between 1,200 and 1,400 sexual acts in a year. I understand people's desire to hold on to the idea of choice, but the vast majority are impoverished and vulnerable girls and young women who are targeted, groomed, recruited and coerced by pimps and traffickers.

"Once they are entrapped in the sex trade, there's no bodily autonomy or control over the sexual acts they have to perform," says O'Connor.

In her research, O'Connor also looked at what the buyers of sex were saying online and she found a language of consumerism that has crept in which, she says, has made it acceptable for men to buy their way into women's bodies.

Comments like "she doesn't enjoy her job" or "she was a bit switched off" and even "she wasn't good value for money" were common and O'Connor says the women involved were very aware that the bad reviews were meaningful and would have an impact on them.

The clients of women involved in prostitution here are, according to O'Connor, mostly young, professional, middle-class men in relationships.

"One woman said to me she'd scream if she saw one more baby seat in the back of a car. They are not the lonely old men portrayed in the media. In all countries, they are largely young professional, middle-class men.

"It's very much about the buyer wanting to do whatever he wants to do. In my experience what happens is they say 'I'll pay for no condoms or anal sex'.

"Listening to women, all of them ended up doing things they absolutely hated. All of them were coerced or raped at some point in the industry. When you read the surveys with men online, it's really about them saying 'I get to have the sex that I want to have. I'm paying so I get whatever I want. I don't have to bother bringing her to dinner or negotiating - I just pay'," she says."

Sounds like she did some research allright. I remember reading this one about the baby seats 20 years ago.

[claremorris]

Sounds like she did some research allright. I remember reading this one about the baby seats 20 years ago.

Yes I wondered who had seen the baby seats . i'd say a fair bit of her research was on here .

If she was genuinely interested in the plight of the poor Ladies on here who have to endure us punters for 30 minutes a week she should have registered with EI and offered her Companionship in the name of research .

I have done a fair bit of research on here myself and if I wasn't illiterate I might write a book . She has taken what she wants from the reviews and come to a very different conclusion than me.
A lot of the guys who leave reviews value meeting " a Nice Person " My guess is that in many cases the sex act lasts 3 minutes ( based on the fact that many ladies are inclined to be looking at the clock after 5 min ) . The shower can take 10 min and the chat 10 min. The chat seems to rank very high in a lot of reviews although I do sometimes wonder when one reviewer complains of not a word of English and another had a great chat and no mention of conversing in the Lady's native tongue (maybe I didn't pick up on the reference to FK )

[Dom Dunn]

"Monica O'Connor, co-founder of University College Dublin's Sexual Exploitation Research Project (SERP) has spent well over 15 years researching prostitution and talking to women involved in it.

She is a huge supporter of the new law making it an offence to buy sex because, she says, prostitution is inherently harmful. In her book The Sex Economy, she found irrefutable evidence of the harm done to women through prostitution.

O'Connor says there is no evidence to show that regulating or legalising prostitution has even been successful anywhere. She says the evidence from Germany and the Netherlands, where liberal regimes are enshrined in the law, is that the conditions in which women are exploited are appalling, with pimping and coercion on the rise.

In a major piece of research in 2009, O'Connor looked at the Irish scene. It pointed to between 800 and 1,000 young women in prostitution here on any given day. It showed a highly mobile and organised business where women were moved around the country like cattle.

"I interviewed one young woman and she didn't know where she'd been - she thought she'd been in Galway and Sligo. There is evidence that some young mobile women are involved in between 1,200 and 1,400 sexual acts in a year. I understand people's desire to hold on to the idea of choice, but the vast majority are impoverished and vulnerable girls and young women who are targeted, groomed, recruited and coerced by pimps and traffickers.

"Once they are entrapped in the sex trade, there's no bodily autonomy or control over the sexual acts they have to perform," says O'Connor.

In her research, O'Connor also looked at what the buyers of sex were saying online and she found a language of consumerism that has crept in which, she says, has made it acceptable for men to buy their way into women's bodies.

Comments like "she doesn't enjoy her job" or "she was a bit switched off" and even "she wasn't good value for money" were common and O'Connor says the women involved were very aware that the bad reviews were meaningful and would have an impact on them.

The clients of women involved in prostitution here are, according to O'Connor, mostly young, professional, middle-class men in relationships.

"One woman said to me she'd scream if she saw one more baby seat in the back of a car. They are not the lonely old men portrayed in the media. In all countries, they are largely young professional, middle-class men.

"It's very much about the buyer wanting to do whatever he wants to do. In my experience what happens is they say 'I'll pay for no condoms or anal sex'.

"Listening to women, all of them ended up doing things they absolutely hated. All of them were coerced or raped at some point in the industry. When you read the surveys with men online, it's really about them saying 'I get to have the sex that I want to have. I'm paying so I get whatever I want. I don't have to bother bringing her to dinner or negotiating - I just pay'," she says."

At College years ago may favourite book was called "How to lie with statistics" this woman goes a step forward and proceeds to lie without statistics. This is just a rehash of the faulty research backing up the Nordic approach and completely ignores a growing
body of evidence which points to the dangers inherent in this model. A dangerous approach because in attempting to eradicate prostitution(an impossible task) it only serves to make conditions in the industry worse, increase dangers and fans caustic sentiment towards john and hookers alike. Any logical person would surely reach the conclusion that legalisation of the industry although not ideal represents the only valid sustainable alternative.

[Parrot]

I don't have to bother bringing her to dinner or negotiating - I just pay'," she says."

Unfair. I always try haggle. The ladies love it.


Seriously though, baby seat in the car? How many meetings are happening in cars these days?

[Stephanie]

Unfair. I always try haggle. The ladies love it.


Seriously though, baby seat in the car? How many meetings are happening in cars these days?

Almost all the ‘research’ and ‘evidence’ and ‘testimonials from retired sex workers’ are from the

bad old days of streetwalking and meetings in back of cars . : hence baby-seats .

ALL the ‘evidence’ that was presented and considered in preparation for this new abominable law

came from streetwalkers whose street experience dated to the early 90s or before ; has

Absolutely Nothing to do with how the Industry is currently ;

Their experiences (though surely true) , has Zero bearing on what a Today’s sex worker faces ,

encounters , experiences .

: This a freaking slight-of-hand sham that the uninformed wide masses are served , and in many cases

they ‘consume’ without giving it a second thought to question the validity or veracity of such ‘facts’

presented . It is nothing short of disgusting . : Then again , these ppl have built whole careers on

these false premises , sure they will defend it .

A crying shame that in the meantime those who truly Do need help do Not get it , and those who

are Happy as a lark doing da Biz get railroaded and hindered and robbed and mishandled by not

only the baddies , but also by The Law !

[johnwin530]

Is this the same Lady ? http://denisecharltonassociates.ie/dr-monica-oconnor/

[SteveB]

Almost all the ‘research’ and ‘evidence’ and ‘testimonials from retired sex workers’ are from the

bad old days of streetwalking and meetings in back of cars . : hence baby-seats .

ALL the ‘evidence’ that was presented and considered in preparation for this new abominable law

came from streetwalkers whose street experience dated to the early 90s or before ; has

Absolutely Nothing to do with how the Industry is currently ;

Their experiences (though surely true) , has Zero bearing on what a Today’s sex worker faces ,

encounters , experiences .

: This a freaking slight-of-hand sham that the uninformed wide masses are served , and in many cases

they ‘consume’ without giving it a second thought to question the validity or veracity of such ‘facts’

presented . It is nothing short of disgusting . : Then again , these ppl have built whole careers on

these false premises , sure they will defend it .

A crying shame that in the meantime those who truly Do need help do Not get it , and those who

are Happy as a lark doing da Biz get railroaded and hindered and robbed and mishandled by not

only the baddies , but also by The Law !

It seems to me, in my limited very experience, that the industry has been cleaned up and made safer and better for all concerned. This has been achieved, not by law-makers, nor law-enforcement, but by the sex-workers themselves.
It also seems to me that these people have achieved this, by themselves, and with no help from outsiders.

Now Monica O'Connor and her ilk target and criticize these people, the very people who have made these advances, to further her career and her funding.

[SteveB]

Is this the same Lady ? http://denisecharltonassociates.ie/dr-monica-oconnor/

Looks like it.