Why is this illegal

[kingbee]

as someone who has visited single independent escorts in Hotels (albeit Belfast) I dont understand why such a fuss - perhaps because its such a small town etc but as far as I understand Escorts are perfectly entitled to rent rooms in Hotels!!

http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/...town-1-3626427

[LaBelleThatcher]

as someone who has visited single independent escorts in Hotels (albeit Belfast) I dont understand why such a fuss - perhaps because its such a small town etc but as far as I understand Escorts are perfectly entitled to rent rooms in Hotels!!

http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/...town-1-3626427

Ruhama are currently trying to pass that same article off, obliquely, as evidence of trafficking in NI!!

Escorts are entitled to rent rooms in hotels, of course, but I think the hotel is committing an offence of they knowingly allow her to see clients there...but slightly different north and south.?

[Martin41]

What a completely stupid misinformed idiot journalist.
Bloody lunatic/ religious/ assholes with nothing better to do than completely misrepresent facts

[Banjaxed]

I don't think it's "illegal", as in criminal per se.

The article is simply hearsay ("claims") as opposed to actually stating that any action other than a search (on the basis of powers conferred from existing human trafficking legislation) was carried out. As for the hotel, the guest is engaged in a contractual relationship with the hotel and I'm sure that they can end that relationship at any time should they wish to to breach of some terms which were either express or implied in the booking (i.e.: immoral activity).

I'll have to double check what the situation is down here in relation to searching hotel rooms, I'd imagine a search warrant would still be required and came across a similar scenario recently but can't for the life of me remember the outcome.

[kingbee]

so its more of an embarrasment simply for escort and client - he has done nothing wrong(visiting a hotel guest) she 'immoral activity' - i guess this covers all those married men having affairs with their mistresses!!! bonking away on thir dirty weekends

sex happens in a hotel

running a business from your room - well how many sales reps entertain customers in hotels too

its all a bit grey but i guess the hotel reserves the right to chuck anyone out- escorts, rock stars, drunk violent people etc

cant see any criminal angle for a truly genuine single independent

[Banjaxed]

so its more of an embarrasment simply for escort and client - he has done nothing wrong(visiting a hotel guest) she 'immoral activity' - i guess this covers all those married men having affairs with their mistresses!!! bonking away on thir dirty weekends

sex happens in a hotel

running a business from your room - well how many sales reps entertain customers in hotels too

its all a bit grey but i guess the hotel reserves the right to chuck anyone out- escorts, rock stars, drunk violent people etc

cant see any criminal angle for a truly genuine single independent

Exactly, I don't believe there is or was any criminal liability in this case, and if it were to be replayed down here I don't think it would do so either. What this sounds to me is the type of coverage all local newspapers do every once in a while to stir up feelings about some dark underworld on people's doorsteps while usually the opposite is true.

While you're on the hotel property, you're basically a visitor, you've permission to be there within the terms of the booking (read contract) and there's certain terms either expressly wrote in the small print or implied. So they reserve the right to refuse business or to terminate your visitor status, at which point you become a trespasser. It's more from an civil liability perspective at that point and into duty of care, etc., etc. under Occupiers Liability.

So to me, it sounds like another incident of wasted and misdirected police resources like the ones which the London Metropolitan Police and their elite SCD9 (trafficking unit) are being condemned for by an expert group set up by their own Mayor, due to their random raiding of escorts and some brothels due to baseless "suspicions" of human trafficking.

And for every waste or misdirection of scarce resources, you can be sure someone else is getting away free.

[LaBelleThatcher]

What a completely stupid misinformed idiot journalist.
Bloody lunatic/ religious/ assholes with nothing better to do than completely misrepresent facts

Don't hold back on account of us ladies Martin - say what you really think

I wonder...is there any chance at all that the lady in question is around?

If so, would she have the courage to speak out and state what her position is? Even if she had to create a new ID to do it?

Or give a statement to E-I staff to preserve her privacy? Last time I checked the best antidote to a load of BS was the truth.

[Cassandra]

What a completely stupid misinformed idiot journalist.
Bloody lunatic/ religious/ ######## with nothing better to do than completely misrepresent facts

Here Here!
And if I may hijack your sentiment refer not to this incident alone but all mainstream journalists and say , tis for to be sure (lol) that these jack-a-napes know the deal but hey you know what? Sex is bad, so are women and so are the men who see e'm. I mean gooddamn the woman not afraid to take her sexuality-in full drive-by the horns and make profit by it. Nevermind Men may make use of their strength,which is their gift yet us girls can't make use a what our very own mama gave us? Goddam it lads. this pisses me off.

[doodlebug]

Here Here!
And if I may hijack your sentiment refer not to this incident alone but all mainstream journalists and say , tis for to be sure (lol) that these jack-a-napes know the deal but hey you know what? Sex is bad, so are women and so are the men who see e'm. I mean gooddamn the woman not afraid to take her sexuality-in full drive-by the horns and make profit by it. Nevermind Men may make use of their strength,which is their gift yet us girls can't make use a what our very own mama gave us? Goddam it lads. this pisses me off.

I think, that both you, run the risk of shooting the messenger. Journalism of itself is not bad, and indeed there are some very good journalists out there. I do agree it rarely if ever gives a balanced view on the sex industry, however, I would argue that journalists merely serve up what the larger sections of society and their employers want....in this case it is societys' shock at women empowering themselves through sex!!!!!

To hijack the "reduce the demand" theory, if society did not read and want to read what mainstream journalists write then newspapers and other media would cease to exist.

[LaBelleThatcher]

I think, that both you, run the risk of shooting the messenger. Journalism of itself is not bad, and indeed there are some very good journalists out there. I do agree it rarely if ever gives a balanced view on the sex industry, however, I would argue that journalists merely serve up what the larger sections of society and their employers want....in this case it is societys' shock at women empowering themselves through sex!!!!!

To hijack the "reduce the demand" theory, if society did not read and want to read what mainstream journalists write then newspapers and other media would cease to exist.

Ah, but from another view point, the media shape opinion, there is actually an whole science to doing that (it's not random, or spontaneous at all) to a far greater extent, journalists serve up what their employers want...we need them on board really. Not as hard as it might sound, the sex industry is "filler" material in the media (except for the Sunday World where they use "national and international news" as filler instead)...

...and yes, compared to the '90s (when the mainstream media couldn't get enough of sex worker voices) the media *IS* gagging the sex industry, and it shows.

When you have a problem like that, the first thing you look for is a way to change it.