prostitution will happen legal or not, it's the oldest profession, for sure some people choose sex work, others are driven to it by desperation. human nature being what it is there will always be some willing to pay, whatever we think of those invovled we cant pretend prostitution wont happen.
my concern is for those among the sex-workers who would rather do something else but they're trapped. it's not that hard for us to come with ways to help these people.
if we keep the sex industry illegal or underground then criminal elements will step in and those involved are at severe risk of exploitation and violence. the cirminal element will seek to control, manipulate the sex workers to maximise their profits; that could take the form of keeping someone adicted to drugs, physical abuse, physchological abuse, financial dependence, probably many other things
if the industry is legalised those involved can be protected. they can be sex workers as long as they choose and when they want to do something else they can walk away. regulation can ensure proper working conditions and remove the risk of exploitation, violence. in addition provision of counselling services, education as appropriate to help people as they need it / want it.
also why are brothels illegal, do we want this industry underground with all the problems that creates ? why not properly licensed brothels run by fit-and-proper people (ie not criminal gangs), all workers declared, the taxes collected can fund social benefits for those workers, education programs, anonymous numbers sex workers can call, whatever makes sense
Because it's illegal does not mean they are not being taxed. They just pay it to pimps instead of the govt. (Yeah, i know...)
I think hookers' collectives might be the way to go. It makes them owners, frees them from pimps, and is suitably anarchist. I hear that during the Spanish civil war, there was an anarchist collective of hairdressers in Catalonia- my guess is that it was a front for hookers.
FF destroyed the tax base in this country with too much dependence on the construction sector. Now it is time to tax all economic activity that is profitable so tax riding.
We need the money to pay for the dole, health, education etc. So, tax the prostitutes, tax the pimps, charge rates on their property (being used for business purposes). Tax the lot and impose penalties and interest on late payments. That will help the budgetary position. As for moral issues, I am not too concerned. Is paying for sex legal? Maybe not but not declaring income for tax purposes is illegal.
Last edited by cogar; 11th September 2012 at 05:27 PM.