Is it now ‘cool’ to visit prostitutes?

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PMU

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I’m no prude but I’ve always thought that paying for sex is really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I mean, you really are a social failure if you have to do this (unless it’s for something really kinky that no respectable girl would do). So, while cruising the red light district in Amsterdam last week (purely as it is a tourist attraction to see what happens and for no other reason) I noticed two groups of Irish lads, say late teens - early 20s, visiting prostitutes. Now it can’t be that difficult to get laid in Ireland today, so why pay for sex? Is it now cool to do so? Or is it just something you do when in Amsterdam like take a trip on the canals or visit Anne Frank’s house? [FONT=&quot]
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PMU said:
[FONT=&quot] Is it now cool to do so?
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[FONT=&quot]No[/FONT]
PMU said:
[FONT=&quot]Or is it just something you do when in Amsterdam like take a trip on the canals or visit Anne Frank’s house? [/FONT]
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Not cool-any reasonably attractive man shouldn't have to resort to a prostitute.
Some eejits with partners think it isn't really cheating if they have sex with a prostitute :confused:
 
PMU said:
[FONT=&quot]I’m no prude but I’ve always thought that paying for sex is really scraping the bottom of the barrel.[/FONT]
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Who cares? If it involves two (or more?) consenting adults, no harm (although I guess that this could be indirect rather than just direct?) to any non consenting third party (parties?) and no breach of the law then that's their business. Of course, most of the time, one or more of these conditions is not actually met unfortunately but that's the responsibility of the individuals involved.
 
How do you know they were visiting prostitutes? Maybe they were just doing the same thing as yourself.......cruising?
 
or dinner for two followed by drinks......

or a new car......

or new shoes......

or doing the washing up.....

i can go on
 
not having visited same nor intending to do so, I think they should legalise it. Take out the "pimp" element, human trafficking etc.

A regulated building in a commercial area (quiet at night), no signage, health checks, security etc. etc.

Then crack down on any other such activity.

By keeping it discreet I dont think you encourage the "problem", and much of the problems of prostitution arise from the fact that its illegal (IMHO).
 
Betsy Og said:
not having visited same nor intending to do so, I think they should legalise it. Take out the "pimp" element, human trafficking etc.

A regulated building in a commercial area (quiet at night), no signage, health checks, security etc. etc.
.
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They've done that already...it's called Slapper face jacks ! :D
 
Ron Burgundy said:
or dinner for two followed by drinks......

or a new car......

or new shoes......

or doing the washing up.....

i can go on
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I could go on and on too...washing his underwear, getting paint out of trousers...........

I think cruising brings more danger to an area than the prostitution itself. Betsyog is right, make it legal and a lot of the problems associated with the oldest profession goes away. Years ago I had a friend who lived on Leeson Street. She was terrified to walk home after working late as invariably some 'cruiser' would stop and proposition her.
 
If making it legal was enough to get rid of the problems, then places like Amsterdam would not have problems. My understanding is that they do. I understand that many women in prostitution are at best only slightly willing participants, often having been trafficked\sold into the job. If you take it as a given that we will always have prostitution, it still does not necessarily follow that it is better regulated than criminalised. I can't decide myself which side of the debate I favour. It's a thorny issue
 
you would think that if theres enough supply of legal that the demand for illegal would drop - thats where the enforcement of law would come in. If every kerb crawler was questioned/frightened/prosecuted then surely only a mug would opt for that rather than the legal version.

& if the money went out of it then illegal forms of prostitution should, in thoery anyway, diminish to a large degree.

and in theory lead to less victimisation of women etc.

I keep saying in theory but I dont know the facts but the Amsterdam situation should be a good example of how it works in practice.

The difference between legalising drugs and prostitution is that you cant overdose on nookie, you can get addicted but this may not have as serious consequences (I'm thinking "self-supply" - but I wont develop that argument any further ... ;) ), it is not unhealthy (given precautions & the health of both parties).

Its one of those situation where the typical Irish solution to an Irish problem (i.e. just largely ignoring it) is not working.

What do the womens advocacy groups have to say about it?
 
MOB said:
If making it legal was enough to get rid of the problems, then places like Amsterdam would not have problems. My understanding is that they do. I understand that many women in prostitution are at best only slightly willing participants, often having been trafficked\sold into the job. If you take it as a given that we will always have prostitution, it still does not necessarily follow that it is better regulated than criminalised. I can't decide myself which side of the debate I favour. It's a thorny issue
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You're right, it is a (t)horny issue!:D I didn't say all the problems would disappear but some would. For example, the aforementioned cruising, pimps of the old school type, spread of disease from male and female prostitutes who do not have regular health checks. I'm sure there are less women/men sold into prostitution in Amsterdam than elsewhere. When a brothel is regulated by both police and social welfare departments, surely anyone in this position has a fighting chance of getting out.
 
Betsy Og said:
Its one of those situation where the typical Irish solution to an Irish problem (i.e. just largely ignoring it) is not working.?
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Hardly either fair or accurate to call this a "typical Irish solution to an Irish problem" when both the problem itself and the broad thrust of our establishment's policy to deal with the issue are shared with the vast majority of developed nations?

Betsy Og said:
What do the womens advocacy groups have to say about it?
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Ruhama http://www.ruhama.ie/ who work with women involved in prostitution, strongly oppose legalisation, and have published a position paper "Uncovering the Misconceptions: The Realities of Legalized Prostitution" outlining their case
 
Interesting question, not one that bothers me I hasten to add, although I have used the argument in favour to wind up a politician acquaintance on social occasions.

As far as I know, maybe someone will correect me, prostitution isn't illegal in Ireland, i.e there is nothing stopping two consenting adults from having sex and then exchanging money. If that were the case, we would all be in trouble -- I can't recall how many times Mrs Auto got a few extra quid out of me following a good roll in the hay. The crime is in soliciting, but that is only one element of it.

On a more serious note, there is strong evidence that many women are either (at best) drawn into prostitution by economic necessity, or are actually doing it against their will. Is this what the lads on a night out in Amsterdam would like to be involved in if they thought it through? Take it a bit further, and ask themselves this is a career option they would want for their own daughters? When we put in in human terms, its not so cool after all, and that's what the sex industry does, it dehumanises these women.
 
Betsy Og said:
not having visited same nor intending to do so, I think they should legalise it. Take out the "pimp" element, human trafficking etc.
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For what it's worth, according to the Gardai most of the prostitutes that they used to caution or arrest in the Benburb Street and surrounding areas (not as much of an issue as it was in past years) had no pimps as far as they could see - most were junkies on the game to fund their habits. Many of the same prostitutes frequented other areas in Dublin such as along certain canal banks.

I don't disagree with much the rest of your analysis though.
 
your going to end up paying for it one way or another;)
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exactly Ron - how much is a new conservatory????
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I can't recall how many times Mrs Auto got a few extra quid out of me following a good roll in the hay.
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If the posters of the above quotes really believe their words, then I have to say I feel sorry for them. IMO such statements are tasteless.
 
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