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[Dave]

article

The Netherlands' legalization of prostitution in October 2000 merely codified a long-standing Dutch tradition of tolerance towards buying and selling sex. An estimated 50-90% of prostitutes are actually sex slaves.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology , the average age of death of prostitutes is 34. In the United States, the rate at which prostitutes are killed in the workplace is 51 times that of the next most dangerous occupation for women, working in a liquor store. Other studies show that nine out of ten prostitutes urgently want to escape the job. Almost half have attempted suicide at least once.

In 1999, the Swedish government decriminalized the sale of sex, but made it an offense to pimp or to buy sex. Under Sweden’s so-called “Sex Purchase Law,” paying for sex is punishable by fines or up to six months in prison, plus the humiliation of public exposure. According to the Swedish authorities, the number of prostitutes in Sweden has dropped 40% as a result. Human trafficking rings tend to avoid Sweden, because business has gone sour.

Norway, a country that has a reputation to lose when it comes to women’s rights, carefully compared the Swedish and Dutch models and concluded that Sweden’s was the one to follow. It has now changed its legislation accordingly.

The success of the Swedish approach is not so surprising. According to a study in California, most men who bought sex would be deterred by the risk of public exposure. For example, 79% said that they would be deterred if there was a chance that their families would be notified. And a whopping 87% said that they would be deterred by the threat that the police might publish their photographs or names in the local newspaper.

[Chad]

Looks like I'll be canceling my trip to Sweden this summer

Edited by Chad, 09 February 2009 - 04:00 PM.

[cleverwebname]

That's a shame - the oldest profession really should unionize in order to prevent abuses of civil rights and liberties. WIth union backing, perhaps these ladies (and gents) of the night can become empowered to either find a new career or embrace the happiness that they give to others.

[monogodo]

That's a shame - the oldest profession really should unionize in order to prevent abuses of civil rights and liberties. WIth union backing, perhaps these ladies (and gents) of the night can become empowered to either find a new career or embrace the happiness that they give to others.

The prostitutes in the Netherlands are unionized. And why would a union want to encourage its members to change professions, thus leaving the union?