"I don’t agree with penalizing anyone for prostitution. I’m pro-choice on everything, except aggression. So that ends any question of my hypocrisy."

Well after all that aggressive posturing by yourself it seems we are in agreement

Jewely

<< or if a prostitute would have a legal case against a slut for affecting business. >>

Ha ha ha

I used to live in a flat in a part of town, on a street that was well known for street workers.

Until they got to know me, I had to sort push through a group of women, explaining "I live here" when arriving home at night. As for the curb drivers - all you have to be is female - even if it is first thing on Saturday morning and one is in her trakky daks, no make up, out for a run these curb crawlers will still pull over and try to negotiate. Sheesh. They were like persistent bush flies.

The only time I felt threatened was at night - had to do some serious running then - had a plan of where I would go to hide. Unlike in movies I did not head for the nearest dark, empty lane.

As for violence, both female and male sex workers are more vulnerable to attack than average citizens, women are abused more frequently simply because there are more female sex workers than male.

As Peter Hume - you are doing a major quantity of protesting there...

Fact, some humans are nasty pieces of work and commit reprehensible crimes.

As for whether prostitution itself is a form of violence against women? In most cases not. Sex workers provide a much needed service, particularly for disabled or isolated people. For other clients it is an indulgence.

However, where workers are being forced; sex slave trade, pimps or brothels taking too much from workers (one of the reasons workers prefer the streets or work from home) - clearly people are being exploited. If you are forced do something against your will, consent, choice; male or female, it is a form of violence.

Jewely I didn't get far enough to look for business names. I doubt that there would be more than 22 thousand women in Victoria willing to work in prostitution for 40 hours a week to get $400 to $500 a week. Reports I've heard is that people get into it because the pay is very good.

I've played with the maths a bit more.
If the quoted figures were real the average sex worker gets about $230 per job and does between 2.2 and 2.65 jobs a week (over a 40 hour week).

The closest I got to the $400 to $500 dollars per week was assuming every worker paid 60% to the house and the illegal industry is 5 times the size of the legal one, then it's about $508 per week.

None of it makes much sense, women choosing in large numbers to do a job that has a large social stigma which pay's poorly with a long working day. Brothel owners keeping large numbers of workers around to do a less than three jobs a week. Independants paying the house 60%.

The numbers are either outright fabrications or fudged (bit's of this and bit's of that) to create the picture the authors want.

Peter Hume, why not lighten up a bit? So much anger for so little benefit.

R0bert

Hmm. Nothing but personal arguments, circularity and irrelevance – I suppose that’s your ways of conceding everything that’s in issue.

Ammonite
I work against my will, choice, consent. So that’s a form of violence right?

Honestly, is that the best you can do?

Jewely
“I'm considering if prostitutes may have set a benchmark for women and the services they have provided they could go back and charge for…”

I’m sure one of the reasons prostitutes are despised is because they show that there is an objective market price for sexual services which is otherwise obscured by marriage, payments in kind, and the romantic belief system. Prostitutes show that other women are charging far more while simultaneously protesting that the very idea is morally horrifying.

“…or if a prostitute would have a legal case against a slut for affecting business.”

It’s the wives who want to make a legal case against prostitutes, hence this article and its all its support from women charging capital gain and income instead of just fees.

It’s not happening at the forebrain level – that’s why none of their arguments make sense. It’s a mid-brain thing. Primitive hatred, desire to obliterate the rival and outsider, real rock-ape stuff.

Tristan
“It's really only communism that supposes you can do away with the state…”

Got a funny way of showing it then.

“Why is one instance of force justified but not the other?”

Good question, but it’s not answered by any of your theory, is it? To say you must observe reasonable laws only begs the question. If the only way of determining what is reasonable is that the government decides so, then any abuse, and all the policies and laws you oppose, must be accounted as reasonable mustn’t they?

But if not, then the question brings us to a fork in the road: either you say that might is; or we conclude that the state’s clam of a legal monopoly of coercion cannot be justified either on ethical or practical grounds. You’re blowing hot and cold with the same breath.

Hey Ammo,

“As for violence, both female and male sex workers are more vulnerable to attack than average citizens, women are abused more frequently simply because there are more female sex workers than male.”

Yeah that’s what I imagined would be happening. Bugger having to work out escape routes just incase. Yuck.

Peter:“I’m sure one of the reasons prostitutes are despised is because they show that there is an objective market price for sexual services which is otherwise obscured by marriage, payments in kind, and the romantic belief system. Prostitutes show that other women are charging far more while simultaneously protesting that the very idea is morally horrifying.”

Dude you really have to chill. Who despises them? I don’t, I’ve known some, babysat for some when they had to go on call late, had a mate that owned a brothel. Truth be told I learnt a lot through my buddies in the trade. Weren’t that many though and none I knew got hurt thank goodness. Doesn’t horrify my morals at all, you projecting maybe?

“It’s the wives who want to make a legal case against prostitutes, hence this article and its all its support from women charging capital gain and income instead of just fees.”

Wrong again sunshine. Can’t speak for the article but I can say as a wife I don’t want to make a legal case against them.

“It’s not happening at the forebrain level – that’s why none of their arguments make sense. It’s a mid-brain thing. Primitive hatred, desire to obliterate the rival and outsider, real rock-ape stuff.”

You’re joking or just sad, can’t decide.

R0bert:”The numbers are either outright fabrications or fudged (bit's of this and bit's of that) to create the picture the authors want.”

Someone should tell Wiki I reckon. I wish I knew how to figure that stuff out.

*The numbers are either outright fabrications or fudged*

They could well be the official tax figures. But they would
be worthless when it comes to accuracy, because its a cash
business. When people are paid in notes, nobody knows what
they really earn.

But anyone with an ounce of common sense would realise that
a drug addict or any thinking female would stick around for
500 bucks a week. It certainly would not bankroll a drug
addiction problem.