After mentioning Stephanie Key and Ari Read who are both female and support prostitution, the author then adds that changing laws “would only further reinforce the “status” of women in our society as sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of by men”

In their study at the Adelaide University, the author has not learnt quantitative analysis.

How many “men” think that women in our society are sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of?

I would think very few men would think this way, but the article classifies all men as thinking of women as being sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of.

The article is an exercise in gender discrimination and bigotry, but it again highlights the inability, or lack of interest, by the universities in this country to educate students (and often staff) to not carry out discrimination.

...But Vanna, I think, on the issue of prostitution, it is impossible to escape the fact that it is men who drive the trade. The recommendation made in this article is for SA to follow the modern view, “The Swedish” model, which has the huge element of justice attached to it, forcing men to take responsibility for their major role in driving the sex industry, with all its social negatives; including the fast tracking of children into prostitution for profit, invariably drawn into the trade in the “slip stream” of their prostitute mothers: It is this point where the liberal policies of the Victorian "decriminalise" model failed dismally. In a word, it is “decriminalising” of the sex trade, which, at this distance out from the event has displayed itself as the dismal failure to society and to women in particular, it was predicted to be at the time.

...I can well understand the reluctance of SA politicians to open debate on the subject now the cat is out of the bag; and as much as (I believe) the SA Government would dearly love to follow the lucrative path of Victoria (and NSW and others) in decriminalising the sex trade for their own profit, and assisting the police force with an easier task of control, public opposition is now buoyed with the facts pointing to failure of the unworkable Victorian model.

Making anything criminal pushes it underground, whether it is the Swedish model or otherwise.

Regulating its practise offers the greatest protection for the women involved.

SM:

...You may wish to add how regulation works without penalties applying! I would be interested to know!

Dan.

Diver Dan "forcing men to take responsibility for their major role in driving the sex industry, with all its social negatives"

Most men like sex a lot and many don't meet their needs within a monogamous relationship (and some women are in the same situation).

For many the answer seems to be tough bickies, suck it up, too bad, so sad. That's hardly an effective answer.

I think that prostitution is a poor substitute for sex with a loved partner but sometimes a poor substitute is better than nothing.

Just as most have grown to accept that women should have control over their own bodies in saying no to sex which they don't want it's about time that some recognised that men and women should have the right to say yes to consentual sex that they do want regardless of wether others think they should say no or not.

That means that people who choose to be prostitutes are free to make that choice and their customers are free to pay for those services.

If male customers of prostitutes are responsible for the choices of the prostitutes delivering the service why aren't women responsible for not meeting their partners sexual needs. Both are nonsense propositions only valid where the choices are non consensual.

Yet more of the women are not capable of making adult choices, men are so it's all the men's fault nonsense.

R0bert

Diver Dan
“the fact that it is men who drive the trade.”

Which men?

How many men?

That is quantitative analysis.

Implying that all men treat women “as sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of” is a discriminatory statement (full stop)

However such discriminatory statements are rampant throughout the academic world.

Similar to the feminist and americian academic Gail Dines saying on ABC TV that “Men think women are sluts”

Which men?

How many men?

BTW. If you are a man, then according to such university academics, you must treat women as sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of, and you also think women are sluts.

Dan,

Alcohol sales are not illegal, just regulated. Regulations cover health checks, where, when and who, for the protection of the sex workers and their clients.

Perhaps instead of giving a blanket statement that the Victorian laws have failed, you could provide some substance to your claim. From what I see the issues relate to those who work "illegally" outside the controls.

SM:

Type this into "Google": Illegal sex trade in victoria....best of luck with your argument!

...And I dont accept your argument which implies regulation is possible without penalties...

Dan:

RObert/Vanna

...What you imply is the chicken came before the egg! When everybody knows there are no chickens without an egg involved! Pretty simple logics really…So, to project the theory onwards, without men there would be no sex trade…All-be-it the chicken and egg pronouncement is applied more flexibly here since, the sex trade will continue to some degree without the “men” factor; but on a much smaller scale. This proposition then proves that men are a major contributor to the sex trade and as such, responsible for its continuation!

Dan,

Regulation requires enforcement.

As with alcohol etc it is far more profitable to work outside the regulations, and not pay tax. That there are illegal brothels, does not mean the regulations work, it just means that they need further enforcement.

As with any industry, working within the regulations means no penalties, but outside the law is different. Having done the search, I don't find anything that contradicts this.

Diver dan
I oppose all forms of prostitution, but I think the author has simply taken the prostitution laws as an opportunity to make generalised, discriminatory and bigoted statements about “men”.

But by making these generalised, discriminatory and bigoted statements about men, the author also includes himself in his generalisation, discrimination and bigotry.

So if the author is a man, the author should have no objection to the statement that he also thinks of women in our society are "sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of".

How the author studies law is beyond belief.

Or what type of law fully accepts generalisation, discrimination and bigotry such as that shown by the author.

Would it be university academic law?

diver dan, you are right that the bulk of the custoer base for prostitution is male. If males didn't use prostitutes services then there would be a lot less prostitution. Likewise if there were no female prostitutes there would be a lot less prostitution, you can argue that one in circles with no logical conclusion.

That does not make men responsible for the choices of women who chose to work as prostitutes nor does it give others any more right to insist that either the customers or the prostitutes say no than it gives someone to insist that someone say yes to a sexual activity.

It does not deal with the context that creates a need for prostitution for many (not having sexual needs met elsewhere). It doesn't deal with the persistance of prostitution throughout history pretty much regardless of the laws society put's in place.

What blaming men alone for prostitution does do is make a very negative comment about the capabilities of women, an extroardinarily patronising attitude to women which says that they can't be trusted to make their own decisions outside of a narrow socially defined set of criteria. Men on the other hand are apparently capable of making decisions and being responsible for them.

R0bert

Yes I tend to agree with Robert. Many of the women who work as prostitutes do so out of choice - for the money. Many of the men who use prostitutes are happy to pay them for their 'service'.

As long as there are strong laws against forcing women to work as prostitutes against their will, or blackmailing them to work as prostitutes to avoid violence etc, then I think a prostitute should be able to work legally, with strict medical checks of course.

There will always be men willing to pay for their services, and there will always be women willing to sell their bodies for money.

I really don't see any gender discrimination issues in this article, and it is ridiculous to blame University lecturers for any of this sex-trade situation Vanna!

Vanna <"The article is an exercise in gender discrimination and bigotry, but it again highlights the inability, or lack of interest, by the universities in this country to educate students (and often staff) to not carry out discrimination."

Are you for real Vanna? I imagine gender discrimination and bigotry is just as rife in the wider community as it is amongst University staff and students?

Certainly it is very evident in some contributors to OLO, who I am sure never set foot in a University.

Suzanonline,
If someone was raised in a bigoted, discriminatory and feminist society, they would probably not find a problem with a statement that men treat women “as sexual objects who can be purchased, consumed and disposed of”

The author did not say that a very tiny % of men treat women this way. The author has implied that ALL men treat women this way.

Using the same logic, if a university academic were to kill someone, then it could be said that university academics are murderers.

However university academics would probably regard that as bigotry and discrimination, but I personally do not know of any so-called university in this country that does not fully and completely accept bigotry and discrimination.

As long as that bigotry and discrimination is carried out by staff or by students towards the male gender, then it will be 110% accepted by the so-called university.

Vanka, your problems with University lecturers rule your life here on OLO.
I think I will leave the subject alone from now on....

Suzanonline
Unfortunately, I am not willing to accept any denigrating, vilifying remark that someone wants to make about the male gender.

Unfortunately, the majority of such remarks are coming from staff employed in universities, and now from their students (probably copying university staff).