Considering ethics and legality of prostitution - from a prostitutes point of view

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Thought this was an interesting read from the "CEO" of Amsterdams "Prostitute Information Center"; former prostitute.

I composed this post initially for "After Hours" but felt more productive discussion on the matter may be had here (I mention that as some mildly comic/disingenuous references are included).

https://www.amsterdamredlightdistric...ker-interview/

Similar to Irelands own sex-work activist Rachel Moran, this (formerly) young woman became involved in sex work and prostitution at a relatively unethical age - below the age to be on licensed premises, shall we say;

I've taken some of the relevant quotes, anything in a quotation box is the sex worker commenting;

But the most important reason why I did it was because I needed money, just like anyone else.

First point of consideration.

She wasn't in it cause it was a wonderful life getting porked like a frankfurter.
It was a strictly cash endeavour.

For some people sex work is great. I mean if you enjoy sex as a game where you don’t mind doing it with different people. If that’s your hobby, then it’s definitely a great way to make a living!

Apparently that's not the case for all however. Some gals like being promiscuous and being able to make a living off it is just an added bonus.

In The Netherlands the circumstances are different as in Nigeria, India or the Dominican Republic

You know in the Netherlands our circumstances are so different. The Netherlands is not a poor country, so the stories of the sex workers here in Amsterdam’s Red Light District are different. We have less issues with corrupt police officers than abroad.

So first world countries like the Netherlands, working practice and conditions are different from third world slums.

Corrupt institutions are apparently hazardous to the sex trade in underdeveloped lands.

When it’s a matter of life and death you cannot dwell on making conscious choices. You just have to make money.

Cold hard reality in some countries. Stigma aside, money is the priority. The luxury of choice is not always present.

I was always curious. Curious and a bit of a bad girl when I was younger.

I was raised in a small Dutch town and I found that quite boring so I kind of escaped from that

This one is interesting to me.

Rebellious, escapism, the mundane drudgery of small town small minded life.
But interesting to note this was a motivating factor in involvement.
i.e. a conscious choice involving more than the necessity for financial security.

We had the so called policy of tolerance. I think sex work in The Netherlands was unsafe before they started that.

Tolerance increases safety, according to this sex worker.

In the last year that we did this book project I’ve been to places in Rumania, Hungary and France. Really dangerous places where you have to stand in the dark or you have to step into the car with a guy and you don’t know where he’s taking you. That’s dangerous.

Sounds dangerous - and also about as trashy as can be.

I was always interested in sex. Sex for me it was a nice game to play. It was not necessarily a thing that I only wanted to do with people who I’d have a relationship with or was in love with. And that’s what I always try to explain to people

...it can also be pleasant of course

And sometimes you had somebody that you did feel attracted to or that was just a nice guy, that’s possible too

No strings attached!

Sometimes enjoyable.

I had no problem with working with older men, I was very young, but having customers of 60, 70 even 80, no problem. But it had nothing to do with my own pleasure. Just business

There you have it folks! No problems!
Next time you see a sugar daddy, don't be so judgemental.

...one of the greatest things of being a window worker. The whole flirting game is fantastic

...they walk around in the district and see the girls in the windows and they think o my god they are standing there for the whole world to look at, but that’s the fun!

You make them come to the window, you negotiate at the door about the prices, times and things that he wants to do. That’s also fun.

Advocate of window prostitution - apparently it's fun!

But I know for sure, I can guarantee, that most of the people that work in the windows in the Red Light District choose this profession themselves

Hotly disputed given some "surveys"; stats posted by Francis Fitzgerald recently claimed about 60% of prostitutes in Amsterdam were working under coercion.

Prostitution is about sex and sex is a complicated topic for people, still. We don’t live in the Middle Ages anymore but people still find it hard to believe that you can have sex for fun and sex for money

So when I say I work as a sex worker and I enjoy it they don’t believe it because they can’t see themselves doing it. I always find that difficult to deal with.

Quite understandable

Worldwide there’s a huge lobby against prostitution that is coming from Christians and feminists that are against sex work

Using human trafficking as an excuse whilst they both have different reasons to fight against prostitution. Christian morals and feminist ideas, they both see sex work as a morally wrong thing that should not exist.

Again, hotly debated topic with powerful arguments coming from both sides

I think it’s very unfair, they refuse to listen to sex workers. They refuse to use the words sex work. They think sex can never be work and that they should fight against it and totally ignore the voice of sex workers worldwide on this, they only want to speak about human trafficking because that’s how they view sex work

....

I appreciate that the mayor pays attention to the human rights of sex workers.
In relation to Amsterdams mayor proposing a closure or relocation of the red light area.

Good point of consideration. Harm reduction vs freedom to practice.

A very big mistake! I’ve seen in countries like France what that is doing, the harm that it’s doing to sex workers. It’s such a stupid idea and proof for me that the people who come up with these ideas are not interested in sex workers safety or rights

A comment in relation to criminalization of the nasty.

It will only make them more protective of their customers so more willing to work in circumstances that protect their customers. Those places are often the streets, the woods, illegal brothels or home based prostitution

Increasing vulnerability of workers via criminalization - apparently this in fact has been a trend in Ireland since criminality was introduced in 2017.

What I also see happening is that the good customer, the well paying customer gets afraid to visit a sex worker. You lose the good guys as customers

Plus they lose their good clients, and that's never good....

And one can explain it in combination with other things, like sexuality or poverty for instance

In relation to inclusion of sex work education in high school sex-education curriculum (something Irish feminist and TD Josepha Madigan is resolutely against).

Sexuality and poverty - personally I think a pivotal point to address.
Not just from the view point of direct sex work, but the role sexuality has to play in the work place in every sense, from female recognition to work efficacy (both male and female) to communication and general well being.


And that's all she wrote!