Comments on: Repost in observance of Int’l Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/ Making the baby Jesus cry since 2002. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:40:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Being Amber Rhea » Blog Archive » B-I-N-G-O http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-36483 Being Amber Rhea » Blog Archive » B-I-N-G-O Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:32:06 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-36483 [...] true.) And oh of course there’s that whole thing about how “john’s schools” don’t work, but why get sidetracked with that annoying little piece of [...] [...] true.) And oh of course there’s that whole thing about how “john’s schools” don’t work, but why get sidetracked with that annoying little piece of [...]

]]> By: Nicki http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-14354 Nicki Wed, 26 Dec 2007 05:03:49 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-14354 (That's one of the more compelling arguments for immigration amnesty.) (That’s one of the more compelling arguments for immigration amnesty.)

]]> By: madmonq http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-14066 madmonq Sun, 23 Dec 2007 17:10:13 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-14066 <i>As long as sex workers’ profession is criminalized, violence will be perpetrated against them and around them. The criminalization of the profession does favors to no one, and helps no one.</i> If I may please. I agree sex work should be decriminalized. Individual choice/responsibility and all that. But while that may reduce violence I'm not sure that, as you say, criminalization is the cause of the violence. But decriminalization may help the worker feel more free in reporting the crime. Is that what you meant? As long as sex workers’ profession is criminalized, violence will be perpetrated against them and around them. The criminalization of the profession does favors to no one, and helps no one.

If I may please. I agree sex work should be decriminalized. Individual choice/responsibility and all that. But while that may reduce violence I’m not sure that, as you say, criminalization is the cause of the violence. But decriminalization may help the worker feel more free in reporting the crime. Is that what you meant?

]]> By: Amber http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-13445 Amber Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:10:20 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-13445 Well my op-ed, specifically, was aimed at addressing the particular tactic proposed by Stephanie Davis, of posting johns' photos online. Unfortunately I had to keep it to about 700 words, so I couldn't say everything I wanted, much less explore all the different angles. (Not that they published it anyway, the jerks.) LOTS of things have been proposed! Many solutions were discussed last night at Charis. All the ideas and potential solutions revolve around two fundamental concepts: decriminalization and destigmatization. As long as sex workers' profession is criminalized, violence will be perpetrated against them and around them. The criminalization of the profession does favors to no one, and helps no one. Criminalization is what drives street workers to "certain" areas of town; and lack of other opportunities, which is related to the way our economy is structured but also to the criminalization of the profession, is why they're working <em>on the street</em> in the first place! For some good reference material and background information about the sex workers rights movement, check out <a href="http://www.chariscircle.org/internationaldaytoendviolenceagainstsexworkers/resources.html" rel="nofollow">this page</a>. Well my op-ed, specifically, was aimed at addressing the particular tactic proposed by Stephanie Davis, of posting johns’ photos online. Unfortunately I had to keep it to about 700 words, so I couldn’t say everything I wanted, much less explore all the different angles. (Not that they published it anyway, the jerks.)

LOTS of things have been proposed! Many solutions were discussed last night at Charis. All the ideas and potential solutions revolve around two fundamental concepts: decriminalization and destigmatization. As long as sex workers’ profession is criminalized, violence will be perpetrated against them and around them. The criminalization of the profession does favors to no one, and helps no one. Criminalization is what drives street workers to “certain” areas of town; and lack of other opportunities, which is related to the way our economy is structured but also to the criminalization of the profession, is why they’re working on the street in the first place!

For some good reference material and background information about the sex workers rights movement, check out this page.

]]> By: Nicki http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-13443 Nicki Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:47:26 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-13443 So what's been suggested? I don't see any suggestion of alternate schemes above -- merely the contention that several separate tactics don't work. What works? What keeps johns from harassing me and making my neighborhood unsafe? So what’s been suggested? I don’t see any suggestion of alternate schemes above — merely the contention that several separate tactics don’t work. What works? What keeps johns from harassing me and making my neighborhood unsafe?

]]> By: Amber http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-13441 Amber Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:04:34 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-13441 <em>You</em> might like having johns humiliated, but the fact is, those tactics <em>don't work</em>, and can in fact put sex workers at greater risk of violence. More importantly, if you ask them, a substantial majority of sex workers will tell you that they do not want their clients criminalized, as that is potentially taking away their ability to earn a living. Ultimately, for me, what's most important is what sex workers want and need, not what will make me personally comfortable. I see nowhere that benign neglect or "looking the other way" have been offered as solutions - quite the opposite, in fact. You might like having johns humiliated, but the fact is, those tactics don’t work, and can in fact put sex workers at greater risk of violence. More importantly, if you ask them, a substantial majority of sex workers will tell you that they do not want their clients criminalized, as that is potentially taking away their ability to earn a living.

Ultimately, for me, what’s most important is what sex workers want and need, not what will make me personally comfortable. I see nowhere that benign neglect or “looking the other way” have been offered as solutions – quite the opposite, in fact.

]]> By: Nicki http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-13436 Nicki Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:01:16 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-13436 Man, do I disagree. I agree regarding stigmatizing individual prostitutes, because I'd like to see them have the freedom to be prostitutes or move into other lines of work, and that isn't likely if they're stamped forever with their past criminal transgressions. And I most definitely do not want them being preyed upon. But I like having johns humiliated, and that's mainly because johns are the cause of 90% of the negative experiences I've had in living in close proximity to an active, illegal, street prostitution scheme. Furthermore, I'm weary of arguments which seem to suggest that our only option is benign neglect, or looking the other way as the illicit drug and sex trade endangers our safety and property. That isn't an acceptable alternative for me, or for my neighborhood. Man, do I disagree. I agree regarding stigmatizing individual prostitutes, because I’d like to see them have the freedom to be prostitutes or move into other lines of work, and that isn’t likely if they’re stamped forever with their past criminal transgressions. And I most definitely do not want them being preyed upon. But I like having johns humiliated, and that’s mainly because johns are the cause of 90% of the negative experiences I’ve had in living in close proximity to an active, illegal, street prostitution scheme.

Furthermore, I’m weary of arguments which seem to suggest that our only option is benign neglect, or looking the other way as the illicit drug and sex trade endangers our safety and property. That isn’t an acceptable alternative for me, or for my neighborhood.

]]> By: Andisheh Nouraee http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-13367 Andisheh Nouraee Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:36:11 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-13367 Thank you for the evening's program. Thank you for the evening’s program.

]]> By: jt http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/comment-page-1/#comment-13342 jt Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:19:50 +0000 http://www.beingamberrhea.com/2007/12/17/repost-in-observance-of-intl-day-to-end-violence-against-sex-workers/#comment-13342 GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. The St. Paul PD does the same thing, which I learned when I googled "St. Paul Police Department." The <b>second</b> website on the list is prostitution arrest photos. Not conviction, just arrest. Lovely. Personally, I really enjoy the thought of a second grader learning about how <i>police are your friends</i> in school and googling the SPPD. <i>Mommy, what's pros-ti-tu-tion?</i> They <b>do</b> have photos of the johns on the SPPD website, but who the fuck cares? No other "crime" is stigmatized in this way. Also, as some of my lovely visitors pointed out during their meeting with a vice/trafficking detective from the SPPD (who hates the website FWIW), the site is just free advertising for the sex workers. The detective agreed and said that one of the women had actually asked if he could include her phone number along with her picture. People are dumb. Government agencies are vacuous. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

The St. Paul PD does the same thing, which I learned when I googled “St. Paul Police Department.” The second website on the list is prostitution arrest photos. Not conviction, just arrest. Lovely. Personally, I really enjoy the thought of a second grader learning about how police are your friends in school and googling the SPPD. Mommy, what’s pros-ti-tu-tion?

They do have photos of the johns on the SPPD website, but who the fuck cares? No other “crime” is stigmatized in this way.

Also, as some of my lovely visitors pointed out during their meeting with a vice/trafficking detective from the SPPD (who hates the website FWIW), the site is just free advertising for the sex workers. The detective agreed and said that one of the women had actually asked if he could include her phone number along with her picture.

People are dumb. Government agencies are vacuous.

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