Forum Topic

Should there be a re-think?

Given the awful and distressing murders in the Ipswich area isn't it well past time that prostitution was de-criminalised to give the women protection and let them work from licensed premises? Forcing them on to the streets is appalling - this "profession" isn't going away so surely in the 21st century we should be able to take a practical and sensible attitude to sorting it out once and for all, we cannot go on like this. While we're about it shouldn't the same be applied to drugs? -  At the very least you make a huge change in taking organised crime out of the equation, clearly present ways of dealing with these issues just isn't working - the lesson is when there was prohibition in the U.S.? It didn't work then and it won't work now, it's just open season for criminals and never mind the victims. How much longer will successive Governments run scared of facing up to what is really going on?

Vanessa Smith ● 6745d5 Comments

It isn't about people ever thinking that prostitution is a desirable lifestyle - I can't see a time when that would ever be the case. What this about is protection - of the women themselves from pimps who encourage their drug habit,to keep them in that life, and public health - from S.T.Is., and people trafficking. Organised crime is involved in all these rackets surely we have learned that the authorities cannot hope to win by following present thinking, something really radical needs to be grasped but who will be brave enough to go for it?

Vanessa Smith ● 6743d

I agree mostly with what you are saying Vanessa,although it is unwise to think that if all the 'vices' were legalised that it would not encourage some who would never have gone down that road to make a bee line for it...also,there surely has to be an incentive for women to stop being prostitutes and for people to stop taking hard drugs for their own sakes and for that of society.Your proposal would have to work hand in hand with some kind of rehab.or scheme that encourages people to give up that lifestyle.Would you like a daughter of yours to become a prostitute,which presumably is more lucrative than working at Tesco's,if she thinks it's ok because it was legal and had diminished stigma in the eyes of society?

Keith Iddon ● 6745d

"I suspect there are already quite a few people living in the borough who live fairly near one without even knowing it!"I'm sure there are - sometimes ignorance is bliss!

James de Vivenot ● 6745d

I suspect there are already quite a few people living in the borough who live fairly near one without even knowing it! But I take your point and surely someone has the wit to address this - rocket science it ain't! Think of all the empty property in this borough alone not too near residential areas that could be utilised.

Vanessa Smith ● 6745d

Vanessa, I agree with you in principle. However, I wonder how many Brentford residents would be happy to live next to a brothel?

James de Vivenot ● 6745d