[News] Decriminalise prostitution, says Jeremy Corbyn

[JC Footy Genius]

The Labour leader had been taking part in a question and answer session at Goldsmiths University, in London, on Thursday.

According to the Guardian, he said: "I am in favour of decriminalising the sex industry. I don't want people to be criminalised. I want to be [in] a society where we don't automatically criminalise people.

"Let's do things a bit differently and in a bit more civilised way."

Backbench Labour MP Jess Phillips criticised Mr Corbyn's comments on Twitter.

"Man says we should decriminalize a known violence against women. Why did it have to be this man," she wrote.

But the English Collective of Prostitutes, which campaigns for decriminalisation, voiced its support for Mr Corbyn's comments.

Supporters of decriminalisation include Amnesty International, which says it would mean sex workers are "no longer forced to live outside the law".

Ms Harman tweeted: "Prostitution's exploitation and abuse not "work/an industry". Women should be protected and men prosecuted."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35724897

It's unlikely any fine upstanding members of the NSC parish have any personal experience in this area but if you have feel free to share ... Is this a good idea? Is Corbyn right? Vote winner?

By the way who knew there was an English Collective of Prostitutes!? Are the other home nations properly represented, we need to be told.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I think he's right just as long as both parties involved are consenting. I've always found it bizarre it's illegal to sell sex yet some people marry a partner because of their money which surely is just the same.

 

[Buzzer]

Not got any personal experience here but decriminalising it surely has to be a win-win. Safer for everyone, cleans up neighbourhoods, brings in revenue to the Treasury, frees up police time and removes gangsters and pimps from the equation.

edit - That Collective of Prostitutes have been around for years, haven't they? I remember them having a march or demonstration years back in Soho about something or other.

 

[jakarta]

By the way who knew there was an English Collective of Prostitutes!? Are the other home nations properly represented, we need to be told.

My experience of lovely Aberdeen in my Offshore Years (1991 to 2012) is that the Jock Collective of Prostitutes would be largely Eastern European these days.

Not that I indulged you understand but I was propositioned now & again late night on Union Street.

The Eastern Europeans were not only better looking but spoke far better English...

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Doubt it's a vote winner as public opinion will be split half and half.

Think it might be a good thing, would always go for de criminalising and dealing with the social outcomes in a positive way but would be concerned about it giving an easy reign for people exploiting vulnerable men/women girls/boys.

 

[SAC]

It's long overdue.

Next to legalise some recreational drugs.

 

[The Albion Roar]

I think he's right just as long as both parties involved are consenting. I've always found it bizarre it's illegal to sell sex yet some people marry a partner because of their money which surely is just the same.

Issues around non-consentual sex already have their own laws.

 

[glasfryn]

Not got any personal experience here but decriminalising it surely has to be a win-win. Safer for everyone, cleans up neighbourhoods, brings in revenue to the Treasury, frees up police time and removes gangsters and pimps from the equation.

edit - That Collective of Prostitutes have been around for years, haven't they? I remember them having a march or demonstration years back in Soho about something or other.

and secondly it might stop MP's prosituting themselves to the big companies

 

[JC Footy Genius]

My experience of lovely Aberdeen in my Offshore Years (1991 to 2012) is that the Jock Collective of Prostitutes would be largely Eastern European these days.

Not that I indulged you understand but I was propositioned now & again late night on Union Street.

The Eastern Europeans were not only better looking but spoke far better English...

I'm not sure if your experience is an argument for or against EU migration

I did a bit of window shopping in Amsterdam many many years ago. Not with any serious intention of making a purchase you understand.

Agree with many of the previous posts decriminalising is the way to go. I doubt this will help get Labour votes or increase party unity though.

 

[Buzzer]

Agree with many of the previous posts decriminalising is the way to go. I doubt this will help get Labour votes or increase party unity though.

You know what, I don't think this issue is half as contentious as it used to be. I reckon most people of all political persuasions recognise it's never going to go away and perhaps now is exactly the time to have a grown up debate about it.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

You know what, I don't think this issue is half as contentious as it used to be. I reckon most people of all political persuasions recognise it's never going to go away and perhaps now is exactly the time to have a grown up debate about it.

You may be right although the predictable reaction from a particularly strident brand of leftist feminism exemplified by Ms Harman and Jess Phillips leads me to believe it is virtually impossible to have a grown up constructive debate about any of these issues.

 

[The Albion Roar]

You know what, I don't think this issue is half as contentious as it used to be. I reckon most people of all political persuasions recognise it's never going to go away and perhaps now is exactly the time to have a grown up debate about it.

Maybe.

But because Jeremy Corbyn has commented on it, Sky has already leapt on it with the headline 'Corbyn under fire over sex work comments'.

It's a headline taken from the fact that a female Labour MP has cricitised his comments (about decriminalising prostitution), which they've picked up on. She then later tweeted she misunderstood what he was saying, and agreed with his stance, which funnily enough hasn't been picked up on.

A grown up debate can't be had if the media are only interested in criticising the messenger, rather than the messge.

 

[Buzzer]

You may be right although the predictable reaction from a particularly strident brand of leftist feminism exemplified by Ms Harman and Jess Phillips leads me to believe it is virtually impossible to have a grown up constructive debate about any of these issues.

You may well be right but surely legalising it empowers the prostitutes. It puts all the power in their hands. Anyhow, the feminist movement can't have it both ways. On the one hand they say that abortion is ultimately the decision of the mother as its her body. I reckon the same principle should apply with legalised prostitution.

 

[The Albion Roar]

....

 

[JC Footy Genius]

You may well be right but surely legalising it empowers the prostitutes. It puts all the power in their hands. Anyhow, the feminist movement can't have it both ways. On the one hand they say that abortion is ultimately the decision of the mother as its her body. I reckon the same principle should apply with legalised prostitution.

I agree it will be interesting to see how this develops.

 

[Eeyore]

If a person of age agrees a contract to exchange sex for money then it is the business of no-one else. It should not be unlawful.

Whilst some women (and men) freely engage out of considered will (a friend of mine was a prostitute for many years) some find themselves in that situation because of disturbing backgrounds and unscrupulous characters.

Legalising prostitution and telling these people that they are not criminals is the first step to resolving many ills.

 

[Notters]

You know what, I don't think this issue is half as contentious as it used to be. I reckon most people of all political persuasions recognise it's never going to go away and perhaps now is exactly the time to have a grown up debate about it.

You say that but they don't seem to have worked it out on the drug front yet do they?

 

[El Presidente]

The police have agreed for managed prostitution in Leeds and other cities are considering it too.

By having some order to the business it can make a start at addressing the issues of sexual health and drugs that surround the business.

The police should be focussing on the pimps and people smugglers who exploit these girls, who are more victims than criminals IMO. No one in their right mind would want to be noshing a 50 year old balding photocopier rep in the back of a Mondeo for £20 unless they had some more serious issues in their life to deal with.

I think Corbyn is right, not that it will make people want to vote any more for him or against him.

 

[crookie]

Not a Corbyn fan but totally agree with him on this. No chance the tories would run with this unfortunately

 

[nicko31]

Anyone ask Jeremy Clarkson what he thinks?