University Survey into Prostitution
A survey has been conducted by Queen's University Belfast regarding prostitution in Northern Ireland. A bill is at present before the Northern Ireland Assembly to reinf o r c e the laws regarding modern slavery and ***********.
Clause six controversially seeks to change the present law where it is i l l e g a l to purchase sex from someone who has been f o r c e d into prostitution, to make it i l l e g a l to pay for sex from anyone even if they fully consent. This is supported by a cabal of the religious (Democratic Unionist Party, Free Presbyterian Church and others who are the the leading lights amongst the queer-bashing, slut-shaming, tea-total, sabath-enforcing old patriarchs and misogynists) and one woman’s group (who has now resigned from the Ministry of Justice panel on research because they are not prepared to consider the survey at all). The hypothesis being that complete abolition of prostitution by criminalization of the purchasers would remove all vestiges of ***********; just like prohibition of alcohol would cure the nation's d r u n k s!
Clause six is opposed by the Minister of Justice and the Police as unworkable, unenf o r c e able and putting sex-workers at increased risk.
Of the 350 prostitutes believed to be working in Northern Ireland, 171 participated in the survey.
Less than 1% (One Percent) have been ********** or f o r c e d to become prostitutes.
One third are resident, the other two thirds are from outside the province (mostly Eastern Europe).
More than half the prostitutes surveyed have university degrees; 44% are in relationships.
One and a half percent are ********; 2.3% are between 16 and 18; average age is 30; oldest is 70.
Most contact their clients online; only about 20 work the street.
A third of prostitutes surveyed have no ambition to leave the trade. Others would only do so if guaranteed equivalent money and re-training.
17,000 clients (3% of the adult male population) have paid a prostitute in the last year, 30% of these pay once or twice a month (over 5,000). 446 clients participated in the survey.
Most prostitutes surveyed believe that Clause Six will drive them further underground and make them more vulnerable to the same people that the law is supposed to be saving them from. This is principally because the male clients, to ensure their anonymity and reduce likelihood of prosecution, will from the outset go to greater lengths to conceal their identity, phone numbers, and other means of being identified; making it virtually impossible to find and prosecute the violent offenders amongst them.
84% of clients surveyed stated that they would continue to pay prostitutes, since it is a private arrangement already conducted in secret.
Later Note:
Clause six was passed into law in Northern Ireland alone. An attempt by the same proponents (Lord Morrow) to introduce it in the United Kingdom as a whole was voted down in Parliament. The police in Northern Ireland are ignoring it and have never prosecuted anyone under it. The law is soon due for automatic review, where it may be struck from the statute book for just this reason.
Clause six controversially seeks to change the present law where it is i l l e g a l to purchase sex from someone who has been f o r c e d into prostitution, to make it i l l e g a l to pay for sex from anyone even if they fully consent. This is supported by a cabal of the religious (Democratic Unionist Party, Free Presbyterian Church and others who are the the leading lights amongst the queer-bashing, slut-shaming, tea-total, sabath-enforcing old patriarchs and misogynists) and one woman’s group (who has now resigned from the Ministry of Justice panel on research because they are not prepared to consider the survey at all). The hypothesis being that complete abolition of prostitution by criminalization of the purchasers would remove all vestiges of ***********; just like prohibition of alcohol would cure the nation's d r u n k s!
Clause six is opposed by the Minister of Justice and the Police as unworkable, unenf o r c e able and putting sex-workers at increased risk.
Of the 350 prostitutes believed to be working in Northern Ireland, 171 participated in the survey.
Less than 1% (One Percent) have been ********** or f o r c e d to become prostitutes.
One third are resident, the other two thirds are from outside the province (mostly Eastern Europe).
More than half the prostitutes surveyed have university degrees; 44% are in relationships.
One and a half percent are ********; 2.3% are between 16 and 18; average age is 30; oldest is 70.
Most contact their clients online; only about 20 work the street.
A third of prostitutes surveyed have no ambition to leave the trade. Others would only do so if guaranteed equivalent money and re-training.
17,000 clients (3% of the adult male population) have paid a prostitute in the last year, 30% of these pay once or twice a month (over 5,000). 446 clients participated in the survey.
Most prostitutes surveyed believe that Clause Six will drive them further underground and make them more vulnerable to the same people that the law is supposed to be saving them from. This is principally because the male clients, to ensure their anonymity and reduce likelihood of prosecution, will from the outset go to greater lengths to conceal their identity, phone numbers, and other means of being identified; making it virtually impossible to find and prosecute the violent offenders amongst them.
84% of clients surveyed stated that they would continue to pay prostitutes, since it is a private arrangement already conducted in secret.
Later Note:
Clause six was passed into law in Northern Ireland alone. An attempt by the same proponents (Lord Morrow) to introduce it in the United Kingdom as a whole was voted down in Parliament. The police in Northern Ireland are ignoring it and have never prosecuted anyone under it. The law is soon due for automatic review, where it may be struck from the statute book for just this reason.
11年前
