The Sex Industry Worker Act

[No Breaks]

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Groot Gouda
Description: The NationStates UN,

RECALLING resolution #46 "Legalize Prostitution" and the repeal of that resolution,

ALSO RECALLING Resolution #7 (Sexual Freedom), and Resolution #53 (Universal Freedom of Choice), which make sex a private issue, instead of a government issue, and stating "a populace granted the freedom to make choices in life is a happier, more content and more productive society"

AFFIRMING in accordance with the above mentioned resolution that each person has the right to decide over their own body, and has the right to sell ther body if they decide to, without government interference,

ASSUMING an increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, as well as an increase in crime, and higher pressure on police, in a situation where prostitution is illegal,

ACKNOWLEDGING that health risks exist, even with legal prostitution,

1. DECLARES prostitution legal throughout the UN: any person who is mature ,and capable of making their own decisions may become a prosititute,

2. EMPHASIZES that legalizing prostitution must coincide with regulation from the government, such as health and safety and other employment legislation, just like any other profession,

3. RECOMMENDS nations that want to limit prostitution to tackle the issue by its roots and create education and social programs that will give more choice to people who might want to become a prostitute,

4. REQUESTS all nations to stimulate a clean and attractive working environment for prostitutes, and advises cooperation with the sex industry to renovate old "illegal" prostitution areas in towns and cities,

5. CONDEMNS child abuse and slavery in accordance with earlier UN resolutions (End slavery, Child Labor, Outlaw Pedophilia, The Child Protection Act, Ban Trafficking in Persons, etc) and advises strong punishments against people involved with these despicable crimes that explicitly are not covered by legal prostitution.

Votes For: 1,808
Votes Against: 1,050
Voting Ends: Sun Feb 6 2005

[theyellowspot]

In general, i'm not really into asking countries to do what i want them to, but i guess that's the problem with being in the UN. I'd really prefer if this was worded as an option, if you want to, do it, if you don't, don't. nevertheless, i'll vote "For".

[claptonpond]

I'm not actually here, so please feel free to ignore me. However:

theyellowspot said:

I'd really prefer if this was worded as an option, if you want to, do it, if you don't, don't.

Well, you have that option as the default - that's the case if this resolution doesn't pass.

Anyway, here's something that's worth bearing in mind:

'If you don't take a job as a prostitute, we can stop your benefits'

A 25-year-old waitress who turned down a job providing "sexual services'' at a brothel in Berlin faces possible cuts to her unemployment benefit under laws introduced this year.

Prostitution was legalised in Germany just over two years ago and brothel owners – who must pay tax and employee health insurance – were granted access to official databases of jobseekers.

Under Germany's welfare reforms, any woman under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take an available job – including in the sex industry – or lose her unemployment benefit.

See what happens when they legalise prostitution in capitalist countries?

(Actually, the accuracy of that article is questionable, but it could happen.)

[theyellowspot]

Under Germany's welfare reforms, any woman under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take an available job – including in the sex industry – or lose her unemployment benefit.

aside from the obvious problems I have with capitalism, and the sadness of prostitution as an institution enforced by capitalism, the unemployment law is what really makes this fucked up.

[claptonpond]

theyellowspot said:

aside from the obvious problems I have with capitalism, and the sadness of prostitution as an institution enforced by capitalism, the unemployment law is what really makes this fucked up.

True, but you have to remember that this is a UN resolution, so most of the nations it'll apply to will be capitalist, and will have shitty employment laws.

Decriminalisation would be fine, but legalisation could actively force people into prostitution since it makes it a legitimate form of employment (and most governments will try to force people into any legitimate form of employment).

And again, countries already have the option of whether to legalise, decriminalise, or not - this resolution takes away that choice.

[theyellowspot]

I've never heard a difference between legalization and decriminalization before. anyone wanna explain that?

[claptonpond]

Decriminalisation means that there are no laws regarding prostitution, so prostitutes aren't breaking the law and can't be hassled by cops.

Legalisation means it's a legitimate form of employment subject to government regulation, so governments can force the unemployed into prostitution (and I dare say plenty of NS governments will). And since it's all nice and regulated, you're still gonna get illegal street prostitution (addicts, illegal immigrants, under-18s and anyone else who isn't up to the legal standard, probably working for pimps) alongside the nice safe brothels, so you don't really gain anything in terms of health and safety.