Criminalization of prostitution or legalization of prostitution ---- Text positioning
group Toulouse CGA. ---- The heart of the system of prostitution (sexist and racist
capitalist) systems of domination ---- Prostitution can be considered "the use, against
remuneration, the bodies of women by men, in their interest"1 or as an activity
characterized by sexual contact, remuneration linked to this 'service' and the repeated
nature of or usual activity 2 . We talk about prositutionnel system or is prostitution
because its existence and development can not be reduced to single-es-es individual
composing. ---- The majority of prostitutes are women and the majority of consumers are
men. Prostitution provides an opportunity for men to receive a "service" sexual merchant
within a structurally unequal relationship, where sexuality is envisaged that prism fun
nickname male. It is not for us to deny the complexity of situations, from the point of
view of profiteers (clients, pimps) as prostitutes, but to situate prostitution in the
context of a global economic and trading system sex with profiteers and operated es.
Many of the prostitutes are from poor countries and are under the control of traffickers
and pimps. If the numbers vary from one study to another 3 , they still constitute the
overwhelming majority of prostitutes. So we can not discuss the issue of prostitution
without understanding the political and economic reasons which determine human
trafficking. States are the best allies of pimps, limiting the conditions of access to
nationality by complex legal constraints, putting countless people living in hiding. Pimps
benefit cheerfully, by exploiting illegal immigration to perform physical and / or
symbolic violence against migrant women (not all for project to prostitute 4 ) and put
under compulsory supervision.
Under the combined effect of liberal globalization and some liberalization sexual, the sex
industry has grown considerably in Western Europe. This lucrative trade includes
prostitution in all its forms (the escort services, strip clubs, the "bars of coaches,"
some "massage parlors" cyberprostitution ...) pornography, phone sex, newspapers and
magazines ... In total, these exchanges sexual reported a turnover of tens of billions
globally, some companies paying the luxury of being listed 5 .
Abolish prostitution or "clean" cities
Conditions of social and economic life, policies restricting immigration, social relations
marked by male dominance are many reasons to still see prostitution exist and develop.
In addition to its illusory nature, the penalty in all its forms does not solve the
socio-economic conditions of prostitutes and makes them more vulnerable.
In line with the LSI 2003 which punishes the active and passive soliciting and already
claimed protect prostitutes, the PS government claims combat sexual exploitation
continuing clients. This penalty has only effect of pushing the underground prostitutes,
relegating them away from police control and therefore often in remote areas where they
are more subject to violence from clients. Moreover, they will have access more difficult
to care and support offered by the various associations who work with prostitutes.
Finally, the potential crackdown customers require prostitutes to provide a service "on
the cheap" (unprotected sex, low-cost price) to avoid police intervention 6 .
Behind the false feminist rhetoric of the government said the new law penalizing customers
will only effect of ridding the cities of prostitution hoping reassure voters Managers,
without worrying about the serious consequences it will have on prostitutes.
Legalization of prostitution: towards a patriarchal capitalism
Claims of certain prostitutes in favor of legalizing prostitution would achieve social
rights related to any legal work, no more solve the issue. We support recess claims to
Urge that all self-es have the same basic social rights for each e-live the most decent
way possible in this profoundly unequal system. However these social rights are linked to
the exercise of what is called in this case "sex work" does not take into account all
situations prostitutes.
If it is a caricature to say that all prostitutes are dependent on a pimp, or subject to
trafficking network, it is equally wrong to claim that they benefit all the benefits of
legalization. If prostitution is exercised "freely" by some, it remains a slave to others.
Some prostitutes say indeed not want to be locked into a status that they mean to
legitimize an activity they perform under stress or duress. The legalization of
prostitution legitimizes this type of activity as market activity.
Since the capitalist system and the state would make a legal service, the existence of
this service would be legitimate. Macho representations of male sexuality would be more
confirmed: "irrepressible" natural sexual needs, will overcome the deficiencies conjugal
... This service is integrated in a capitalist economy, it becomes technique, turns into
leisure where the client chooses his provider has the best quality / price ratio. The
customer can even if desired, as have written some prostitutes, buy only a verbal exchange
with a sex worker.
Prostitution becomes a human relationship in market relations and serve the legalization
of the sex industry ( cf . development Eros center in countries that have regulated). It
does not solve the lives of many prostitutes who could not enjoy a status because
undocumented or victims of criminal networks.
Legalization would also affect all women and self-es. If it is possible for some women to
make their independent or salaried work, it will be possible that the system requires that
any woman carries potentially this work there (P?le emploi ads for hostess jobs proves it
is not political fiction).
Sex work: the sham of a liberated sexuality
Prostitution is based on the patriarchal foundation of our societies which establishes
socialization of men as dominant. In this socialization are taught that men can pay to
live their sexualities. Prostitution is based on secular representation of male desire in
terms of need. Evidenced by the establishment of brothels campaign, or services that the
sex industry is able to put up around sporting events, or even more recently how the
debate on the demand for sexual assistant with people disabilities could be derived.
Observe that there is no equivalent offered to women. This representation on the sexuality
of men who would be a need, a need which is more than the whole of society should be
concerned to satisfy particularly tenacious. It is a legitimation of sexuality
disempowered men. Women are made available to men to satisfy their so-called "need" when
it comes to desire, desire that takes place in a social and economic context of inequality
between men and women, so unequal in the report prostitution.
Socialization of women dominated, it is based on the idea that there are good and bad
women: good being those straight, mothers or are about to become disposed to the private
function are working or doing work other women and, one might add in our Western society,
are nice but not too ...
Obviously bad women are the ones that are stigmatized, those it is important not to
become: the "whores". These are only tacitly allowed to display their bodies and limitless
promise of sexuality they sell as their own, but is especially of men clients.
Prostitution therefore reflects this division between women, produced by the system of
male domination. Tool hierarchy so that slows or prevents solidarity.
Post-market sexuality represents sexual liberation for all? The transformation of a sexual
act sexual paid service has always served the fragmentation of body and mechanical erotic.
Prostitution need codification sexual acts to define their market value. It divides the
body into parts having a greater or lesser value in parts that need exercise its
eroticism. How to see a release in the Economy of the body. If this view of sexuality
prevails, if it becomes law, it is feared that it becomes a little more the norm. Sexual
conservatism prevail at the expense of sexual liberation of all people.
If prostitution is not only practiced by women, transgender or gay men, are men who are
almost exclusively customers and men are almost always pimps. This asymmetry reinforces
male control over women's bodies, access to women's bodies for purposes pleasurable, a
major component of the hierarchy.
Prostitution: the case of everyone
The abolition of prostitution can not declare overnight and will not be solved by any
penalty, she Fusse individuals who have a clear responsibility in its existence,
customers. About moralists who are to stigmatize prostitution calling it shameful activity
or simplify situations that led people into prostitution Nor settle this social issue.
Prostitution is the product of systems of domination as much as it feeds these systems.
Also, it is important to distinguish the political question posed by the prostitution of
the social question posed some prostitutes. If prostitution is mostly a means of
livelihood for some and an activity carried out "free", it is also a practical and
symbolic way to submit all women's sexual dominant. It is therefore a matter for tou-te-s
the self-es and especially all women.
For a free and open sexuality
It is obviously not suppress the fact that some self-es-es and especially women spend
their time have displayed sexual activity, in its plural forms as its partner. Outside any
system of domination, this would be of libertinism. But libertarianism is nothing
comparable to a sexual service especially when those who practice the claims as "sex work."
Its social and historical prostitution and / or sex work construction anchored in a
process of commodification of sexual service to meet the prescriptive requirements of the
patriarchal system. If the evils of capitalism and patriarchy can not be cured without
laws, some the dig a little more. Status legalizing prostitution would lock more all
individuals in the sexual dominant.
On this issue as on others, the immediate demands can not be considered that under
anarchist political long-term project. Regulate prostitution is grant legitimacy to the
State to legislate on the status of the body and sexuality.
Do you want the spread of prostitution as human relationships or does it persist in the
transforming action of society and social relations?
Today face social and economic insecurity, only the regularization of tou-te-s
undocumented, refusing any form of criminalization of prostitution, economic and social
equality for all and all will fight against sexual exploitation in all its forms.
1 http://www.sos-sexisme.org/infos/systeme.htm
2 % http://www.sos-sexisme.org/Prostitution 20SITE.htm
3 70% depending on the Prostitution and Globalization. Globalization of the origins,
course and heterogeneity of identity processes , Bouamama Said (ed.), Jessy Cormont and
Yvon Fotia, IFAR, Amicale du Nid, Altair, RAIH, Paris, Amicale du Nid, 2007, p. 117
(online:http://sereconstruireetsinserer.esfunblog.fr/files/2008/05/interieur.pdf)
4 Ibid. (see previous source)
5 http://www.argent-sexe.com/cac-40.html
6 http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Clients-de-la-prostitution
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