Choice and the sex industry

Another interesting exchange took place today & of the many topics that were covered this evening's hot topic is that of choice & the sex industry particularly for those with limited options/choices.

I hear the arguments that prostitution is wrong because people are forced to work in the industry or have no other option. Sorry, but there are choices and as hard as it seems apart from those that are in a slavery situation (yes folks it does happen, fortunately in this country to a limited extent) there are choices.

The industry attracts many who see the money that can be earned yet far too few see the challenges that are associated with the potential earnings. Are the problems that the meek & emotionally weak encounter a prostitution issue or are they a result of the disgusting attitudes deeply entrenched in all levels and facets of society that is appallingly sex, gender and particularly female negative ?

They have the choice of the money with the realities attached or less money in another situation & the realities that inflicts on their lifestyle. 

I will unashamedly admit to strongly accepting the philosophy of Ayn Rand, her philosophy of Objectivism  & the existentialists - cold, hard & unforgiving at times but put simply life is what we individually make of it with no "right" to expect help or rescue if we make bad choices or find ourselves on the wrong end of circumstance.We either have the strength & fortitude to make our way to a better situation or we accept life as it is until we are able to create change in our own life.

The Canadian documentary team have spent a couple of nights out amongst the street workers, many of whom are off the bottom of the scale when it comes to financial circumstance and even more with drug addictions & worse.  Again, is prostitution the issue ? No, society's eternal failure to deal with poverty, addiction and those who fall between the cracks of society are the issues at hand. For many of these lost souls prostitution keeps them alive between meals, next score and away from even worse situations than the appalling reality they live.

So what of decriminalisation and the sex industry and issues related to the above ? As I touched on in the previous post decriminalisation is but one small step in the mind-shift society as a whole needs to make. Decriminalisation is about removing the unacceptable threat of arrest or harassment of provider & punter when undertaking an essential service. It must go hand in hand with well resourced support, education and intervention services but most importantly society must begin the journey to erase acceptance of emotional & physical violence as an acceptable outcome or reaction to others.

To put it bluntly society needs to grow the fuck up and provide for all aspects and realities of life's rich tapestry, not just those that sit well with the "civilised" people as they pass judgement on those whose situations they are unable to comprehend.

I would hasten to add that there are many in the industry who might not have chosen prostitution as a first choice career but adapt well to it's realities. I suspect the next post will be about the realities of why prostitution is not for the meek or emotionally weak !