This page brings together a collection of common questions about prostitution with a short explanation of the myth. There are suggested readings at the end of each and some useful videos can be found here.
Prostitution is not a job like any other. Prostitution only exists because of the attitudes, behaviours and demands of men. No other workplace demands that sexual services be exchanged for money and no other workplace exposes its employees to the threat of rape and physical violence.
The overwhelming majority of women in prostitution are poor. The pro prostitution lobby argues that prostitution offers economic independence to poor women, but independence should not come at the cost of harm and abuse. Julie Bindel Spinifex Press Legalisation fuels demand and increase in demand encourages the exploitation of women by pimps and customers. Research into areas where prostitution has been made legal demonstrates that this has not led to a decrease in child exploitation and trafficking.
This is what really happens when prostitution is legalised Julie Bindel There is no evidence to show that the Nordic Model, which penalises the buyers of sex and decriminalises prostituted persons has driven prostitution underground.
Evidence shows that the number of men purchasing sex decreases significantly with the Nordic Model. In places where prostitution is legalised, the illegal sector has increased enormously. Sex is not a basic human right in the way that food, water and shelter are. There are several reasons why prostitution cannot be justified on the grounds that it is an important service for disabled men. Secondly, carers or family members of a disabled man may think this is a good thing, but the disabled man may not be in a position to give his consent.
