Group B Third Subject

This week I'm interested in your views on the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair and more generally your feelings on "prostitution" and "Escort Agencies". Should Prostitution be legalised? Should men using prostitutes be more heavily penalised? Could prostitution be seen as a reasonable, even desirable, action in certain situations? Does illegalising it take it underground and cause more problems than it solves? Over to you...

Firstly, on the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affair, I heard a protitute saying "he win 150.000€ for a conference, he can pay us a fine"... Some of these girls wants DSK to be guilty only to have money, we can't trust their testimony...
I'm not shocked by the DSK affair, because it was a private party and if they wanted to have girls, this was their problem... They didn't forced the prostitutes to be here, they were paid (and I think pretty well )...

In my mind, I don't see any problem to legalize it. They do what they want with her body. But it shouldn't takes place in the street, I mean if it's legalized, prostitute have to leave streets and take place somewhere else where we don't see them. It will avoid them to be insulted, to be attacked and we won't need to explain kids why these girls have few cloths on her anymore.
Furthermore, I think it permit to control this activity, to avoid teenagers to do it and maybe avoid some women to be abused by pimp.

The DSK affair is too excessive. Since the Sofitel case, medias, and particularly French ones are taking pleasure to constantly bring down DSK… But the reality is, like Cyriac said, that prostitutes are aware of their situation and they are simply seeing in this case an opportunity to earn a lot of money. Parties like the Carlton ones take place every day and nobody cares until it involves a major political figure who bothers the shitty ones.

Concerning the prostitution, I’m in favor of the legalization. For the prostitutes security and to block human trafficking from Eastern Europe countries to western… It’s a reality and only legalization could impact this in a good way. For many women, prostitution is a choice, for what reason, we should interfere in this since it arranges both women and customers?
Then we can see that FEMINIST are against this legalization in the name of Ethic I guess.
Anyway. Anyone knows the “manifeste des 343 salauds” ? It’s a petition-like charts signed by 343 french male personalities in favor of the legalization.

In my mind I think the DSK affair is a shame for our country , he could have been such a better representation of France . Indeed he was the former FMI director but he is also considered as a sexual pervert who can t be cured by the whole part of the world . He said about "proces Carlton" that he didn t know they were prostitute but only "libertines" (of course it's false but thanks to good lawyers he will be ready to practice his favourite hobby soon)
I agree with Baptiste a lot of parties are similar but this one shouldn t have been involved DSK again especially after Sofitel case this is too much ...
As for legalize prostitution i share the point of view of Cyriac and Baptiste we have to allow prostitution by creating special structure for girls , to give them security and not being forced to walk on the street : we could make it "clean" and change old fashion mentality ...

The main problem of DSK is : He love too much women... After the sofitel's scandal, DSK became the public enemy number one. That's why his current affair make a lot of disturbance. Like Cyraic and the fabulous said, the prostitutes use DSK's reputation to attack him.
About legalize prostitution, I believe it could be a good opportunities for all of part. In first for the prostitutes because they will be in safety with more law and regulation. In case of economy, the government could be taxe this job like the other. And the client will be reassured by this regulation.

However, through this text I don't protect DSK's action... Instead I condemn it

I agree with Baptiste. Each case with DSK involved is a good reason to belittle him whereas he is not the only person or celebrity to do that.

Concerning the prostitution i think it will be a mistake to penalised the client. People who live near the border countries can go abroad in Germany, Spain, Belgium which doesn't penalised the client in order to always use prostitutes without being penalised.
Generally i don't think that ban prostitution is a solution. Prostitution exists for a long time and and will still exist for a long time. Ban it will have disastrous consequences for prostitutes who will have even more difficult working conditions. The ban will be a good reason for procurers to increase the prices of prostitutes' services and this will increase their revenues which is not the aimed goal. The prohibition has never been a sucess ( like the prohibition in United States ).
I think the best solution is to legalize Brothel. this will improve the security of prostitutes, this will reduce the human trafficking from Africa and East Europa and it's a way for state to earn money by taxing brothel's revenus. But legalise brothels will never be possible in France today.

Hey everyone,
I have an impression that the DSK case is either fabricated or exaggerated. Someone spent time to take this dirty laundry out (I've read opinions that it could be DSK's opponents during the Presidential elections in 2011). In the Sofitel case his guilt wasn't really proven. However, I do believe that a person like him may be involved in closed parties with prostitutes.
Anyway, I'm certainly against legalizing prostitution. The prostitution was legalized in 2000 in the Netherlands, the government thought that this measure would help to decrease the number of violence towards women (esp. rape). However, some year later, the government tried to cancel this law and admitted that legalizing prostitution was a huge mistake and it didn't help at all.
At the same time, many people say that prostitution was legalized by men, not by women. Women become prostitutes when they have no choice. I've heard that prostitution is called “the most ancient profession” but the truth is that prostitution is the most ancient type of slavery. And for me, legalizing prostitution means bringing dark times of slavery back.

Well firstly I have to say that I didn't know DSK and his affairs before John posted this online topic. In order to participate a little bit in this discussion , I searched him on Google, and I got a GREAT quantity of his news.

Why DSK attracted considerable attention? For me, it's just because he is a politician. He represents not only himself but also his party, the expectation of his supporters. Journalists enlarge his life and his behavior.(Especially before election) So I'm quiet agree with Cyriac. DSK paid for all the services, and all the prostitutes were not forced to came to the party. It's much better than a rape. In America, some politicians "visit" sometimes the Moonlite BunnyRanch which is a famous brothel in Nevada, they didn't lose electors because of this.
So I support the legalization of prostitution. The related department could formulate the "prostitution industry". Like make monthly physical examination text for them, make sure that there are no juvenile work for brothel etc. We could decrease AIDS and may be rape case at the same time. Prostitute will be protected by law like many other profession.

I'm gonna just talk about the prostitution without DSK case. Because i'm not quite aware of this case(Shame on me). When we talk about the prostitution, the first go through our mind is that the prostitut are women, and that men are beneficiaries who waving their whips oppress and exploit women by forces. But come on! we are not in the middle ages. As "the most ancient profession", i believe that "What is real is rational, what is rational is real". Sex can  just be a function, a release, separate from emotions. even for women, it can be useful. don't forget there are also the prostitution male too. You can't ban prostitution entirely.
i'm not saying that sexual abuses and pedophilia do not existent. Unlucky, yes, they do exist. i'm saying that legalizing prostitution is one thing and how can we put it properly is another. The problem of legalizing prostitution in Netherlands that Veranika talk about its not prostitution itself. it's how to make the prostitut safer and make sure that they can liberted from the dirty underworld.

I'm quietly gonna be a goat and follow the lead on this topic.
I agree with you folks. DSK is a sex maniac, everybody knows it, he knows it himself. Is he the only one in the political spheres ? I seriously doubt that. Politics, sex and money are very often related. Unfortunately he's famous (may I recall my chinese friends he was one of the most powerful people in the world and that he was going to be the new french president), & he's got money. What an opportunity to take advantage of ! Anyway this trial is quite useless at the end as he's going to have all the charges dropped (once again). Sex addict but clever guy, ain't he ?
What about prostitution ? Veronika makes her point, I didn't see it like that at first. However I think legalizing it is the right thing to do. As Alexandre said prostitutes exist since the dawn of time, it's the cruel reality, and might it be considered as slavery yet we're far from ending prostitution. What should we do then ? Bring the whole milieu to light, bring legal status to the profession, strictly control it, tax it ? Or close our eyes, condemn it but do nothing ? I believe we're living a time where transparency and control are fashionable so we should try at least with prostitution and stop the taboo around it. Our beloved neighbours the Germans (french inferiority complex you know) have brothels legalized for a few years now and I don't feel it's so discussed across the Rhine now.

I’ll make any comment on the DSK case, except this one.
We can’t deny prostitution and what it includes. If you can’t eradicate it, why not regulate it? Should we reconsider the law of 1946 and reopen the doors of the pleasure?
Through regulation, it offers the opportunity for these professionals of love to exercise with something new, security. Security not to be struck, robbed, raped? And living as an independent person, a normal person. One could "partially" remove an existing traffic by opening regulated areas such as brothels. Prostitution has no place in the street, or any other form of public place as highlighted Cyriac. Whether major or not, the street is free to all.
I don’t see what would prevent legalize prostitution given that pornography is full and completely recognized in our society. Moreover, I am convinced that the political will tax as it should this activity, and even would give of their pockets (   ).

I'm not very passionated by the subject but I'm gonna share my thoughts anyway... The DSK affair took such a proportion not because of prostitution but because this man could have been president. Like Maxence I think almost everybody in the political sphere knew his addiction, and he was/is probably not the only one. It is such a drama because he is famous and had responsibilities, so it was a piece of cake for the media and the "victims". Personally I don't think there are any victim since all the prostitutes were willing and well paid. But since there is a lot of money involved... Vultures go out.
Now that he is professionally "dead" (which is good, knowing his addiction) I think everyone should let it go, I am (and I think a lot of people too) tired of all of this "DSK affair".

Oh DSK … each person has its weakness, but that’s probably the less easy to hide   .
France is no longer a “catholic country”, a possible legalization of prostitution shouldn’t shock that much, but I don’t think it will go through the Parliament to be honest.
Apparently a part of the Senate is going the opposite way, and a proposal like the Swedish model will be made (illegal to buy sexual services, but not to sell them).
Literally making prostitution "disappear" is not helpful, and they’ll always be a black market anyway.

Nothing original to add.
About DSK is a sick man and I agree with everyone saying that he was targeted. They took advantage of his weakness to make him fall. Now it is true that he represents the country above all when we know that he could have been president. .. I wished he reacts by curing for his addiction and passes a message that sex addiction is recognized as a disease just like alcoholism.
About prostitution I also think that legalization can be beneficial to protect these women, in terms of health, safety etc. But it is certain that the state will tax this activity. If taxes can be used to provide training to prostitutes for converting them in another work why not.
I just hope that legalize this activity does not mean to "normalize" it. And I think, like Kevin, that there will always be a black market.

I dont' have much to add again ,
But, my disappointment is to see that the real weak point of DSK is women . As a matter of fact, every men like women but our desire must be limited and specially if you are a politician you may know that you have people who can try to do all for destroy you and that why you must be careful in all you are doing . So,maybe he is ill and he need more and more women , but to my own opinion think he must blame himself for lossing he's best career.

He'll be able to make a lot of money on the "talk" circuit. Certainly more money than being President.

Long live Capitalism.