France flip-flops prostitution laws

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
The CNN headline quite cleverly said it well

"France: prostitution now legal, paying for sex becomes illegal."

France doesn't want the industry to flourish but they changed in forcemeat to match most other European countries' strategy - don't arrest the hooker, take down the clients. Apparently, a hooker is not afraid to be a repeat offender because the judge is not going to sentence her (in most cases) to more than a few days in jail and a minor fine. The client, on the other hand, has much more to loose and, with his (usually) name published with an arrest record he will not likely get that next promotion or job.
 

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
I meant to add, it has proven to be very effective in the other countries so France is following. Anyhow, what other laws could be flip-flopped to get a better result?
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
One obvious consequence is that high-status clients will find other avenues for that satisfaction. Ordinary hookers will have to lower their prices to meet the ability of lower-status clients to pay. Those clients are also more prone to violence.

End result, high-profile clients will be unaffected. Ordinary hookers will become more frequent victims of violence. How is that going to help the hookers?

Baltimore had an unofficial "hooker" zone downtown (at least until the middle 1970's). It worked well. Police patrolled it and even built a central station in its midst. Of course, that was a long time ago, but some recent contacts in Balto have told me it still exists. I think that is a more realistic approach. Why punish either the clients or the hookers? Just recognize it exists, make it shady, but most important, protect the women involved from the violence they so often experience.

John
 

shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
Yeah. This is stupid. Legalize it and collect the fees for practicing it. Turn money lost to the state into income for the state.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,082
The more realistic approach where it is legal or at least tolerated on a official level has to involve law enforcement and the criminal element. If the criminal element (even if prostitution is legal lots of activities of the entire enterprise won't be) is stable a system of payoffs will exist leading to corruption of officers to cover-up minor offences. If it remains low-key that's a manageable problem but that's not normal human nature. Eventually power will be consolidated in a few that the higher political structure must accept as the vice bosses. In the west we see this mainly as a crime problem but I've seen and lived where it resulted in massive amounts of human suffering from those with little power.


The military was very practical in the way it handled prostitution.
 
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#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
The military was very practical in the way it handled prostitution.
Having never been in the military, and never hired a prostitute (unless you count my second wife) most of this escapes me. However, I would like to say you can't (successfully) legislate morality into people just as much as you can't legislate stupidity out of them. Still, the legislators will not stop. Today I learned that all cars must have tire pressure monitoring computers as of 2008. My new (used) car has this feature, and, as expected, it doesn't work. Am I going to throw several hundred dollars at it or ignore the light on the dashboard? I'm going to ignore it, just like the people too lazy or stupid to check their own tire pressures.

The only thing this accomplishes is more money removed from the citizens to fund the continuously growing police state.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Today I learned that all cars must have tire pressure monitoring computers as of 2008. My new (used) car has this feature, and, as expected, it doesn't work.
Assuming 3 tires are working, I would try to bypass the faulty tire or go a a junk yard. If it is the central receiver, then I might choose to cut the wire to the warning. In my car, when the warning goes off, you lose a lot of the other dashboard information. Sorry for being OT for a serious topic.

John
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
The tire pressure system on my car only makes the dashboard display default to a "Low Tire" warning which can be bypassed by pressing a Reset button each time you start the engine. Project idea: I think the best solution would be a transmitter which transmits a, "Pass" signal for each of the tires, every 30 seconds. That would eliminate servicing 4 expensive tire monitors which include a battery each, which can not be replaced. (Need a tiny battery? That will be $100 each, plus labor.) Other than that, cut the power to the warning icon on the dashboard or put a piece of tape over it and stuff some Silly Putty in the dinger. I have black tape. I just need to find the dinger.:D

Now, back to the serious issue of prostitution.:rolleyes:
 

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Now, back to the serious issue of prostitution.:rolleyes:
Actually, the question was, taking the prostitution legislation as an example, what other laws could be flip flopped to improve the success of eliminating the problem?

The concept is not new in the US. We tried prosecuting drug users in the 60s and 70s, then we started focusing on drug dealers. Neither seemed to work in that case, but what about other laws that have been out of scope?

Bernie and Hillary are talking about the ability to sue gun manufacturers if someone is killed with a gun that works exactly as intended. Bernie has said, No, Hillary has said yes. That topic will get too political in a hurry so let's move on to other options.

Cars, who should be responsible for speeding tickets or drunk driving? Can the blame be shifted to the bar? To the car manufacturer? Technology exists.

What about insider trading? Shouldn't statistics be able to show someone is "acting irrationally unless they have inside information?" Like, who drives into a horse racing track in a 1999 camry and bets $2500 on a long shot? If the long shot wins, make an investigation is needed? Even before the race is run, shouldn't some suspicious red flags fly? Likewise, someone buys a bunch of stock in my company on a downward spiral? Should these people have to explain themselves? Should the trading house be required to check in on the trader? Maybe, maybe not
What about credit card companies? They see when one person is collecting a bunch of $500 deposits from storm victims. Should they say something to the authorities that no contractor license exists? Should credit card companies ask for a business license (or tax documents or incorporation papers or what ever befor allowing people to collect money.

Just a bunch of random thoughts on how to look at a problem and find the right hurdles to make sure a society functions as needed instead of creating victims and criminals.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Can a legitimate manufacturer or vendor be responsible for the product's illegal use? Considering America's tort system, that is not a door I think that should be opened.

Today, for example, I spent at least half an hour cleaning up McDonalds and other fast food packages, sauce containers, aluminum beverage containers (usually beer), plastic beverage containers, and so forth from my drive entrance, which is on a state highway. Should I be allowed to sue for each and every piece of illegally disposed of litter carrying a logo? Like I say, that is not a door we want to open.

I would be satisfied if it was just legal to shot a litterer. ;)

John
 

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
Can a legitimate manufacturer or vendor be responsible for the product's illegal use? Considering America's tort system, that is not a door I think that should be opened.

Today, for example, I spent at least half an hour cleaning up McDonalds and other fast food packages, sauce containers, aluminum beverage containers (usually beer), plastic beverage containers, and so forth from my drive entrance, which is on a state highway. Should I be allowed to sue for each and every piece of illegally disposed of litter carrying a logo? Like I say, that is not a door we want to open.

I would be satisfied if it was just legal to shot a litterer. ;)

John
The door has already been opened to the chemical industry. If a chemical manufacturer sells to an individual and ships to a site that is not able to use or store the material safely - example shipping 4 drums of methyl ethyl death (in drums) to a shopping center, the chemical company can get fined and forced to share in the decontamination costs of the site according to superfund laws. Why can't mcDonalds help pay to clean up your front yard? Wouldn't that cause them to rethink their packaging or their promotion of eating-and-driving?
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
what other laws could be flip flopped to improve the success of eliminating the problem?
I am seriously not understanding you today. There is a world of difference between two horny fools in the alley and a corporation full of chemists and licenses. Can you narrow this down a bit?
 

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
I am seriously not understanding you today. There is a world of difference between two horny fools in the alley and a corporation full of chemists and licenses. Can you narrow this down a bit?
No. Be creative. Jaywalking to Mass murder - it is up to you.
 

Lestraveled

Joined May 19, 2014
1,946
The US government owned the Mustang Ranch (brothel) for about 3 months in 1990 due to tax fraud. I was living in Las Vegas then, and the word was the government tried to keep it open for about 16 days but for some reason no one patronized it and they closed it. Gee, imagine Uncle Sam as a Madame.
 

Thread Starter

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
That's one way to put it.
My fat fingers on a tablet - the auto correct is humorous and, sadly, the forum software does not allow editing of the first post. See HP's recent post on photomultiplier tubes - leaving the first post empty and asking the question in the second so she has a chance to edit it as needed. Weird forum rule.
 
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