Comments on: Scotland Looks To Success Of Swedish Model

By: polly styrene

polly styrene — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:35:21 +0000

I presume you’re from the US sam, because it is a bit more normal to walk places here, even if you’re affluent, but I get your point. I just think it is any unaccompanied female that will get this stuff. Which is a powerful argument against buying sex IMHO. Even if you do believe the argument that ’sex workers’ are exercising free choice, (I don’t, just playing devils advocate) prostitution affects all women. And to all those people who advocate legalised brothels, I presume you’d be happy living next door to one would you, and for all your female relatives to work there.

By: sparklematrix

sparklematrix — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:00:37 +0000

It makes sense sam – in respect to what I’ve just said from one of my experiences. In fact within this particular incident – one of the men kept asking me where my husband was.

By: sam

sam — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:47:09 +0000

“I have heard of women being kerb crawled when they’re so pregnant they’re about to give birth.”

I think they believe, not without precendent, that a pregnant woman walking on the street has a good chance of being economically insecure.

The way they hunt us, it’s like men can smell desperation emanating from poverty-stricken women.

By: sparklematrix

sparklematrix — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:56:19 +0000

I got kerb crawled by two men when I had two kids in tow – one of them in a pushchair. My eldest one kept asking “why are they calling you “baby” mam?

By: Polly styrene

Polly styrene — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:50:05 +0000

Kerb crawling is illegal in England and has been for ages. But nobody ever gets done for it. About 10 years ago I lived briefly (thank goddess) in a notorious red light area. If any female dressed in any way stood still (including at a bus stop) you would get kerb crawled. I have heard of women being kerb crawled when they’re so pregnant they’re about to give birth. The menz just don’t care…….

By: stormy

stormy — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:31:25 +0000

Before the legislation came in nine years ago, 2500 women worked Stockholm’s streets. Now there are 100.

This is an amazing result.

The general estimate is that 90% would exit prostitution if given the opportunity, but the result in Sweden is actually 96%.

So much for the Happy Hooker theory (myth!).

By: jennifer drew

jennifer drew — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:06:16 +0000

Sweden has been very successful in tackling prostitution because this country unlike so many others views prostitution as male sexual violence against women as well as an abuse of all women’s human rights. New Zealand and Germany however, have legalised the right for men to buy women’s bodies but this has fuelled the numbers of women being sold into sexual slavery.

Scotland is way ahead of the UK on a number of issues concerning men’s violence against women. Unlike the UK, Scotland does not shrink from using those taboo words ‘male violence against women.’

Unfortunately the fact one prostituted woman who had to experience 11 men sexually abusing her body with the result she suffered considerable injury will be seen as just ‘rough sex’ or ‘those men gave it to her good.’ This view is common among male users of porn. Let’s hope Scotland does follow Sweden and criminalise Johns who for far too long have been perceived as entitled to buy women’s bodies so they can rape and sexually abuse them. Male demand is what fuels the trafficking and sexual slavery of women. But equally if Scotland does criminalise male johns they must also put in place multiple support for women exiting prostitution. Sweden has these services and they are proving to be very successful despite claims to the contrary.

By: Maggie Hays

Maggie Hays — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:26:00 +0000

“I really hope Scotland pulls this off Maggie”

Me too!

“it’s really important for both prostituted women and women as a class.”

I agree. Prosecute johns!

By: Sophie

Sophie — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:20:45 +0000

This sounds amazing – I didn’t have much hope for the ‘banning kerb-crawling’ bit because the article where I first read it stated that it had been banned in England for some time. I’ve been kerb-crawled in *both* Scotland and England, although it must have been illegal in the latter.

Unless the general attitude has changed… well, it’ll be an interesting experiment to watch anyway. There’s a big difference in living as a woman between NZ and Scotland (although NZ is bad enough in some ways). A lot of the time, it feels like having made a successful escape. The harassment in Scotland really was that bad.

It’s been made legal to both sell and buy in NZ (within the last few years). I get the impression that legalising hasn’t been the success hoped for.

By: sparklematrix

sparklematrix — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:00:38 +0000

I so hope Scotland pulls this off Maggie it’s really important for both prostituted women and women as a class.

Yeah I love Edinburgh Castle, in fact I love Edinburgh – just it’s so freaking expensive.