Prostitution of minors in France has risen by up 43 percent over the last four years, according to official figures published Friday. The government insists it remains committed to cracking down on exploitation networks, a decade after a landmark law made paying for sexual services a crime.

  • Rioting Pacifist@lemmy.world
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    20 hours ago

    Maybe all the sex workers that say criminzalization isn’t the answer are on to something.

    Decriminalize & legalize adult sex work if you want to address child trafficking.

    • jacksilver@lemmy.world
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      4 hours ago

      Is there any evidence of that or is the thought that since decriminalization generally improves conditions it would also improve the situation around child trafficking?

      Cause I could see it making it more common as the barrier/risk is lowered. Doesn’t take much to make a fake ID.

      I could see an argument that it might follow a similar trajectory as underage pot use, but those aren’t exactly similar situations.

      • mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 hour ago

        The point of legalizing it is that it can be regulated. With legalization comes standardization. You can have legal employers who are legally required to verify employees’ ages, using established systems.

        It would also allow the government to confirm that the employees are legally allowed to work in the country. Either citizens or on a valid working visa. This would add substantial roadblocks to trafficking, where one of the primary means of control is moving the victim to another country illegally and then taking their passport away. Limit their mobility, and you limit their ability to flee. But by requiring that all employees are legally allowed to work, it adds a significant roadblock to the traffickers’ MO.

        When I was in high school, finding drugs was easier than finding alcohol. Why? Because drug dealers didn’t ask for ID. With alcohol, you had to know someone with a cool older sibling, or know a cashier who would be willing to sell if you slipped them a twenty. But since the latter was under constant surveillance from their employer (because cash registers are almost always video recorded for security purposes) that wasn’t very easy to find. But with drugs, you could walk up to any skater or stoner and ask if they had a connect. You’d have drugs in hand in less than 10 minutes.

      • ZephyrXero@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        The research shows being legal or not doesn’t affect the amount of activity. The only difference is when legal the workers experience less violence and safer conditions. https://www.smh.com.au/national/legal-or-not-sex-industry-powers-on-20101005-1669t.html

        But since they are children, they can’t consent and this is very different. Therefore this thread’s OP is I think just hoping legal consenting adults would sway the pedos away from kids all together. But that might just be wishful thinking.

        It might actually cut into the ones harassing 17 year olds though, but I don’t know it would change anything for the sickos going after younger ones

    • Flax@feddit.uk
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      18 hours ago

      Nonces are going to nonce

      Also, legalising prostitution makes protecting women from being trafficked harder

        • Flax@feddit.uk
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          4 hours ago

          Because it’s legal. You cannot get a prostitute to safety without substantial proof that they’re being forced

        • Flax@feddit.uk
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          17 hours ago

          Essentially, if police come across a brothel and the women (who are coerced) claim they are there consensually, they cannot do much. If it’s illegal, then they can actually get them to safety so they can tell them they were forced. If they weren’t, they can just drop the charges. This is basically what Northern Ireland has been doing- and the only people who have been convicted were also convicted of perpetuating human trafficking (they weren’t a victim)

          • Brummbaer@pawb.social
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            11 hours ago

            Let me just point out two things.

            Sex workers who work legally need to be eligible to work in the country they reside in and they are protected by workers laws.

            Now think again what happens to sex workers who work in countries where it’s illegal and what leverage others have over them.

            Also when sex work is illegal it’s mostly done by organised crime and and the right amount of money and leverage employed at the right spots can get the police / the state to look the other way.

            Sex workers are hurt by criminalising sex work, simple as that.

            • Flax@feddit.uk
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              5 hours ago

              Sex workers who work legally need to be eligible to work in the country they reside in and they are protected by workers laws.

              That makes it even worse. If you stop engaging in prostitution, you get fired and your working visa is revoked. Also, you’re assuming all victims of human trafficking are immigrants/don’t have the right to work in the country. At least in the UK, unless if you’re a student or a tourist, if you don’t have a right to work there, you probably don’t havw a right to be there either.

              Also when sex work is illegal it’s mostly done by organised crime and and the right amount of money and leverage employed at the right spots can get the police / the state to look the other way.

              Maybe this applies to countries with corruption issues and lack of morals.

              • x00z@lemmy.world
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                5 hours ago

                In most EU countries you’ll have a decent amount of time (up to 3 months) to find a new job and get a new visa.