I see sex work as somewhat analogous to coal mining. It’s not that it isn’t real work, or that those who work in that capacity don’t deserve rights, dignity, or a society that works for them. The problem, of course, is the ever-present exploitation of the workers coupled with the severe unpleasantness of the occupation which ensures that the people who do work these jobs are those with few other options. That isn’t to say that all sex workers and/or coal miners are miserable. Even so, the patterns around this kind of work are unmistakable.
Given these facts, I think most reasonable people understand that sex work should go extinct. That isn’t to say that you can’t make pornography or have sex with strangers. However, it’s impossible to gauge enthusiastic consent when money is changing hands, and enthusiastic consent is a vital component for an ethical sexual encounter.
My question for the community is how exactly this is meant to be accomplished. How can sex work be abolished without harming the very people it’s meant to protect? The number one problem western sex workers face, more so than creepy clients, is the cops, who profile them, steal their wages, and arrest them on a whim. Clearly, criminalizing sex work hasn’t done much for sex workers. What are some alternatives?
I think that last bit about China is a bit unfair. Murder is illegal everywhere, and everywhere there’s murder. It doesn’t mean murder generally isn’t being “handled well.” I’d be more curious about the volume and nature of sex work in China.
As in all socialist countries, the rape industry is 100% illegal in China, and one of the very first things the communists did was to dismantle the sex trade, as one of the pillars of women’s oppression.
Well, I mean, murder is for sure something that’s going to happen under any political system regardless, people will not get along with some other people for a lot of reasons, but labour in the form of sexual exploitation is definitely something that could not exist, and the idea of abolishing should be a step in that direction. I’m sure with time they will sort it out, I just think they probably abolish it too early due to a lot of cultural factors.