The discussion arising out of my answer to a question, “Would you support the decriminalization of prostitution?” has been interesting and vigorous. This has encouraged me to write down some of the rationale that convinced me that decriminalization of prostitution is right.
The definition of sex work is controversial. Some studies say three or more sexual partners in a year, for which a person receives money or something of material value, is enough to define sex work. Our law, in the criminal code, defines a prostitute as a person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution and who in any public place persistently solicits or importunes for immoral purposes. Such a person is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for five years on summary conviction to imprisonment for two years.
Our law further holds any other person involved in prostitution, procuring, aiding and abetting, trading, owning a brothel, renting a space for purposes of prostitution liable.
The existing legal environment and economic pressures in the society have created a sex industry that is widespread, clandestine, unregulated, relatively informal, steeped in corruption and therefore dangerous. It is dangerous to persons involved in sex work, clients of sex workers, the general public and indeed the moral fibre of the society is undermined by the existing operation of the sex industry. Communities, including children are exposed to this sex industry in the very neighbourhoods in which they live.
I would propose that the policy to address sex work in Saint Lucia should aim to do the following:
1. Reduce the number of persons engaged in sex work
2. Reduce the amount of sex work being conducted
3. Protect the human rights and health of sex workers
4. Protect the general public from the negative impact of sex work
5. Eliminate the abuse of children and youth coerced or recruited into sex work
6. Reduce the corruption in the industry
The sex-work industry should be brought into the light. It should be regulated by laws that support good public health practice and create an enabling environment to achieve the above aims.
To reduce the number of persons engaged, reduce the volume of sex work and ensure the health and human rights of sex workers we need to be able to identify them. They need to be comfortable having regular dialogue and participating in health education activities. The health education includes the empowerment of the sex work to assure 100 percent condom use. They need to have access to psychosocial support and psychosocial and substance abuse rehabilitation as necessary. They need to have access to medical services. They need to be confident in reporting abuse, and supporting one another in preventing and addressing abuse. They need to have safe and decent working conditions. Alternative income generation is a strategy that can empower sex workers and make them less dependent on sex work; it may even allow them to leave sex work. We need to give them access to skills training and alternative employment. The legal environment must facilitate the above: the existing criminalising legal environment is a barrier.
To protect the general public from the negative impact of sex work we need to understand the “epidemiological bridge.” This merely means that infections acquired during sexual contact by a client can be passed on to that client’s other sexual partners who do not fall into the definition of sex workers. The general public should also be protected from unregulated sex work occurring in residential areas. This undermines public decency and exposes persons such as children to these activities. A different legal environment can regulate where and in what manner sex work can be done.
The present underground or clandestine nature of sex work allows for the coercion or recruitment of children and youth into the business. It is possible with a more educated and united body of sex workers we can introduce the concept of policing of the industry by sex workers. The workers themselves then can report on violations such as “child prostitution” and these offences should be prosecuted to allow the full criminal penalties to be brought to bear; the statements of sex workers themselves would be critical. Further the publicly regulated sex work would facilitate inspections and investigations which could help reduce such violations. The existing legal environment does not facilitate this.
The sex industry is presently criminally illegal; yet it is thriving because of corruption and silence. Laws should be enforced, yet the enforcement of the existing law is not done and indeed if applied as written would create major problems for law enforcement, the judiciary and the penal system. The law as is, however, does make the sex worker very vulnerable to abuse by clients and employers of sex workers.
There are best practices all over the world that show how to implement a policy that creates a much better environment that allows us to love, respect and protect. However, our existing legal environment is a barrier, and in my opinion that we should decriminalise prostitution.
Why prostitution should be decriminalized!
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Much ado about nothing. We still have laws against homosexuality in our books and we have not determined our stand on hanging,yet we still hold a special place in our culture for our gay peers. Our Christian society should give some thought to same sex partnerships and related issues because these issues will soon demand our attention. Meanwhile all we have is talk, talk, talk.
MARTIN the problem with our ST.LUCIAN religious folk and ignorant so call clean unity lovers is they are hypocrites and parasites who spin their coins and keep gettin TAIL they hiding in the closet, while gettin a head in that same closet with the tricks of the trade helpin them CUM an leavin skeletons hunters hopefully will not find until after death
King, let me tell you something. I would rather scrub the floors of my friends, then accept this lifestyle you want our woman to adopt and legalise.
I knew of a woman who took care of her children and lived a comfortable life selling dalpourri and icicles all her life. She never prostituted herself. Women and men who engage in prostitution are down right lazy and lack ambition. Being a prostitute is easy and those who engage in those types of vices have no ambition. What prevents a prostitute from getting medical check ups, filing taxes, paying NIS etc? Nothing? So why do we need to legalise it?
Thanks Janet. Mom was a single mother most of her life. She HUSTLED and fed not only her 10 children, but 6 others that she adopted, incredibly, right in our humble abode in Laborie. For years she washed countless bathtubs of clothes for pennies, scrubbed floors (as Janet is willing to do), ran errands for the wealthy, cooked in the homes of the rich, SAVED the pennies she could, then even opened a little shop, selling floats, acras, rum, you name it, all on her own! Can you believe it? Our PROUD, SPOILT “ladies” today REFUSE to wash a diaper, and MUST have pampers!!!! That’s the problem: FALSE VALUES and LAZINESS! Janet, I would gladly scrub those floors and keep my dignity intact.
From the above definition of sex work, it would seem that there is a lot of this going on in our country. A gentleman once told me, that he went to St. Lucia on vacation, and he was offered sex from three teenagers about the age of 14, he said they all were in it together, they told him that they would do anything he wanted them to do, when the guy told me that, my jaw dropped, I said what is going on in St. Lucia, where are the parents of these teenagers, what kind of future will young people like this have, why is this happening? I had so many questions. Someone also told me that some parents send their children out to get men to bring cash and food home. Lights the darkness most fear.
Honestly I really do not know what to say on this subject, there is much that needs to be done in the sex department, because people are beginning to take it for granted, men and women in our society today, are even proud to announce how many people they are sleeping with, and to them it’s nothing, we adults are totally in denial about the behaviour we expose our children to, yes, our children are not stupid, they know too when we sleep around, or when we come home in the wee hrs of the morning, that’s what we teach our children now, that it’s ok to sleep around. Years ago Salt fish was something we all wanted a piece of but it has gone way too far now, people need to stop sharing.
King, you and all your sisters were Island Scholars. You obviously do not want the same for our nation’s children and women. Would you encourage your daughters to persue a careers as sex workers. I a sure that you are routing for them to follow in their daddy and aunts footsteps and not that sex workers. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander King.
Why legalize something so demeaning like prostitution? Instead of thinking of ways to curtail this degrading behavior, we are talking about decriminalizing it. Can we come up with creative ideas that would uplift our young women?
Decriminalizing prostitution will not reduce those things listed. It will just make it legal to do those things. Do you really think there are more prostitutes now because it is illegal? Please tell me this is not the former Prime Minister. This is not the increase in jobs people are looking for. St. Lucia has so many resources. We make soap, oil, clothes, food, drinks to name a few we can export. Try creating some trade deals with the west and other Caribbean counties. That is one way to increase jobs. I have a few other idea we can work on later.
Sorry, misread the name. Thought still the same. Create real jobs
To criminalize something means that the society doles out punishment for those caught in the act, so the prostate suffers in that you are devalued as a human, you become a commodity of meat, a thing to be used and rejected, you have become a self cleaning oven for hot bread and cheese, even the courts feel you deserve whatever abuse you encounter, so you are in the act of the love service but live in pure hatred by the establishment, money and drugs become your best friends and one day you will welcome death as an end to your nightmare, but for today perfume and soap make for a fresh window dressing.
before decriminalizing prostitutution how about we do the same for honest,hard working people who just wanna smoke some weed.
it is what it is…………..why they doe have a referendum on weed….sex…and hanging…..mr pm please adress this now……bless
People, understand the issue and then talk. Decriminalizing is not say that it is not a sin. Render no-to Caesar what is his and to the Lord his glory. Whether we accept it or not prostitution is with us and we need to take control like we did for sex out of wedlock,the birth control, condoms…the world is not flat….understand the issue.
Unless prostitution is a viable replace for the banana industry and/or a casino or somehow someone is advocating for sex tourism because they stand to profit from it, I believe a small economy such as St-Lucia need to focus more on education (sex education); health (hypertension, diabetes, cancer )Proper nutrition. “no child left unfed”. I have no doubt that Dr. King would want to take up the baton and lead the way on those more pressing health related issues
bla bla bla….yes….no……not before ganja……..
I am shocked that Dr. King would propose something of that nature. First, where are your statistics? I read this article as an opinion piece, something you would hear around the “block” Secondly why not focus on ways to get persons AWAY from prostitution, why not get means to promote healthy sexual behavior? Why do we always look for the easy way out as St.Lucians. Finally the issues we have in St.lucia are not because of prostitution or weed or homophobia but as a result of persons unable to act in favorable ways for the people. I am sorry but I see the decriminalization of prostitution as the EASY way out. If thats the argument then we SHOULD decriminalize weed, and carrying guns etc
I am not sure where I stand on the decriminalization of Prositution but I do believe that under our current system of silence and non-enforcement of the law decriminalization is not the way to go. Decriminalizing Prosititution will lead to new problems because of our silence, and our acceptance; that if it does not trouble us it is not our problem. There will be whole new issue brought about decriminalization of “Bomb” and are we willing to take that on. the positive is great in theory but we are not a loving people when it come to loop holes. we will abuse it until it is fixed
love? protect?respect?Dr king I respect you opinioni may not agree with it but i respect your opinion BUT WHAT ABOUT TO LOVE PROTECT AND RESPECT GOD S LAW it is all because of the lack of respect for Gods laws we are where we are today. NOT BECAUSE PROSTITUTION IS ILLEGAL .I SAY NO TO PROSTITUTION.we are killing our selves by the choices we make.decriminaling is like saying i will allow what THE MOST HIGH disallows.WE ARE QUICKLY TURNING OUR BACKS ON GOD.why am i not suprised stranger things will be come to pass,now in this messed up world we have man marrying man…smfh. WHAT A SHAME
Love is love, if two bullers love each other what is the big deal about that? At least they are not adding to the 7 billion humans on this tiny planet. The shame is that the church is such a hypocrite in not encouraging birth control as well as abortion. Gods law? What law are you talking about? What God? Very strange when people talk about what they think some imaginary God sees fit as good and wholesome sex. Born Lucian how do you think you came to being? By sex. 7 billion people on the planet, that is some serious pucking.
You are right there if two men love each other, they are allowed to be together. That is their business.The problem is when they keep pushing the point and bloody putting it in peoples facees. Also they do not want women but they want women to be their surrogate mothers and carry children for them. THE NERVE OF THEM!!!!WHY CAN’T THEY CARRY THEIR OWN CHILDREN!!! IF USING BINS TO EAT FROM WAS SO RIGHT! Any way each to their own
i pray that you know the God that i know.because if you did you would not stand for foolishness.If your daughter said to you daddy i want to be a prostitute and have sex with ‘any man’ for money what will you say ‘thats fine baby..smfh.a man who will not stand for something will fall for anything
Why are we stopping women from feeding their kids,its their business what they want to do with their lives.
All you moralistic hypocrites need to cease and open your minds its the year 2012 Lucians stop being backward.
First of all this is nothing about women feeding their children! IT IS ABOUT PROSITUTION! Open our minds to a dirty and filthy act with Tom, Dick and Dirty Harry means people are backward. Yes it is the year 2012 should we not be focusing more on our young people and making st.lucia a better and positive place for us all to live.Thinking positive that is what we should be doing and not introducing more negativity into our society. AIDS, VENERAL, DISEASES, HIHGER MURDER RATES, ESCALATION IN TEENAGE PREGNANCIES,MORE BROKEN HOMES IN LUCIA, INCREASE RAPE THAT IS WHAT LEGALISING BLOODY PROSTITUTION WILL DO TO OUR SOCIETY THAT IS ALREADY SUFFERING.Any thanks for being so forward thinking letlive!
No use explaining it to them @Humble. They don’t seem to want to understand that being a prostitute increases the problems on our little society. If one wants to be irresponsible then so be it but not at the detriment of the majority. There’s no need to legalize irresponsibility and backwardness because that’s what prostitution is. It’s down grading our women and legalizing it makes it o.k.
If you want to end prostitution, there is a simple solution, get rid of marriage. That institution is the cause of all the bomb and jamet business.
hahaha………but also true!!!
Prostitution is everywhere in St. Lucia.
Look at teenage girls with babies in their arms and with no father.
Look at the thousands of single women with several men lovers.
As for married women, has anybody had a problem getting a date with any of them?
I wonder how many of the commentators here grew up with a married mother and father.
Promiscuity is all around us with no sign of let-up.
A married woman creates the most beautiful love affair. Why? Because when you meet you are always in the desperate need of time to discover each other without a commitment, the love is unconditional, as love should be and can only exist. The sex with a married woman is hot and addictive, you desperately crave each other because you know that there might not be another chance to meet. Married couples quickly grow bored of each other and soon find that love is replaced with interest in money and wealth, dead things. The danger of the married affair makes one so alive.
“Married couples quickly grow bored of each other and soon find that love is replaced with interest in money and wealth” to fill that aching void I may add.
I think this is so bang on I had to repeat it!
Botox my guru
Botox are u really THAT DUMB? Clearly u have NO CLUE. It is sad to read these kinds of comments. An affair with a married woman is not unconditional love…..its unconditional lust! It’s a shame that very few people get to experience Love.Love isn’t about an attraction to a body or appearance or sexual performance(all of that is shallow and that is what creates the void MAV) Its about sharing a life long experience with a personality that complements and completes yours. Entering marriage adds value to the quality of the experience as it is an indication of ur sacrifice to remain only with that 1. Failed marriages result when those with foolish thinkings, such as yours enter into it!
Dr. King u failed to indicate what percentage of those who recievd an STI got it through prostitution. Our problem really is PROMISCUITY!! Decriminalising prostitution will NOT solve neither will it reduce the public health issues we currently face. Further most of those women who sleep with men for money do not consider themselves sex workes (the teenage school girl or and mother with 5 kids etc). Therefore, how Dr. king do you propose we get them to be tested, use condoms and be sex-educated? The busdrivers, policemen, customsofficers, lawyers, politicians etc who sleep around with 3 or 4 women are the ones who have put public health at risk! I suggest u go back to the drawing board King.