Those who speak about “choice” in prostitution should consider the choices faced by the young and homeless. The New York Times reports on 10/27/09: For Runaways, Sex Buys Survival…Most of the estimated 1.6 million children who run away each year return home within a week. But for those who do not, the desperate struggle to […]
StandardNET: “Pornography at root of more and more domestic violence incidents”
Utah’s Standard-Examiner reported on September 19: More women requesting help are reporting that their abuser views pornography, according to officials who work with abused women.“Five years ago pornography wasn’t something we talked about,” said Kay Card, director of Safe Harbor, a women’s shelter in Davis County.The pornography is a “cancer”, she said.“Women can’t compete with […]
Bitch Magazine: “Wack Attack” – Confronting Online Harrassment
“Wack Attack”, a 2008 article from Bitch Magazine, offers advice to women and feminists confronting online harrassment: 1. Don’t Silence Yourself. Even the staunchest advocates for ignoring harassment support this stance, because they want women to keep writing online. Do whatever you need to do to feel safe, but don’t quit. Your silence gives every […]
Advocate.com: “Business Before Pleasure?”
Should porn performers enjoy the same workplace protections as other Americans? Matt Siegel raises the issue for The Advocate (8/12/09): Business Before Pleasure?…Tony Malice of JM Productions, a straight porn production company, says the business isn’t really set up for performers who refuse to work on camera without a condom: “If a girl only wants to work […]
CNN.com: “‘John schools’ try to change attitudes about paid sex”
CNN.com reports on welcome efforts to focus on the demand side of prostitution (8/28/09): ‘John schools’ try to change attitudes about paid sex…Across the country, about 50 communities are using John Schools. Atlanta, Georgia, and Baltimore, Maryland, are among dozens more cities that plan to launch similar programs by the end of the year……experts estimate […]
“Clean Hotels” Initiative
We are pleased to publish this announcement at the request of Chuck Derry from the Gender Violence Institute: “Clean Hotels” InitiativeThe Minnesota Men’s Action Network: Alliance to Prevent Sexual and Domestic Violence has posted the “Clean Hotels” Initiative on their website. This initiative is a collaboration between the Men’s Action Network and the MN Department […]
Partners In Health Helps Give Prostituted Women Real Choices in Malawi
Prostitution defenders like to think that most in the sex trade freely choose their work. This June 2009 article from Partners In Health tells what happens when prostituted women in Malawi are given a real choice: From “waitress” to waitress…Poverty and gender inequality are woven into these women’s life stories. Few have had the opportunity to pursue […]
Iceland Criminalizes Strip Clubs
Object, a UK organization, has kindly given us permission to reprint the following bulletin from their Stripping the Illusion July 2009 update: case study: Iceland“We have now shown that we understand the connection between pornography, prostitution and human trafficking.” Gudrun Jonsdotti, spokesperson for Stigamot, an Icelandic sexual violence support center.“A complete victory has been achieved […]
Even Dan Savage Has a Clue about the Realities of Prostitution
No one could accuse sex columnist Dan Savage of being uptight on sexual matters, and we disagree with him on much, but his take on prostitution is more realistic than, say, that of Valley Advocate editor Tom Vannah. In his June 25 column, Savage responds to a man who says he’s turned on by the […]
Adrienne Rich: “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence”
Capital Video’s Amazing.net store in Northampton portrays itself as gay-friendly, but this is just a fig leaf over the true nature of the bulk of today’s porn industry: Adrienne Rich describes the reality in “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence”, published in The Signs Reader: Women, Gender & Scholarship (The University of Chicago Press, 1983, page […]