NationStates Jolt Archive

(Taken from this post:

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7935047&postcount=58 I am doing this as a favour to Mikitivity.)

(Taken from this post:

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7935047&postcount=58 I am doing this as a favour to Mikitivity.)

Thanks for starting this. If you can edit the text, it should probably read "Regulation" instead of "Resolution". ;) No worries though.

I had also hoped that this thread be a place where we can explain how our governments handle prostitution.

In the Confederated City States of Mikitivity, prostitution is limited to what are commonly called "Houses of Ill Repute". People do not have the right to just walk up and down the street offering to exchange money for ... ahem ... *blushing* ... sexual relations.

I'll be brief, the point here is that the government licenses the Houses of Ill Repute similar to how a resteraunt or owl fighting arena is lisenced. The government controls where these businesses can be (usually by just telling them where they can not be), which has had the impact of leaving pockets of Miervatia City full of "red light" districts where tourists walk from "business" to "business" with a mild Spice Melange buzz. The government does enforce health standards in these businesses. The businesses themselves are unionized, higher their own thugs, I mean security guards, and thankfully sex crimes tend to be "resolved" long before coming to the government's attention (I'm not at liberty to explain why this is the case, but my friendly advice is, if you are married, go to our casinos or ski lodges instead ... there the sexual relations are free, and fewer stories are likely to make it back to your loved ones).

But the quality of life is not glamorous at all. In fact, many prostitutes aren't exactly what they seem.

Due to the nature of the regulations and generally poor taste of the clients, the establishments are usually frowned upon by locals, but heck, we like taking money from tourists.

There are free clincs with operate on grovernment grants, that attempt to provide adult education classes to anybody, and naturally the social workers of these facilities have tried to recruit the men and women from the Houses of Ill Repute to come down and get skills beyond putting on a slinky dress. The programs have moderate success.

Drug addiction (remember Spice Melange is not a "drug" in the illegal sense) is sadly common, and though the government has tried to combat this situation, often at the point a person becomes an addict, it is very difficult and trying for social workers to offer help.

The government also offers many free clincs that distribute contraceptives and offer free testing. These facilities have become so popular amongst workers in the sex industry, that we feel they are having a positive impact on reducing STDs or at least detecting them.

We have a licencing system. If someone wants to work as a prostitute, they must get a licence. Part of this procedure is a medical test to ensure they have no contaigious diseases or other health problems that could be transferred to their customers. This licence is only supplied on the condition they have a check up every month, and if they miss a check up then their licence is revoked.

So someone who wants to visit a prostitute can be assured that they are visiting a "clean" person, and that if they can not produce they licence they are working illegally.

Prostitutes also have a union, and so have official representation in dealing with the government and the police.

The rest is pretty much regulated by district, even by town. So they can either walk the streets and offer sex to people they meet, or they can set up a business and people can come to them.

There are some flaws in this - if someone takes a client back to their home then they do run the risk of attack - but that can happen even if just meet someone in a pub and go home with them. However given that prostitution is protected by law it means they can get support in the event of being attacked (little comfort if they are dead, but there are limits) without risking exposing themselves to being tried for a crime.

In _Myopia_, we provide free condoms to prostitutes and mandate their use. We require prostitutes to get a license, partly to fight child prostitution, and require them to have regular health examinations in order to get that license. These check-ups, as well as preventing the spread of STDs, also help to identify cases of physical abuse. The health situation is quite good for a relatively poor nation (although we don't have statistics to compare, since prostitution has never been illegal during the history of _Myopia_ as an independent nation).

The prostitutes themselves are given good workers' rights like any other profession, and their unions help keep conditions acceptable.

Our extensive welfare state means that poverty is less of a driving force towards prostitution than in some nations (although _Myopia_ isn't that wealthy anyway, so there is a limit to what we can achieve).

We believe that governments should allow citizens to prostitute themselves on the basis that the citizens, not the government, own their bodies. We also believe that it is the responsibility of governments to regulate legal prostitution to ensure that everything is voluntary, conditions are good, and public health is protected. However, we believe that different regulations will work best for each nation, so whilst _Myopia_ would support the UN reinstating legalised prostitution in its lawbooks, we would prefer any such proposal to avoid forcing specific regulations on nations.

The government of Zamundaland allows prostitution under moderate/heavy regulation.

We do not call them houses of ill-repute as we have determined that there is no ill repute whatsoever in either selling sexual acts or paying for them.

All purveyors of sexual acts must work within a licensed brothel. Street-side selling is not permitted.

All purveyors must have bi-monthly check-ups. Any found with an STD must obtain treatment and are temporarily suspended from offering sexual acts for hire until such time as it can be medically established treatment has been sought and the person is free of said STD. They are, however, allowed to continue working in a licensed brothel in a non-sexual capacity until they have complied with treatment.

Those who have contracted HIV/AIDS are permanently banned from the performance of sexual acts for hire. Should a cure be found, we will amend this provision.

Hope this is of some help.

Being an anarchy, my nation has no government and therefore no governmental regulation at all. That said, I don't support the NSUN deciding how individual nations treat prostitution.

I think how I deal with prostitution and my views on it are well known by now.

Being an anarchy, my nation has no government and therefore no governmental regulation at all. That said, I don't support the NSUN deciding how individual nations treat prostitution.

I'd like to just comment to say that my government actually sees *no* conflict in interest in this statement, and feels that this opinion is just as valid as any other. :)

My original question wasn't to first ask what the United Nations should do, but to honestly find out *in detail* how different governments deal with the issue. Eventually nations will probably feel that the United Nations should be involved.

Global Federalists believe that the UN should take control of individual national policy issues in "the greater interest" of the world.

Sovereign Rights believe that local problems are best solved by local solutions (or at times no action -- which may be a solution as well).

But in both situations, I think those of us caught in the middle, like my government, need to better understand what laws / regulations exist before we can throw our weight to either side's position on any issue.

I'd like to thank everybody for describing in detail and making public how their system works.

Those who have contracted HIV/AIDS are permanently banned from the performance of sexual acts for hire. Should a cure be found, we will amend this provision.

Hope this is of some help.

Actually it is incredibly helpful. :) My government has been debating a similar law. (OOC: Whoops, didn't think to include that, but now I will.)

FYI: Mikitivity is "highly regulated".

Prostitution is legal in Rome, as per the Freedom of Choice clause in the Constitution, but is under the following conditions:

-All prostitutes are required by law to undergo mandatory STD testing (which includes HIV) every six months and before entry into the profession. Should any STD be found the prostitute is barred from practicising until their condition is cured
-All prostitutes are required to use condoms (provided by the government)
-All female prostitutes are required to go on birth control (provided by the government)

Some Roman officials are considering laws where all sessions are to be taped, but this has obviously drawn criticism due to the right of privacy.

Some Roman officials are considering laws where all sessions are to be taped, but this has obviously drawn criticism due to the right of privacy.

Hm...another Porn Movies producer in the making...! :rolleyes:

On this thread subject, Stankystan thinks this problem must be dealt with by the governments and not by an organization of countries. I'm sure UN has the best intentions, but let's respect the cultural diversity. This is a very intimate issue. Let the cultures deal with it the way they feel best.

Stankystan will not support further discussion over this matter.

Hm...another Porn Movies producer in the making...! :rolleyes:

I didn't mean it like that...the idea would be if allegations were made that a Prostitute did not follow the rules (e.g. condom use) they could be "checked up on".

In Enn, prostitutes and gigolos are only allowed to work in fully licensed brothels. Prostitutes and gigolos are not allowed to work: while pregnant (they are cared for in Ennish hospitals, or by relatives or friends if they so choose) (not usually a problem for the gigolos); if they have any contagious disease/s (depending upon the disease, this may result in a permanent prevention from working in that trade); or if they have been convicted of any sexual crime.
Any prostitute or gigolo found not to be working as part of a registered brothel may be arrested and charged with soliciting without a license.

I really don't think this is the kind of thing that can be covered by any 'one-size-fits-all' resolution. That's what I liked about the old resolution - it let the country specify its own limits on how prostitution works.

In Grand Teton, prostitution is legal, and is considered a profession just like any other. As such, it comes under the 'Safety at Work' Regulations. Prostitutes must register their profession with the goverment, just like a plumber or pilot, and must take fortnightly tests to ensure they are disease free. The all pervaisive welfare state of the country ensures that any prostitute who does become infected, gets all the treatment they need, but they are unable to work as a prostitute while infected. To minimise disease, free condoms and other contraceptives are handed out to everyone, and educational classes are also helping to reduce disease as a whole.

It in generally considerd in Grand Teton, that the above is the reqired minimum, and there is a vocal group campaigning for prostitutes to only allowed to work in registered 'Houses of Negotiable Affection'.

This is one of those resolutions I think the UN should stay clear of... I still believe the UN should be focused on larger, global issues; I just think we are selling ourselves short.

We spend time rehashing some of the same types of topics we deal with in everyday life, and I would think this medium would afford us the opportunity to be creative and come up with really forward thinking ideas that address global issues. For example, a resolution to create a global tsunami detection grid, or a project to develop affordable, synthetic food stuffs for countries who need the help.

It shall be prohibited to force someone into prostitution.

This includes fraud, abusing trust (like giving candy to a child for sex), abusing a relationship of power (employer - employee; teacher - student; civil servant - applicant; etc), etc. etc.

If prostitution is voluntary (it can only be voluntary if the person is of legal age to enter into voluntary agreements), it shall be permitted.

If a prostitute or the customer transmits a STD to the other person, the transmitter shall be liable to prosecution (in case of AIDS - manslaughter or murder; in other cases - causing bodily harm with intent or neglect).

It shall be prohibited to force someone into prostitution.

This includes fraud, abusing trust (like giving candy to a child for sex), abusing a relationship of power (employer - employee; teacher - student; civil servant - applicant; etc), etc. etc.

If prostitution is voluntary (it can only be voluntary if the person is of legal age to enter into voluntary agreements), it shall be permitted.

If a prostitute or the customer transmits a STD to the other person, the transmitter shall be liable to prosecution (in case of AIDS - manslaughter or murder; in other cases - causing bodily harm with intent or neglect).

It already is. We have an anti-slavery resolution already.