The Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and a number of Churches on the island have also publicly opposed the ‘moral degeneration’ of the country.
What sexworkers have to say? Some believe that decriminalizing prostitution will have no affect as women will still be raped, abused and violated nor is there a guarantee that working conditions will be improved. Others view legalization as less of a strain on the resources of government and police services, as it is expensive and, at times considered futile.
On the fence, are some persons and organisations who advocate for reforms to laws governing prostitution. They do not believe that criminalisation or legalisation the answer but aims to provide counselling and support for sex workers, in the hopes that they can find better employment.
Dr. Stephen King is one of the primary leaders of the defence of sexworkers rights. He believes that sexworkers should have access to health and services as well as be respected within society. He and his supporters are for the decriminalisation of sex work and the recognition of sex work as work in order to extend labour rights to sex workers.
In my opinion, there is no way that a ban will eradicate poverty. All humans have the right to food and housing in this country, and if put in a situation where unemployment is ridiculously high and government and corporations alike can’t be held fully responsible for the bleak situation, a woman has got to do what she has to do. It is dire circumstances that drive someone to prostitution but taking someone’s means of survival away is not a means to an end.
There is a possibility of an increase of HIV/Aids if prostitution was legalized. Government has been urging people to stay safe for years. If prostitution was regulated, so could their policies and ‘behavioural code’, where it becomes mandatory for sexual protection.
So perhaps the real question is, ‘does prostitution rob you of your womanhood?’ Some hold the opinion that prostitution exploits women, is surrounded with violence and a patriarchal dominance over a women’s body and has awful psychological and traumatic after-effects. In this line of thought, a sex worker doesn’t consent to sex; she is coerced because of her situation.
Prostitution has been going on since ancient civilization; you cannot claim to be uninformed. A dire situation can be summed up into a basic survival of the fittest. What will you do to survive? Personally, if there were an option between death and sex work, I am sure a woman would choose the latter. If she finds herself in financial debt with no work opportunities and need to feed her kids, she will choose the later. She is not glamorising it, but making an active choice.
Someone recently told me,"Our bodies are treated like objects, unappreciated and tossed aside when there is no use for them. Now we cam view our bodies as our own tools, to use what we have to survive. Why must I be a good girl and keep my legs closed? Why do I have to be any type of girl?" recently told me Our bodies are treated like objects, unappreciated and tossed aside when there is no use for them. Now we cam view our bodies as our own tools, to use what we have to survive. Why must I be a good girl and keep my legs closed? Why do I have to be any type of girl?Our bodies are treated like objects, unappreciated and tossed aside when there is no use for them. Now we cam view our bodies as our own tools, to use what we have to survive. Why must I be a good girl and keep my legs closed? Why do I have to be any type of girl.
St. Lucians will have to decide.
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