Pope considers that prostitution is a disease of humanity

[PunterKing]

I found an interesting article on another website and think it is worth to talk about it. Pope Francis called prostitution the disease of mankind. A new book was published in Italy, written by Don Aldo Buonaiuto. He is a priest and a member of a group which helps the victims of prostitution. The pope said "Any form of prostitution is a reduction to slavery, a criminal act, a disgusting vice."

Here you can find the article: http://sexclubwien.com/breaking-news/pop...-humanity/

Personally I understand what the Pope wanted to say, the forced prostitutes are victims of crime. But there are many more aspects in this question. Are sex workers slaves of rich customers who can get everything they want? Is money the only thing that matters? If we check this aspect then we are all slaves, because we all work for money. We sell our knowledge, time or power to rich people or companies and they make profit by using us.

Why a prostitute is different than a football player, a teacher, a taxi diver os a pizza delivery guy? I remember when one of the previous popes was still alive, John Paul II, he never said similar things and did not want to handle such sensitive topics. However, he had to handle the communism, the new era of Eastern Block and many important tasks. I'm not sure that the new pope is better, I believe that the head of the Catholic Church has to be more natural in such questions.

What do you guys thing? Is prostitution slavery?

[Ragnaros]

The pope just like a lot of people is confusing prostitution with forced prostitution aka sexual SLAVERY. If it were up to me the pimps who force girls into prostitution would get the death penalty.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with prostitution in and of itself. If a girl chooses to do this job i see no reason to stop her. If she would rather have sex for money than scrub toilets who is the pope to judge her? If the catholic church had some nice and willing Romanian prostitutes around perhaps their priests would not be raping so many altar boys. 
Some would say it is harmful, but even if that is the case she is hurting only herself. There are plenty of professions that are harmful or dangerous, should we outlaw mining? Some would argue that prostitution is not necessary and to that I say hundreds of people drown every year diving for pearls, should we ban pearls? There is data that shows legalizing prostitution has some positive effects on society, can't say the same about pearls. 

I believe trying to ban prostitution actually makes matters worse since it just gives power to the pimps, girls can't easily get help in countries where prostitution is illegal. Instead of fighting prostitution we should be fighting pimps and sex traffickers. Prostitution is the oldest profession and can not be stopped, so instead of making matters worse we should try to make sure that the women can do their work safely and with dignity, just like any other profession.

[Final Critic]

I'm definitely on the same page as Ragnaros. I don't think there's anything wrong with prostitution, as in girls willingly selling sexual services. The problem is when we start talking about forced prostitution, and the Pope might have meant this. Sexual slavery is a very real problem, especially in poorer countries where the girls don't have anyone to help them or to turn to. Also, there they do anything for money to help their families and the pimps usually exploit this.

If the Pope meant that any form of prostitution should be banned, then he is very mistaken. Girls that work in reputable places where prostitution is legal make great money and their clientele is also more sophisticated and not dirty and smelly old guys paying the minimum amount for a quick fuck. And I feel like they are actually having a good time while making a nice amount of money. As Ragnaros said, this is one of the oldest professions and I don't think even the Pope could make a stop to it.

[supertotti]

I talked with few girls who made really good money by working as sex worker. They were from Romania and Bulgarian and worked only few years in Vienna but it was enough to buy later a house in their home country. The other options were to them to work in a factory or work as sex worker in Romania and Bulgaria, without governmental supervision and under pressure of gipsy pimps.

I really like when people, who was born with a golden spoon in their mouth, try to give life advices to the mass. I'm not talking now about the pope, but there are many other people who know the ultimate truth. The life is not easy and we should accept that there are people who have even worse life conditions. Prostitution is an option for these girls, if they accept the rules and work hard.

[firestorm2012]

I believe trying to ban prostitution actually makes matters worse since it just gives power to the pimps, girls can't easily get help in countries where prostitution is illegal. Instead of fighting prostitution we should be fighting pimps and sex traffickers. Prostitution is the oldest profession and can not be stopped, so instead of making matters worse we should try to make sure that the women can do their work safely and with dignity, just like any other profession.

I was gonna write the same thing, basically. Prostitution won't be stopped by making it illegal. Pimps and human trafficking must be fought although it won't easily be affected in its entirety because the roots grow very deep and powerful, let's say.
We are so lucky to live (I have moved here) in a country like Austria (alternatives would be Germany or Switzerland) where it is all regulated in a reasonable manner so we can enjoy this privilege without thinking twice. I also feel like the stigma of being a mongerer is going away. It is not yet that we are respected more because we go to seworkers but people understand it and often also relate to it. But from what I know this was always ok in Austria to go to brothels, almost common. 

I am tempted to write an article about how a global ban on prostitution would affect us all but I totally don't yet feel up to it alone. Please everybody feel free to give your insight and thoughts on the matter and we could then write our very first article to which everyone has contributed!

[PunterKing]

I always laugh when read about global prostitution ban or ban of sexual materials. Especially when Facebook or other US companies ban such posts and images. Sex is literally everywhere in the US, I can't imagine bigger market in the World for sex related services and products. This is the same when the young boys under 21 were not allowed to consume alcohol, but were allowed to participate in US battles around the World.

Back to the topic, the German-speaking countries always had special relationship with sex or near-nature topics, the "Freikörperkultur" has deep roots in the culture. Even Angela Merkel was a big fan of it, at least, I saw her naked pictures on the Internet. I really believe if any thing is forbidden, people won't stop using it, but will find alternative and black sources instead. This happened with alcohol in the US during the years of prohibition, it is happening right now everywhere in the World with marihuana and many other things.

It is much better when a prohibited service is allowed and strictly regulated by the government. Since which is better? Austria, where the prostitutes have to get medical examinations, licenses and other things, or Eastern-European countries, where the prostitutes work illegally, forced by pimps and never see a doctor?

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The pope just like a lot of people is confusing prostitution with forced prostitution aka sexual SLAVERY. If it were up to me the pimps who force girls into prostitution would get the death penalty.

Do you think that local authorities know nothing about their pimps? I think all of them know who are the local pimps, who are their prostitutes, but noone care. This is just not their business and they don't want to handle new problems.

[Zeus]

I am tempted to write an article about how a global ban on prostitution would affect us all but I totally don't yet feel up to it alone. Please everybody feel free to give your insight and thoughts on the matter and we could then write our very first article to which everyone has contributed!

A global ban on prostitution would result in a lot more forced prostitution and sex slavery IMHO. The girls who work legally have protection, they have the option of working in good brothels where they make a good income, and most importantly they are doing this out of their free will. If this was banned in places where prostitution is legalized, there would still probably be around the same number of girls working in the sex business, but they would not have any of the benefits they have now. Men would have to go to shady places for sex, which has its own set of drawbacks. I bet there would be a lot more thefts or even worse. 

Of course, on the other hand there are still many girls who work unwillingly, and they deserve all the help they can get. Being forced to become a prostitute and sell her body for barely any money from a young age must be one of the worst things that can happen to a girl. We should try to do something against this and not try to ban prostitution everywhere, in every form. I don't think that would solve anything. Unfortunately, I don't know how this could be possible, but I;m hoping someone smarter and more influential than me figures it out. Just my two cents.

[WilsonBarrot]

Thanks for the information.

[rufinacoastal]

He must have a lot of free time if he's spreading this nonsense. I don't think of prostitution as something horrible, a "disease," as he put it. As a rule, one enters this profession voluntarily, unlike true sexual slavery. I`m a member of firstchurchlove and our pastor has never allowed himself such remarks, and I`d say more - it seems no one has except Pope Francis. Nevertheless, the world doesn't care what he thinks about it, prostitution will exist regardless of the pope's opinion. And if you search the historical records, popes themselves were regular clients of prostitutes, isn't that ironic?