D2864 wrote:
Keep your hair on guys, this still is more to do with human trafficking thus women who are FORCED into prostitution than women who choose to be a prostitute. I am proud of my government and the religious right when they step up to help the weak. Keep in mind, those that are being forced aren't getting rich, they hand their money over to their master.
I agree, however the problem is do the rabid dogs who are pushing this initiative really understand the distinction between real human trafficking, pimping, und***ge prostitution on the one hand and women from poor backgrounds but of legal age who voluntarily seek out this work because it provides them a living they could never match in their economies back home. If they really wanted to do something about this "problem" they should do more to improve the economies of the countries these girls come from. At lesat we're doing more on an individual basis about that than all these do-gooders are. BTW, the same could be said about going after coca growers. If you want to wipe it out do something about the demand back in the US and also show them something more profitable to grow.
Igualmente wrote:
Yea think Ole Chávez has something there
I'm no fan of Chavez, but it is this sort of thing, the US forcing its will down the unwilling throats of poor countries that give his complaints such traction in many of those countires. The US tried the same thing in Brazil not long ago (placing unreasonable conditions and restrictions on some aid e.g. criminalizing prostitution not allowing funding for condoms, healthcare etc.) and Brazil told them where they could stick their aid. It would be nice if CR had some balls too and wasn't such a lap dog.
Zman wrote:
Prostitution is legal in CR and the religious right clowns in the US should stick to their own affairs. I think very very very few women here are forced into prostitution. ... Typical example of the USA sticking their nose into other countries affairs while they "liberate" other countries killing innocent people and freely torturing people. Some moral high ground the US has, what a joke.
Amen Brother!
Ticoyo1965 wrote:
To change their sinful ways of prostetution. I know many will not agree with me but it is not just the religious right lets take a look at the liberal gringa! These are the ones that organize and put the pressure on World Organizations to help the poor countrys break away from their sinful ways!
First of all, for the feminazis its to break others away from their EXPLOITIVE ways. The religious right are the only ones concerned with SINFUL ways. Secondly, while I agree the feminazis and leftists may be supportive of what our government is doing, albeit for much different reasons, it is not those world organizations or even European countries where they hold more influence that is behind this campaign. It is the US gov't, which is currently administered by the "RIGHT" wing, that is making these moves and the last time I checked the N.O.W. wasn't exactly high on Bush's invitation list at the Whitehouse. You should also notice that all the NGO's mentioned in these campaigns have been ones with religious overtones e.g. WorldVison, Rahab etc. If those women's rights groups had as much sway as you suggest than you wouldn't still see a US ban on the distribution of contraceptives and abortion counseling in developing countries.
Philo wrote:
I agree with you in part, Pidd...the fortunate thing is that liberal feministas are not a singular block, and there's a wide variety of opinion in those circles regarding prostitution. Take Camille Paglia, for example, pro porn, pro prostitution, etc. Additionally, liberal womens' groups have been instrumental in getting healthcare for working girls in the US and in 3rd world countries, helping to setup unions for strippers and s*x workers, providing contraception, information outreach.
It's been said that the outreach of these women's orgs has had an impact in lowering brith rates in 3rd world countries, and that's a good thing - and in direct contrasts to Bush's right-wing policies (i.e. drop funding if a 3rd world organization even mention the possibility of an abortion). So before anyone goes painting a single black swoossh of hated gringa-feministas, one has to see that they are doing some good work out there. But granted, there are some who will just dismiss p4p as partiarchal exploitation or some other nonsense.
Amen Brother!
D2864 wrote:
October wrote:
Is there even one person out of the thousands of people on this board who has, at any time in any place, met a prostitute who was a victim of human trafficking?
They won't tell you if they are and you won't know it. They are scared beyond the level of scared that you've even encountered.
Obviously, you've not watched any of the documentaries on the subject. They'll make you sick to your stomach if there is even an once of compassion within you.
This isn't about taking anyone's CHOICE away. It is about reaching out to help those that want help, but don't know where to turn. An organization wants to help with no strings attached. I just don't see anything wrong with that. Sure, some mongers talk of helping, but is it ever with no strings attached? Anyone know any mongers that wants to take a girl off the street, send her to school, get her counseling and then turn her loose to find a partner her own age?
Oh, and it isn't the conservatives that want to EMPOWER women, it is the LIBBERS not the religious right.
I'm still amazed anyone would condemn what this group is trying to do.... help humans in need even if they only help ONE girl the effort is worth it to them.
You almost had me here. I won't deny that there is widespread human trafficking in the world. Some of it may occur right under our noses without our being aware of it. But I don't think you can believe all the propaganda that passes for news on either side of the political aisle. We've all seen reports on prostitution in CR that we know from direct experience to be untrue or at least heavily distorted. I think there are very few if any women in the BM who are there against their will. They may be there because they don't have any better economic options but does that mean we should take it away from them. I think where the real human trafficking exists is largely underground. In the US, its in little houses tucked away in immigrant communities serving those same communities (e.g. mexican migrant farm labor camps or asian communities on the west coast and in major cities elsewhere in the US). In Asia, Eastern Europe and the MiddleEast, you have young women who are duped into signing on for au pair, "waitressing" or other forms of employment and stuck in the countries they end up. In CR, the nicas, dominicanas and colombianas go back and forth freely to and from their home countries. If they were here against their will why would they come back? In the BM, they all work as independents. They set their own prices and choose who they will or won't go with. In the MP's it is less clearcut whether they are being exploited, but again no one is forcing them to work there and many do leave. The real exploitation occurs on a much lower level than most of us ever experience. Young girls who have been forced to live on the street to escape the sexual abuse they experienced at home, winding up involved in drugs and perhaps petty crime to survive and ultimately prostitution. They enter a vicious cycle that hardly rewards them very well and is extremely hard to break out off. Those who don't die from AIDS or get killed eventually wind up as middleaged hags in some $5 whorehouse if they're able to make any living at all. Certainly they wind up with little to show for it. If Rahab were just focusing on those women, even if it came at the price of ramming some religion down their throats, I'd definitely agree that those women would be better off. The problem is that I'm not so sure that is where they draw the line. Certainly the agencies and other NGO's they're working with seem just as focused if not more so on the more visible end of the market that caters to those disgusting, exploitive and perverted gringos. You can see that when their idea of cracking down is immigration sweeps INSIDE places like the BM or the BB, while those on the street or in countless and hidden little MP's that cater to locals go unpursued.
Vegas Bob wrote:
"US will launch effort against Pacific Coast prostitution" is the first line of the article.How did we get to the saving of the whole world here? The article specificly targets Jaco because some businesses and investors think it will hurt them financially. I'm sure we could find a few chicas who are forced into prostitution, (I've persoanally never had an inkling of being with one) but if the percentages were above 1% I would be very surprised. If these do-gooders really want to help these chicas then instead of inducing them to leave the business,they should teach themthe value of the money they earn. A chica's successful hooking longgevity isn't too long. If they could help these chicas to stop 1.using drugs 2.stop drinking so much and 3. stop pissing away their money on gambling. The smart ones use this as an opportunity to live a better life by spending a few years doing it and saving their money.
Amen Brother! I might add if you really want to do something about prostitution in CR then get them early. Deal with the all to pervasive incest and sexual abuse. Go after the deadbeat tico dad's who knock these girls up LONG before we ever get to them and then take off, forcing them into a position where they have to come up with some way to provide for themselves and their Ch*ldren.
Zippy wrote:
It seems to me that what D2864 has posted is being taken some what out of context at least to me anyway. I do not see what is wrong with having help available for women that feel abused but on the same hand don't go tell them they are abused if they don't see it this way. Let them decide on their own to seek the help just let them know it is another option.We have this in the states for battered women that have been abused. We know it happens to more than just a few what's wrong with helping with an alternative option.
Amen Brother! But that is an important distinction. If you do a search you will find where I expressed an interest in Rahab's work a long time ago. And I still am. However, it concerns where they draw the line. Do they proselytise or do they just help women that come to them? Unfortunately, I think they've tainted themselves with their association with this wider overreaching and misdirected initiative.