A WORLD WITHOUT PROSTITUTION WILL NOT EXIST.
The only question is whether it takes place safely and legally or illegally and unsafely. A world without prostitution is a utopia and just as one can wish for a world without money, for example, one can of course wish for a world without prostitution. Then, however, one does not start from the real actual state and tries to improve it, but one rejects reality and wants to declare his ideal image of the world to be reality. That prostitution has always belonged to society and will continue to do so, many opponents can not accept. But only if you first accept the real actual state, you can act on it and achieve improvements. By protecting the rights of sex workers more and reducing the stigma, many negative aspects in sex work would also disappear. Because it is not the sex work that is the cause of the negative aspects that are at work in it. In sex work, these social and gender structures and processes and their negative sides simply become visible. However, these are not rooted in sex work, but are deeply woven into our society and therefore permeate all parts of society.
SEX WORK IS ONLY A MIRROR OF SOCIAL STRUCTURES.
In sex work, structures can thus operate that result in abuse of power, exploitation and violence. But that is not why sex work is the problem. On the contrary. It simply makes the effects of structures and processes particularly visible to us. Thus, sex work shows us what structures we as a whole society should break down and overcome. If sex work had very positive connotations and sex workers were highly regarded, then clients would be more likely to treat sex workers with respect and deference based on this image. The image of the whore as a second-class woman both ensures that it justifies violence and disrespect against sex workers, and sex workers can begin to identify with this image, which prevents them from resisting assault. Those who perceive themselves as worthless and ostracized whores who sell their bodies will expect to be treated badly and will not resist.
THE STIGMA OF HARASSMENT, GENDER RELATIONS AND THE TREATMENT OF FEMALE SEXUALITY INFLUENCE SEX WORK.
Sex work is also strongly linked to our understanding of sexuality and gender. The argumentation it would traumatize all women sooner or later is based on the assumption that women cannot have sex without emotions, unlike men. Women need less sex and above all for them sex always includes feelings. Based on this image, a sex worker must necessarily be traumatized, because she simply does not behave as a “normal” woman should. This understanding of sex work reproduces the woman as helplessly inferior to the man, with little will of her own or power to make proper decisions; in addition, the sex worker’s approach to sexuality is judged to be improper and unhealthy. The woman is thus almost defined as not quite sane, which is why she cannot make self-determined decisions and must be protected from men and also from her own incapacity. In this understanding, the man is the superior and thus fundamentally a threat to the woman. The sexuality of the man is conceived, unlike that of the woman, very drive-driven, which is why the man must also simply live out these drives and in doing so, of course, the needs of the woman are completely indifferent to him. This way of judging sex work only ensures that these role models continue to be reproduced and thus also influences our relationship to sexuality in general.
PROSTITUTION OPPONENTS DEVALUE SEX WORKERS.
Only when sex work is accepted and develops an image as valuable work will role attribution be able to break down. Positive change is not produced by prohibitions, but by changing gender attributions and changing public perceptions and evaluations. If society perceives sex work in an appreciative way, this will have a strong influence on sex workers’ self-perception, but also on clients’ behavior.
LIBERALIZATION AND DESTIGMATIZATION OF SEX WORK IS THE RIGHT WAY.
Those who believe sex workers deserve a lot of credit will not be disrespectful. If sex workers are defined as valuable, then the consequence is that the recognition of this value forms the basis for behavior towards sex workers. At the same time, everyone even has to fear social ostracism if they violate the social valuation of sex work and behave disrespectfully. Just as in other highly respected professions where people are automatically treated with more respect, this can be so in sex work. Instead of continuing to impose derogatory legal guidelines and stigmatization on sex work, education and liberalization should be provided.