Hi there,
I'm the home affairs correspondent at the Economist. Some of you were very helpful with a request a few months about how you run your businesses. I am writing a story this week about the proposals from MPs to criminalise the buying of sex in Britain along the lines of the Nordic model. I wondered whether anyone would be willing to have a chat or send me a message about what they think of this proposal and why it would (presumably) a bad idea - does it put people in increased danger? Are there other unintended consequences.
Thanks very much for taking the time to read this. For some reason DMs don't seem to be working for me at the moment so please feel free to email me here: http://www.economist.com/mediadirectory/josie-delap
All the best,
Josie

Thanks very much for your message Sarah - that's really helpful.

For some reasons DMs aren't working so if you or anyone wants to get in touch with me directly, you can email me here: http://www.economist.com/mediadirectory/josie-delap

Thanks again,
Josie

A few things annoy me about the proposal.  But I have to emphasis this first point, I am a normal person, with a normal life I just happen to work in the sex industry, I am not a victim, and have not been forced into my job.  I don't think the people who want to bring in this law look at us as regular people leading normal lives, they want to portray us as people with drug/substance abuse problems and/or who have been forced into doing this for a living.  We are like any other working tax paying person, it is so important that people outside of the industry realise this point. 

If this came into law, how would it affect me?

I would not want to report any attack or assault on me for fear of the police using my address information to arrest my clients, thus closing my business down leaving me in danger.  At the moment I would not hesitate to get help from the police if I was in trouble.  This law could mean more people attack sex workers as they know they wont be reported.

Many of my clients would avoid seeing me in fear of getting caught, if they are caught seeing me the arrest/fine could appear on a CRB check, if this is the case, I would find a massive drop in income. 

I think the stigma against sex workers would increase substantially, and we would be looked down on more than we already are.

I pay a lot of tax in a year and declare all my income and have an accountant, I also spend money with businesses to run my business, condoms/lube/website/accountants fees/advertising, they would all suffer as I would not be spending as much money with them if my takings were down, and this is a substantial amount in a year.

For those ladies with children, how would they fare, would they risk their children being taken off them as seems to happen in Sweden, which must be a substantial cost to the tax payer,  also how much would this law cost to police?, more cost to the tax payer.

The majority of sex workers in the UK do it of their own free will.  The police already have the laws in place to deal with trafficked women, although lets remember people are not just trafficked into the UK for sex work which everyone seems to be focusing on, how many stories do we hear about men and women bought here to work in various jobs at under minimum wage in terrible conditions in business such as farming/agriculture.

I think at a time when there are many problems in the UK with unemployment/benefit cuts etc., I am totally mystified as to why so much energy is being put into this issue when there are other more important things going on for the MP's to deal with.

Hi

I hope my opinions help. I am an independent escourt. I work for myself with no agency or pimp. What really upsets me about this honeyball business is that in my eyes my clients are not doing anything wrong. Most of my clients are normal, down to earth men. They are farmers, doctors, factory workers and some of them are even women! We agree to meet. I am not victimised, forced or do anything I don't want to do. I left a management role to do this job. It has been the best decision I have ever made. I am no linger stresses and happier then I have ever been. I have full control of what I do and when I do it. Not something I had in my old job. Who I worry for are my clients. They will not speak up for themselves due to the stigma attatched to being a client but a lot of the are single. Working long, hard and unsocialable hours they find it hard to meet people. Escorts are often the last resort of the lonely man who just wants to feel someone's flesh against theres. I can't imagine what it's like to go months or years at a time without a hug from someone else. These are not criminals or rapists they are just lonely.


I'm happy to use anything I have said

Honeyball's stats are completely fictitious, but have not been questioned. She says she hasn't met a single sex worker who wanted to do the work. This is because she refuses to engage with or acknowledged the existence of hundreds of thousands of us, many who are clamouring at the door of the EP only to be told we don't exist, treated like sub human, and called pimps, when we are legally working independents. I approached Catherine Bearded MP Oxford, and told her I worked in her constituency and that I was a Sex worker by choice. Her response was 'ive never met anyone who wanted to be a prostitute.' she then refused to engage with me and denied my existence.

When the Honeyball's report was voted approved, I was tweeted at by a serious german pro-honeyball  campaigner who worked on the report gloated "now you will have to f*ck me for free" . I have never been treated that way by any client. this is how the people behind the report really view us-the people they portray as poor, helpless victims who need rescuing.

Honeyball does not mention funding to support 200000 UK sex workers who would need housing, mental health services and benefits when their income is taken away and they have to cope with change in circumstances. Many will stay in sex work, but be forced to stay under the radar which means going without health care or protection from crime. millions of honest, decent clients will be criminalised when all they wanted was a bit of companionship and comfort, and to build their confidence without hurting anybody.

Honeyball is utterly mad. They are tyrants who won't represent the (mainly women) in their constituency because they don't like what we do. They only want to represent the 'right kind of woman'. Usually white, middle class and radical feminists. The EP can't stand up against extremists (which is what these European women's group and cohorts are) who are against heterosexual sex, because they call themselves feminists. It's a very dangerous case of the emperor's new clothes. Nobody wants to oppose a bill that is dressed up as protecting victims" which it won't. It will take lives. However, only 7? UK MEPs voted for it. If more countries in EU criminalise, more women will come to UK to work where it is safe and legal. That then pushes up the "trafficking" figures. Also, the treatment of people like Laura-Lee by Irish government and honeyball and co on tv shows recently was disgusting, and shows the contempt they have for us. These are not the people to be compiling this report. The report which officers were sacked from because they came to the conclusion that criminalisation was bad.

An interesting article in the economist

http  ://www.economist.com/news/britain/21598672-britains-prostitution-laws-are-mess-proposed-alternatives-are-worse-caveat-emptor