Er, the belief that the involvement of money somehow tarnishes sex and makes it this violent, disgusting, intrusive, or oppressive experience, IS a moral leaning. Many people viciously oppose prostitution, it's not hard to find people on your side. It is the oldest profession, and probably the least understood; but it is not inherently wrong and psychologically damaging. Being forced into prostitution is damaging because it's a form of slavery. Being enticed into prostitution is nothing like rape. There's no one being forcefully held against their will. It is a simple transaction-- the exchange of a service for a fee. Your stance against this rests entirely on your perception of sex being meaningful to everyone in the same manner that it is to you.

Case this is a healthy debate.I don't know about Steph but I am not fighting with anyone.

muslims use just as much porn as anyone else.

I know a lot of prostitutes. They put on a happy face, but not one of the ones I am friends with is happy about what she does. They are ALL using some kind of substance to numb themselves on a regular basis, and most of them cut. I probably know about 30.

wheezie when you quote something it would be helpful if you cited the source or provided a link. sometimes an excerpt isn't sufficient, or others would like more info. thanks.

Sure thing The People.That excerpt came from a paper called "The harm of prostitution" from www.ruhama.ie.They are a Dublin based organization that helps women affected by prostitution. I also sited Prostitution research and education.Here is there about me.
http://www.prostitutionresearch.com/about.html
They have many research documents on this link.
http://www.prostitutionresearch.com/c-prostitution-research.html

agree to disagree

I will also say this it is not only I that places guidelines on what healthy sex is but the two websites I have quoted along with this excerpt from Ressurection after Rape(a well know step by step guide to recovering from sexual trauma and also a support group here on DS).

Messages about sexual perversion surround us, and violence is increasingly eroticized as sensual.We only have to glance at a fashion magazine or music video to see this.But messages about healthy intimate forms of sexuality are rare and it is no wonder we are left confused. "The five conditions for healthy sexuality---- consent,equality,respect,trust and safety(CERTS) are seldom taught at home or in school or reinforced in our culture," writes Mendy Maltz.

Just as Maltz identifies five conditions for healthy sexuality she also identifies five red-flags of abusive mindsets towards sex:

1. Sex is uncontrollable
2. Sex is hurtful
3. Sex is a commodity
4. Sex is secretive
5. Sex has no moral boundaries

Sex Maltz points out is a normal biological drive. It has healing properties when used responsibly and can be an expression of love and mutual desire. It is not a service that is taken or demanded and healthy sex does not cause either person to feel they have lost part of themselves to the other.

If you would like to read a free copy of Resurrection after rape here is the link.It is a great book to aid one in healing from sexual trauma.
http://www.resurrectionafterrape.org/

i should point out that my comment above was not intended to diminish or trivialise the experiences of those of you that have been abused, especially as children. Nor to deny the validity of your feelings towards sex (though they might not be my feelings about it). I just didn't want this thread to lose sight of the fact that prostitutes are people as brave and vulnerable and complex as all of us. That not all of them necessarly fit the stereotypes. And that they need not be defined by their occupations. That they can perhaps be better defined as sister, friend, mother, colleague, student ... whatever? People, is all.

I completely agree K2.

I have tried to read that book, but so far haven't made it past pg 84. Will keep working on it though.

That's awesome Stephanie.It's like the author Matt Atkinson says recovery from sexual trauma is one of the hardest things a person will do in their lives.There is no doubt that that takes each person there own individual amount of time.All we can ask of ourselves is to move at our own pace and keep working at it until we get where we need to be.My goal is inner peace.I'm not even close to that yet but at least now in my heart I know it is achievable.

What exactly is a "sexual perversion", and why is it impossible for prostitution to be carried out in a manner that includes "consent, equality, respect, trust and safety"? Also, I'm sorry, but love is a chemical process. This argument only makes sense if you place these chemical processes on a pedestal and give them a meaning that borders on spiritual. This excerpt uses a lot of words that carry very broad definitions: love, safety, equality, perversion, uncontrollable. Another thing that your sources don't address is the effect of stigma and societal/ cultural norms. Correlation is not equal to causation, and it is not explained how this person came to the conclusion that "sex as a commodity" is directly related to negative psychological effects and not the stigma that our culture places on women who "sell their bodies"--not to mention the stigma of committing a crime. Similarly, many women who have had abortions feel that they have "murdered" their child because it has been drilled into their heads that a zygote or a small cluster of cells is equal to a human, yet these women have not acted out of malice.

I don't mean to be offensive, but I think your bias towards prostitution as wrong is coming mainly from a victim of abuse's perspective, which I do understand as it did take me many years to get over it myself. Growing up, I had so many skewed opinions that I did not realize were not my own but merely stamps of the culture in which I had grown up. "Prostitution is wrong and bad for women" was one of those, along with "pot makes you crazy".

BECOUSE YOU ARE USEING SOMEONE FOR SEX THAT IS WHY YOU PAY THEM NOT LOVE THEM BECOUSE THE DEFINTION OF PERVERION SEEMS TO BE WHATEVER YOU MAKE OF IT. IT DOSNT HAVE A DAMN FUCKING THING TO DO WITH SPIRTITUALITY STEPH. OMBRE IS TRYING TO SHUT ME UP HERE BUT I WILL NOT. THIS IS BEOND COMEN SENCE PLAIN STUPID!!! WHATS WRONG WITH RAPE WHATS WRONG WITH STEALING I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON YOUR MORALS AND ETHICS HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. IM AN ATHIEST AND I STILL THINK ITS FUCKING WRONG SOME PEOPLE THINK ITS FUCKING WRONG THAT I USE THE WORK FUCK A LOT. THATS THERE APINION I DONT GIVE A SHIT.

Sorry there Stephy the gothic one is a bit on er edge tonight. What a grump she is I tell ya. Come around now whats your story Im dieing to know how do you know more then thirty prostitutes lass? Is everything alright oer there?