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joe_the_user01/22/20252 repliesview on HN

I sympathize with the call for decriminalization.

Still, in the case of sex work, I think you are simply wrong. Your overall sketch is the "movie version" or police/puritanical version of sex work, a version that equates trafficking and voluntary transactions (not that those transactions can't exploitative in other ways). The majority sex work isn't filled with violence except on the level of the literal street. Notably, my friends and acquaintances who used Craigslist back in the day didn't deal with any pimps and a moment's thought would show pimps are only needed when someone sells sex at a physical location.

Also, afaik, onlyfans is a virtual only platform so workers there face the same physical dangers as people on zoom calls.

Drugs is a more complex beast.


Replies

toasterlovin01/22/2025

> a moment's thought would show pimps are only needed when someone sells sex at a physical location

Pimps are needed whenever there is coercion involved. It seems unlikely to me that only street prostitution requires coercion. I think we'll soon learn that most of the women on OnlyFans are there because of a violent and manipulative man.

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bloudermilk01/22/2025

Thank you for the kind elaboration. I wonder if you could share any writing on the social justice issues surrounding sex work? My knowledge is limited and informed by only a few pieces I've read over the years.