Prostitution: France wants to punish clients

[CFLDem]

Source: USA Today

PARIS (AP) — France's government is pushing one of Europe's toughest laws against prostitution and sex trafficking, and other countries are watching closely. Advocates hope that a draft French law going to parliament Wednesday will help change long-held attitudes toward the world's oldest profession — by punishing the customer and protecting the prostitute.


The bill, however, is facing resistance in a country with a libertine reputation and a Mediterranean macho streak, and has prompted petitions defending those who buy sex. Signatories include screen icon Catherine Deneuve —who played a prostitute in the cult film "Belle de Jour" — and crooner Charles Aznavour.

Prostitution is currently legal in France, but brothels, pimping and soliciting in public are illegal.

The bill has prompted debate about sex and sexism in France, where former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is facing charges of aggravated pimping. He denies wrongdoing, though his lawyer has defended Strauss-Kahn's free-wheeling sex life.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/26/prostitution-france-sex-trafficking/3744469/

[seabeyond]

1. those europeans.... nt

[madeline_con]

2. " Dominique Strauss-Kahn is facing charges of aggravated pimping."

What the hell is aggravated pimping?

"Bitch, I told you to twerk dat ass!"

[jakeXT]

3. Ah ... France

[HoosierCowboy]

4. Laws against Prostitution,

make every woman a prostitute in principle. The outrage ought to be about the old tired ethics that back laws against prostitution.

The legal term called "an expectation of consideration" in the prostitution laws can turn a dalliance into a court case if law enforcement wants to push the case. These laws give law enforcement the ability to read someones mind and act preemptively only on presumption.

The irony is that someone can have sex with hundreds of partners, a line leading outside the door, and it's perfectly legal until someone leaves a twenty on the night table.

This law isn't going anywhere in France, and we should seriously reconsider our own laws.

[JaneyVee]

5. That would take the France out of France.

[ReRe]

6. I was thinking the same thing... n/t