Prostitution In Amsterdam

Here in Amsterdam prostitution is seen as a wonderful expression of personal freedom. It is seen as an integral part of the culture of the city. Prostitution is not only tolerated, but is celebrated as something that empowers and dignifies women.

Every day thousands of tourists come through the red light district, often with their kids, to have a good time. The atmosphere is like a carnival or a zoo. Women stand in windows all along the streets selling themselves.

Drunk Englishmen stumble around the streets yelling cat-calls and insults at the women. American families walk through, gawking at the ladies, their kids pointing and giggling amongst themselves. Dutch businessmen prowl the streets, their wives waiting at home.

The tourism industry, the mafia, and all those with a pro-district agenda say it's all "OK." Amsterdam is the city of freedom. Prostitution is harmless fun. It doesn't hurt anyone. All the women are legal, healthy, love their jobs and choose to work here. They voice these claims loudly, and the world readily believes them.

HELLO?! WAKE UP EARTH!!!

Prostitution remains alive and healthy here because of a host of lies that are constantly propagated by a few evil men, and embraced by a world that has abandoned common sense and morality in exchange for selfish hedonism. "I have the right to do whatever I want," we say.

Here are some of the lies we believe:

1. Prostitution doesn't hurt anyone.

The reality is that prostitution seriously damages lives. Even in a more controlled environment like the red light district, the women involved in prostitution suffer extensive damage to their minds, bodies, and emotions. Psychological trauma is inevitable when women are constantly being bought, sold, traded and physically abused, even when they are 'willing participants.'

2. All the women involved are willing participants.

The most recent independent and anonymous survey carried out by the Scarlet Chord here in Amsterdam showed that 50%-90% of the prostitutes working Amsterdam are victims of sex trafficking (modern day slavery).

3. The women love their jobs.

The truth is that NO woman EVER wants to be a prostitute! The world needs to get this into their collectively thick head! The reasons women sell themselves always have to do with poverty, control, abuse, or psychological problems.

4. Prostitution empowers women and gives them dignity.

Prostitution turns women into objects, steals their dignity, and encourages male-dominance thinking. Men continue to take whatever they want from women! Women involved in prostitution lose all sense of value because their self-worth becomes equated with how much clients are willing to pay.

5. Prostitution decreases rape and sexual abuse.

The idea is that if men have access to prostitutes they will be less likely to rape or abuse. The truth however is completely opposite. Prostitution works to increase men's sexual appetite and continues to fuel their lust, making them more likely to rape or abuse. Also, prostitution dramatically affects the way men see women. It causes them to see women as objects instead of people, making it much easier to commit crimes against them.

These are just some the lies perpetuated by those who profit from this industry, in order to keep the demand high and the world approving. As long as these lies are believed by the public, countless women in Amsterdam will continue to be oppressed in the name of 'freedom' and 'civil liberty!'

Want to make your voice heard on this issue? One thing you can do is join my facebook cause, End Prostitution In Amsterdam, that is, if you think prostitution should be made illegal, that the government should make fighting sex trafficking a priority, and if you want to help transform the world's thinking about this issue!

SPF