I see sex work as somewhat analogous to coal mining. It’s not that it isn’t real work, or that those who work in that capacity don’t deserve rights, dignity, or a society that works for them. The problem, of course, is the ever-present exploitation of the workers coupled with the severe unpleasantness of the occupation which ensures that the people who do work these jobs are those with few other options. That isn’t to say that all sex workers and/or coal miners are miserable. Even so, the patterns around this kind of work are unmistakable.
Given these facts, I think most reasonable people understand that sex work should go extinct. That isn’t to say that you can’t make pornography or have sex with strangers. However, it’s impossible to gauge enthusiastic consent when money is changing hands, and enthusiastic consent is a vital component for an ethical sexual encounter.
My question for the community is how exactly this is meant to be accomplished. How can sex work be abolished without harming the very people it’s meant to protect? The number one problem western sex workers face, more so than creepy clients, is the cops, who profile them, steal their wages, and arrest them on a whim. Clearly, criminalizing sex work hasn’t done much for sex workers. What are some alternatives?
I think rape usually happens when someone can’t keep it in their pants anymore and they are extremely desperate (asides from trying to “assert dominance” in a horrific manner to another; or as “revenge/punishment”), but if this comes across as “incel rhetoric” to you, then do educate me on why you think rape happens.
Note that I’m not trying to justify rape. In the end it’s still a horrible thing to do to another person.
Most cases of rape are actually about dominance, specifically misogynistic dominance (which is one reason men rape more often then women). Otherwise, people rape because they want something which they can’t get, and they refuse to keep a handle on themselves as a disciplined human being should. There is no “need” involved, only a “want” – if it really were a need, punishing rapists would certainly be unjust.
Furthermore: rape, though far more widespread than it should be, is still committed by a small minority of people. Most sexless people are frustrated by their sexlessness, but very few end up committing rape.