Staying In Tonight?

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Tonight.

Paying for Sex: Reality Bites

On RTÉ2 at 10pm.

Melanie O’Connor writes:

Paying For Sex is a one-off documentary for the Reality Bites strand that explores the ongoing debate and the highly contentious and taboo subject of “paying for sex” in Ireland.

The documentary follows sex worker Kate McGrew (of Connected) and prostitution survivor Rachel Moran as they campaign tirelessly on opposing sides of a new law (part of the Sexual Offences bill) which, if passed, will make it a crime to pay for sex in Ireland.

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26 thoughts on “Staying In Tonight?

      1. ahjayzis

        It’s a pointlessly reductive and sensationalist term.

        Retired coal miners don’t call themselves ‘colliery survivors’.

        Police attacked or abused on the job aren’t “law enforcement survivors”.

        If they were coerced into sex work or abused on the job they’re survivors of sex trafficking, slavery, sexual assault – actual crimes and not professions.

        1. Dόn Pídgéόní

          If she wants to call herself that, what difference does it make to anyone else? Better to listen to what she has to say rather than rolling your eyes at how she chooses to label herself.

          1. ahjayzis

            Because she’s making a judgement about everyone involved in prostitution.

            Whereas I’d argue anyone coerced into it against their will isn’t a prostitute, they’re a victim of modern slavery / trafficking. And anyone assaulted while working is a victim/survivor of assault, same as on any job.

            It removes the agency from sex workers who aren’t coerced and lumps them as victims, when many are just doing what the rest of us are doing, selling labour/skills for money. We just have a moral panic when it’s a woman selling sex, but it’s fine when she sells childcare.

          2. Dόn Pídgéόní

            I don’t see it like that but I get what you’re saying and that would definitely be her thesis. But then, I haven’t done sex work so I’m guessing she knows what she’s talking about. Personally, I find this a difficult issue to work out where I stand. I think the number of women, and men, who are in sex work freely is a very tiny minority. I’ve used this as an argument in support of different approaches before but I’m increasingly uncomfortable with it because I’m not sure it’s right to focus on that when it’s not likely to be the reality most.

            Which approach do you favour?

          3. Brother Barnabas

            As it happens, Dόn Pídgéόní, I’m regularly (albeit poorly) remunerated for sexual favours. It actually leaves me feeling empowered (and a little bit sexy too, truth be told). Is my girlfriend a criminal?

          4. Dόn Pídgéόní

            Because your gf taking you to red lobster is the same as having sex with multiple people who are not your preferred sexual partner every night? Cool.

          5. ahjayzis

            Why are you going to the darkest scenario of a grotty bedsit in some slum with a line forming outside?

          6. Dόn Pídgéόní

            I’m not. That’s sex work. Or are you only focusing on the Belle during Jours of the world?

  1. lolly

    I was on a bus journey seated beside Kate once. charming smart and interesting girl (no I didn’t pay her for anything!). the Swedish model sounds positively dangerous. the video above explains it well. I find it very strange that the illogicality of that model is never taken into account.

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