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Increase prostitution age to 23: AmsterdamTuesday 19 January 2010 The age at which young women should be allowed to become prostitutes should be raised from 18 to 23, according to Amsterdam city council executive Lodewijk Asscher. And Asscher wants the city's famous red light district to be prostitution-free between 4am and 8am, so that efforts can be focused during the day on tracking down pimps and human traffickers. '18-year-old girls from Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary are extremely vulnerable. They are brought here but they are unable to resist the pressure. Women of 23 are more adult, more resistant,' Asscher is quoted as saying in Tuesday's Telegraaf. Asscher also says that prostitutes should have to register as freelancers with the local chamber of commerce and prove that they can speak Dutch, or at least English, Spanish or French. 'Amsterdam is an international city and prostitution is part of that,' he told the paper. 'And there is nothing against it, if it is done out of free will. But unfortunately we see many instances where this is not the case.' The city council launched major clean up of the city centre red light district in 2008 with the aim of cutting back on crime and forced prostitution, and taking the area more upmarket. © DutchNews.nl
Slowly but surely Asscher is attempting to mold Amsterdam in line with his own personal ethics and views. It is of little concern to him that the end result will be a once-lovely city devoid of any appeal to tourists and/or business. Yet, we all sit back and watch him do it. Easily done. After all he has no direct affect on any of us --- yet. By bobsocks | January 19, 2010 10:00 AM Forced prositution is a henous crime, but more resources must be put into catching the exploiters of all women and dealing with the causes, for example in the countries where women are trafficked from. This idea simply forces prostitution of young women, whether forced or otherwise to other venues.In other words sweep the problem "under the carpet" or away from Asscher's backyard. By Daniel Lee | January 19, 2010 1:53 PM Sounds like a step in the right direction. @bobsocks - Yes, how terrible of him to believe that young women shouldn't be exploited. By Chi | January 19, 2010 4:20 PM Having lived for almost 2 years in the core of Amsterdam's Red Light (and having moved from it in 2008), I can say that 90% of the approximately 15 women who worked in the building I lived in were Hungarian and under 21. All of them but one had 'loverboys' (pimps). They worked incredible hours: 16:00-6:00. It was shocking to see the ravage that only a week of work would have on each one of these young women. I also agree with commentor Daniel Lee, and therefore think a combination of tactics would be the best plan. By Lulu | January 19, 2010 6:23 PM Actually, I don't see a down side to this. 18 to 22 year olds are still basically kids. 23, now you are talking at least a little older. They can more clearly understand what they are getting themselves into. By The Cat Lady | January 19, 2010 9:05 PM Once 18-23-year-old prostitution is banned, those in that age group will be outside police protection; hence more vulnerable to unfair exploitation. Once a women has become 23 years old, probably she already has a profession; whether prostitution (even if illegal) or something else. Amsterdam is successful because it is relatively free. Reduce freedom, and the economy will decline proportionately. What has happened to Dutch culture?! By kevin | January 19, 2010 10:01 PM Hurry up. Holland is supposed to be so enlightened yet let woman be used and exploited. Go after the lover boys. By j tamming | January 21, 2010 10:36 PM Hooray for Mr Asscher! You are a mensch. Down with Bobsucks, who sees exploitation of innocent 18 to 22 year olds as an economic issue. In the (very) old days one became adult at the age of 25. Society has really gone overboard by regarding 18 year olds as adults in all respects. By Frans | January 22, 2010 7:15 AM I've read Asscher's views in countless articles and there's no reference to what emotional/practical support will be given to 18-23 yr olds banned from working as protitutes.If he really cared about women, then I believe that would have been central. These are very telling articles. By AJ | January 22, 2010 9:32 AM Has anyone seem the article in Time Out magazine on young pimps? It reveals that the municipality seems happy to let dee girls go to Brussels or other citys, just as long as they are not in Amsterdam. Sickening. And I thought Amsterdam was all about protecting the girls. It's bulls*it By Panos | April 8, 2011 2:07 PM AJ gets it right. This has nothing to do with better conditions for the women affected, and everything to do with making certain religiously-motivated politicians smell more sanctimonious. By John | April 9, 2011 12:49 AM
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Yes!!! Fight the slavery!!!
By Sean | January 19, 2010 8:37 AM