34 Comments

Both articles are excellent and make for sobering reading. Even more horrifying are the comments on Julie’s article, they seem to follow a formula:

Its the oldest trade.

Men need sex.

These women are willing.

It could be worse…

I despair at the lack of humanity, morality and intellect shown.

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I often find Julie's comment sections rife with angry men, makes me smile. I 100% agree Hilarie, another excellent article from JB and amazing work being done by Anja - keep it up women, your sex needs you! ✌️💛

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Actually, the comments are by sex workers. You know, the people whose heads Julie and her acolytes talk over.

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Angry and wrong.

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No they aren’t but you keep pushing your agenda.

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Oh, I see. I am not sticking to Julie's agenda. I'm terribly sorry for that. Apologies.

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Apology accepted.

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Thanks. I promise I will never make a dissonant noise in your echo chamber.

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thank you julie. this is something i have cared about since my teens. i really appreciate your continued research and reporting. it's a global problem and absolutely fundamental in terms of social justice. the more it has become accepted the more this trade in vulnerable people (mostly women and children) grows. you may sometimes feel like a voice in the wilderness especially in these heartless times. but i hear you. what you say is more important than ever.

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Brilliant piece as always Julie. I’m 19 and have been living in Amsterdam a couple years now and have found the presence of this so upsetting. I do know of a couple great organizations here doing work to combat it, though.. we’ve got to do what we can.

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i was just thinking about words and the way they frame my ideas wrongly. words like prostitution throw the blame on the victims, sex trade is not right because there is no trade. sex work is just totally wrong because sex is not work. the problem is paid sexual assault. and particularly men who pay to sexually assault people. there needs to be a word in the lexicon... how can we stop the what? male-dollar-rapists?

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All prostitution, and pornography, should be illegal. If that’s not possible, society must start to frame these industries as irredeemably and inherently immoral and go from there. These industries instil misogyny and contempt for women and their rights, create socially incompetent porn-addled incels, and a disgusting over-sexualized predatory environment for young women and girls. A scourge on humanity.

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Considering the money Julie makes with writing and giving speeches on the subject, she is part of this trade.

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Speeching is not a word.

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Actually, "paid rape" is an insult to all victims of rape.

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i am a survivor of rape myself and childhood abuse. later i worked for many years as a barrister specialising in sexual abuse crimes. my main referral source was women's refuge. what i say is no insult to me or the hundreds of women and children i have worked with over the years. what i say is my truth.

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You’ve got my dream job! Headed to school in the fall to study law and English. Really important work, well done

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go you! my daughter is studying law too. it's nice to think of more switched on women like you and her coming into the law. you are so needed.

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Of course you are.

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Can you piss off? You’ve replied to just about everyone’s comments, including mine where I talk about going to law school so I can represent rape victims like its something to laugh off. Nobody here is interested in your opinion or on your side. You’re chatting with the wrong group of women. Go away.

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"You’re chatting with the wrong group of women." Thanks for pointing out what Julie's advocacy is all about.

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Headstrong feminists who don't take shit from bitter blokes like yourself? Yeah. Proudly so.

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Is that the definition of headstrong: repeating the same mantras over and over in unisono?

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Eye roll. I’m a survivor. That phrase isn’t insulting to me at all. It’s an accurate description of the reality of the sex trade.

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