This increasing percentage among street sex workers (now showing approaching 90 percent in some inner cities) may well be accounted for in whole of in part by an emigration of non-addicted street workers to the net.

The three cities study – the first link I sent – shows differing levels of client violence to sex workers indoors and outdoors. Bare in mind, firstly, that ‘client’ is defined here as someone who presents as a client. not necessarily someone who actually does, or intends to do, business.

On top of client violence, street sex workers are also frequently subjected to violence from strangers, their families, pimps and the state. In the UK, street sex workers’ children are frequently removed by social services departments, for example.

The UK expert on violence to sex workers is Hilary Kinnell. Here’s a piece she wrote a year back for the Guardian following the conviction of Ipswich serial killer Steve Wright:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/22/hilarykinnellonsexworkers

Sorry, Ann, for my somewhat abrupt initial response to your post, but those of us trying to fight for sex workers’ rights constantly battle with figures taken out of context.

Coming back to your post, certainly the concensus among US sexworkers on the international list I belong to is that the criminal justice system in the states enforces laws more on the sex workers than on their clients.

Firstly this is inequitable, but there again it may be pragmatic. I don’t know the US figure, but in the UK approximately a tenth of the adult male popilation is believed to have availed themselves of the services of a prostitute at one time or another.

Those suffering form the delusion that they can “eradicate” prostitution, if trying to deal with clients, can find themselves like those sitting in their gardens on a hot day trying to keep the wasps off the jam by setting out to eliminate the world’s wasp population.

In the end, the most equitable thing would be to prosecute neither the sex worker nor the client, in which case you could work to reduce violence, reduce STI risks, gain tax income, redeploy the opportunity cost in terms of the criminal justice system, and minimise trafficking by creating a more transparent society.

Fairly good discussion of this here:
http://prostitution.procon.org/viewtopic.asp

And as lawyers, I’m sure you’ll find this US site interesting on the ups and downs of policing street prostitution in the USA over to the Center for Problem Oriented Policing (interestingly, they only dismiss decriminalisation on the grounds of political feasibility):
http://www.popcenter.org/problems/street_prostitution/1

What is going on here? Why have middle class feminists not supported the women subjected to this discriminatory and hypocritical practice?

The situation is more complex than seeing women in the sex industry as victims. Obviously they do not like to see themselves this way. But the history of the regulation of prostitution internationally has seen an entrenchment of male domination . While here in OZ the women have also been sent inside, and are arguably safer from assault by clients, they earn less and are more dependant on ( usually male) businessmen who own the brothels.

“Brothel law” has no consistent meaning in the U.S. and no legal meaning in Pennsylvania as far as I can tell. See: http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2003/10/10-07-03tdc/10-07-03dnews-01.asp
See also http://cornellsun.com/node/29771
and this account at Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/college/halls/brothel.asp

Thanks for the links to the studies, though I do not think they refute the assertion that prostitutes suffer from violence and drug addictions at high rates, even if they work “indoors.”

Brothel law is the law relating to brothels.

For comparative studies of indoor and street sex work (in the UK), try here:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7285/524

http://www.rcog.org.uk/news/bjog-release-different-health-needs-female-sex-workers

Additionally, there are two studies linked above, one in which prostitution in Chicago was studied, the other a study of prostitution in NYC. To see that one click on the words “High rate of drug abuse… ” or go here: http://www.sociology.columbia.edu/pdf-files/murphyvenkarticle.pdf
As you can see from the abstract, indoor prostitution was the subject of that study.

I have no idea what the “Stephen Clarke” case is that you reference. The john in the post referenced above is Mark A. Sargent, the former dean of Villanova Law School. Nor do I have any idea what you mean when you say “brothel law.”

You make references to “studies” completely without links or any identifying information. There is therefore no reason to accord any weight to your words on this subject.

High levels of drug addiction and of violence are primarily associated with street sex work. Studies here indicate that much of the violence comes from persons other than clients, such as strangers, family members, pimps, and the state. Strangers frequently present as clients.

Studies also indicate that, whilst a much lower incidence of violence takes place in brothels, that which does occur is generally much less reported, due to brothel law.

Who dials the cops?