[lettie]

There are valid arguments both for legalisation and against. I am all for legalisation. This would ensure the safe employment of 'working' girls, regular sexual health checks, tax and NI contributions and compulsory use of condoms. The staggering rise in HIV and other STI's over the last few years in this country is downright disgraceful. These rises aren't just down to foreigners coming here but down to the ignorance and stupidity of our young people and the government's failure to act.

Yes, the government has ploughed some money into services. I'm sure that Greg Pope could come on here and say exactly how much. Unfortunately the money earmarked for these services has been too little, too late. Many of these funds have been swallowed up by other portions of the health service. Therefore large sexual health campaigns which hit every household, like the AIDS Monolith TV Campaign of the 80's are a thing of the past. The government knows that current sexual health services could not cope with the amount of people coming forward for sexual health/HIV screening should they run a campaign of this nature. Therefore, they choose to sweep the problem under the carpet.

My solution would be to legalise and monitor prostitution and plough the extra gains in NI and taxation into the sexual health services.

The argument agianst legalisation would be 'NIMBY' Not In My Back Yard... Let's face it who would want to live next door to a brothel?

(except maybe Less... )