Backpage and the economy

[opebo]

Guys, do any of you peruse Backpage dot com in your town?  It is the site to which the more enjoyable aspects of Craigstlist fled when that site banned them (under pressure from the pigs)?

I ask because I do, just to keep abreast of the market back home in the Bad Place, in case I ever have to return, and my impression is that the appearance level of the ladies advertising on there has gone up markedly, while the prices have been falling.  Quotes of $75 or 100 are normal now for ones who (at least according to their photos) seem very good, and 50 is not uncommon for the somewhat less appealing or over 25 set.

This must be the effect of the dire economy..  I guess a lot less guys can afford it, or can only afford it much less frequently, not to mention many more girls can't find other jobs.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I got a real cutie off there for $150 in February. Only time I paid for full service.

I check the massage sections though I haven't hired anyone off there in quite awhile (not since my "epiphany" actually) and yeah they are going kind of cheap for like $60 with an obvious happy ending. To get a happy ending at the place that used to be near me it'd be at least $90.

[Beet]

I've browsed the site, but never paid for anything. My sense is that webcams may be eating into the market as well. There may be a substitution effect.

[opebo]

Hard to believe men are such sad-sacks nowadays that a webcam substitutes for a real encounter.

[greenforest32]

Oh man are the busybody state attorney generals going after online advertisements for sex again like they did with craigslist? Just legalize prostitution already.



God damn it USA

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That is a hilariously misleading map.

Anyways, I'd never heard of this 'Backpage' thing before and assumed (before clicking on thread) that it was something to do with sport.

[greenforest32]

That is a hilariously misleading map.

Looking further into it Wikipedia seems to have a better map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_prostitution



Color codes:
Green - Prostitution legal and regulated
Blue - Prostitution legal, but not regulated; brothels are illegal;
Red - Prostitution illegal
Grey - No data

[opebo]

That is a hilariously misleading map.

In what sense?  The sense that legality hasn't always a lot to do with actual practice?  Because the map(s) posted here really only claim to represent legality, not actual practice.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I suspect what Al is saying is that while prostitution might technically be legal in the UK, it's so heavily restricted engaging in it in practice is very difficult. Canada is basically the same way, from what I understand one can technically legally engage in prostitution in Canada, but they'd have to jump through so many hoops to avoid violating any other laws it's not too dissimilar in practice from the US as if you did the same in the US you'd be very unlikely to be caught.

Of course this allows additional flexibility with some positive outcomes, I once heard for example than an escort agency in Vancouver or somewhere was busted because one of the clients tipped off the police that he believed they had underage girls, something that in the US one might be reluctant to do out of fear of being arrested themselves. Also I read that Toronto police have a hotline for sex workers to report abusive clients or rapists, while it wouldn't surprise me if a US city set up a similar line women would obviously be more reluctant to call it.

I've browsed the site, but never paid for anything. My sense is that webcams may be eating into the market as well. There may be a substitution effect.

Uh, so it's basically just a porn video in real time? Why not just download porn videos for free?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The key point is that while prostitution is technically legal in the U.K, 'soliciting' isn't. I think the situation is roughly comparable in some other countries.

Of course back in the day the entire 'industry' was 'regulated' by the police (the old, and oh-so-appropriately named, Vice Squads).

[Beet]

I've browsed the site, but never paid for anything. My sense is that webcams may be eating into the market as well. There may be a substitution effect.

Uh, so it's basically just a porn video in real time? Why not just download porn videos for free?

I guess because unlike a porn video, it is an actual social encounter although it may be taking place over the web. It's not just the images on the screen but the experience of interacting with a real person and having them acknowledge you and cater to your specific desires, as well as getting a chance to show them your appreciation and come back for more. In that sense it is more like a real encounter. It's a hybrid.

[Sbane]

That is a hilariously misleading map.

Looking further into it Wikipedia seems to have a better map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_prostitution



Color codes:
Green - Prostitution legal and regulated
Blue - Prostitution legal, but not regulated; brothels are illegal;
Red - Prostitution illegal
Grey - No data

So not only does Bangladesh have legal prostitution, it's also regulated? What?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

That is a hilariously misleading map.

Looking further into it Wikipedia seems to have a better map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_prostitution



Color codes:
Green - Prostitution legal and regulated
Blue - Prostitution legal, but not regulated; brothels are illegal;
Red - Prostitution illegal
Grey - No data

They ought to have another color for Sweden, Norway, and Iceland.  Prostitution is illegal but not being a prostitute.  They consider the crime to be paying for sex, not receiving money for it.  Which if one is going to consider prostitution to be a crime is the way it ought to be.

[opebo]

Prostitution is illegal but not being a prostitute.  They consider the crime to be paying for sex, not receiving money for it.  Which if one is going to consider prostitution to be a crime is the way it ought to be.

The rationale for that arrangement is really no better than the more common one.  If every man whose finances were negatively effected by his sexual relationships were to be charged, there would probably be no male outside of the prison-house - except perhaps the pimpman!