"You can get a college degree in this field of study?" Topic

Durham University, United Kingdom, not North Carolina area, is offering classes on:

'training' for student sex workers

link

Seems strange, but I think it might be a good idea. I always thought that that activity should be legal and those involved should receive all the protection, rights and support that other professions receive.

I kinda look at how some European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, few others), Australia and Nevada in the States handle it, legal protection, medical services and safe working environment.

Oldest profession is not going away, so make it as safe for all involved as possible.

These "classes" might be the difference between someone in this line of work making it safely through this time opposed to the unpleasant realities of possible murder that effects them in so high a percentage.

But it is a funny headline.

Only…. it isn't the University, and no-one is offering a Degree in the topic.

It is a course run by the Student Union. And they are not pleased with what they regard (with seeming good reason) as wildly untrue reporting, to quote from their web-site statement on this:

It is an attempt to support students in a difficulty arising from the reality of their lives outside of their studies. Ultimately, any suggestion that this training aims to facilitate sex work is ludicrous. As I have attended both levels of this training, which is more than any of those writing for the national press, I know these criticisms are made in bad faith and are wildly untrue.

Full text is here: link

So this training is supposedly due to hard times forcing students into sex work.

So would the same apply, for example, if the students were engaged in robbery due to hard times? Would the student union provide training classes for robbery?

Whether it is right or wrong there has been a noticeable increase in the number of students – the majority of them female – getting involved in the sex industry to more or less of an extent to pay rent/student fees.

This may be working as a stripper or a lap dancer – these things are not illegal (in the UK). In fact being a prostitute is also not illegal – soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, owning or managing a brothel, pimping and pandering, are considered to be crimes, but the act of selling sex is not as such illegal.

So the analogy of a robbery is a poor one, if you don't mind me saying so.

The SU is providing training on coping with the issue when it arises – someone, and let's try and recall we're talking about an 18 year old perhaps, away from home for the first time and who makes a decision which, on reflection, they may not be too happy with. There's then a potential counselling issue that the SU is training people, including lecturers, to provide. Since there is no crime involved there is a need to be able to deal with ancillary issues in an adult way – someone may be worried that they have an STD, how to advise them? They may be concerned about some of the people they are now mixing with – how to advise them on coping with such a situation.

And then some American right wing news organisation tries to twist what is being done and make an issue about it. Oh, ha, ha how clever – or they could try showing some human compassion and empathy for once. I realise that's probably too much to ask for.

And then some American right wing news organisation tries to twist what is being done and make an issue about it.

The story originates with The Times… I believe that's in the U.K. link

It is, but you note how the original post's link subtly twists the slant of the story :

The Times headline is:

"Durham university offers safety training for student sex workers"

The Post Millenial (who declare themselves as fighting against a left wing mob in their "please fund us" splash message) have:

"Durham University offers 'training' for student sex workers"

Safety training for student sex workers

becomes

'training' for student sex workers

which sounds like quite a different thing altogether. Since they were lifting the story from somewhere else they could have easily have lifted the headline as well – but they went for something which sounds like students are being taught how to be better at selling sex. This is not an accidental choice of words, it fits their "culture wars" agenda.

Way back when, I used to work for a community college. One day after work the director of vocational programs and I were sharing a few drinks. One thing led to another and before long we had mapped out an entire two year degree program.
A few salient features included:

PE – Gymnastics and Cardio
Language Arts – Writing Erotica
Psychology – Human Sexuality naturally
Business – Marketing and Small Business Entrepreneurship
Fine Arts – Drama and Acting (you know why)

We could have cornered the market if we just had had a more open minded administration.

It is a good idea to make sex work safer.

It's not a good idea to smooth the transition into a dangerous job of desperation.

A really *great* idea would be to say, "Hey, students are getting into sex work because of hard times. Let's create legal and safe opportunities for them, and prepare them for the legal and safe opportunities that already exist. That way sex work won't be their only option."

If someone wants to be a sex worker, it's a "victimless crime". If someone is turning to that out of financial desperation give them better choices, don't endorse and enable something they don't want.

Sex workers exist because there is a demand. So whether the article is twisted by liberals or conservatives or whatever, there is a market.

Like any business/workplace they are entitled to a safe working environment. It would not be accepted if a 'mainstream' (for want of a better expression) business or industry was exposed to violence, organised criminal elements or being viewed as second class.

A slightly different take on safe sex practices, or sex education perhaps but I don't see it as a "Sex work for dummies guide book".

So who would pay for their daughter or wife to take these courses to satisfy fro the "demand"?

Wolfhag