Suing For Too Much Sex!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

But, woman in degrading job being shafted by her employer after a work related injury. Nothing ironic about that. Nothing frivolous about it either.

Hi Ricky,

I have a couple of friends who work in the sex industry and, believe me, they think that they have the best job in the world. They are both independent women who work in the industry through their own choice and thoroughly enjoy it. Both are well-educated, and came to work in the industry after having professional careers. They'd certainly disagree with your view of the work as being "degrading", although I'd be the first to agree that there is a side to the industry which is appalling - street girls who are abused by pimps and more often than not dependent on drugs. That side of the industry needs to be stamped out, and the sooner it happens the better.

Many towns and cities in the UK take a very enlightened attitude to the industry these days, and operate all sorts of support services to ensure that abuse does not happen. I think there is a widespread realisation that it's going to happen no matter what, so it's a lot better to operate openly and properly run, rather than for it all to be driven underground and "criminalised" (it's not illegal in the UK - I understand that in some parts of the US it is). In the case of my friends, for example, they tell me that a nurse visits them once a month to carry out health checks.

One potential problem with sueing for industrial injuries is that it's normal in the sex industry for people to be independent contractors rather than employees. Both my friends have the legal status of "limited companies", for example.

[HarryT]

It occurs to me to add, by the way, that I don't know either of these ladies in their "professional" capacies. One is a neighbour; the other a friend of my sister. Both are totally open and unashamed of what they do for a living.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Hi Ricky,

I have a couple of friends who work in the sex industry and, believe me, they think that they have the best job in the world. They are both independent women who work in the industry through their own choice and thoroughly enjoy it. Both are well-educated, and came to work in the industry after having professional careers. They'd certainly disagree with your view of the work as being "degrading", although I'd be the first to agree that there is a side to the industry which is appalling - street girls who are abused by pimps and more often than not dependent on drugs. That side of the industry needs to be stamped out, and the sooner it happens the better.

Many towns and cities in the UK take a very enlightened attitude to the industry these days, and operate all sorts of support services to ensure that abuse does not happen. I think there is a widespread realisation that it's going to happen no matter what, so it's a lot better to operate openly and properly run, rather than for it all to be driven underground and "criminalised" (it's not illegal in the UK - I understand that in some parts of the US it is). In the case of my friends, for example, they tell me that a nurse visits them once a month to carry out health checks.

One potential problem with sueing for industrial injuries is that it's normal in the sex industry for people to be independent contractors rather than employees. Both my friends have the legal status of "limited companies", for example.

Oh, I hear you Harry. Most of the girls I lived around in LA were your basic street hookers, and it was a degrading job to say the least. I was the neighbor that got called in the middle of the night to bail them out if their pimp wouldn't (or if they didn't have one).

I don't have any experience at all with the higher paid escorts and call girls. Most of my neighbors back in those days were making around $15 a trick, and then AIDS sort of started decimating them.

I am quite sure there are a few women (and men) in the industry who are really happy with their jobs. But I do think that the vast majority (at least in this country) are uneducated, often drug addicted, and not living in the best of circumstances.

Based on the facts of that case, my assumption would be that as a phone sex worker, the lady probably wasn't making much over minimum wage, but at least what she was doing was legal.

My thinking is that if a person is forced into an occupation because of lack of education or other circumstances, and it's low paying ... barely meet the cost of living sort of low paying ... well, I consider that degrading. If they are well educated and make a conscious choice, are making a good living and not breaking any laws in the process, then I don't consider the fact that they are a "sex worker" to be the least bit degrading.

Of course, there are a whole mass of people living around me who would disagree with me on that point ... they consider any and all sex outside of marriage to be degrading. It's something we just all don't talk about socially, because we will get into an argument, and most of the folks down here are still in shock from finding out I'm not a Christian.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

My thinking is that if a person is forced into an occupation because of lack of education or other circumstances, and it's low paying ... barely meet the cost of living sort of low paying ... well, I consider that degrading. If they are well educated and make a conscious choice, are making a good living and not breaking any laws in the process, then I don't consider the fact that they are a "sex worker" to be the least bit degrading.

We are in complete agreement there!

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

My thinking is that if a person is forced into an occupation because of lack of education or other circumstances, and it's low paying ... barely meet the cost of living sort of low paying ... well, I consider that degrading.

Wouldn't that qualify any fast food cashier or busboy as being in a degrading job?

"Degrading" is in the eye of the beholder. I don't necessarily consider any job in the sex industry as being "degrading"... it depends on the person and what they are doing (or asked/forced to do). And even with lack of education and other circumstances in play, the work you may be "forced" into may not be considered "degrading." (Ask any Hollywood "trophy wife." )

On a side note: Can I sue to get too much sex?

[pshrynk]

I'm actually amazed that the woman was actually, well, doing something. My understanding was that the phone sex workers were all faking it.

[UKHaiku]

I'm also genuinely surprised that a phone sex worker wasn't faking each and every orgasm...? (Or at least most.. ). That might be why the company is arguing that it's not, strictly speaking, in the line of business...?

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Wouldn't that qualify any fast food cashier or busboy as being in a degrading job?

"Degrading" is in the eye of the beholder. I don't necessarily consider any job in the sex industry as being "degrading"... it depends on the person and what they are doing (or asked/forced to do). And even with lack of education and other circumstances in play, the work you may be "forced" into may not be considered "degrading." (Ask any Hollywood "trophy wife." )

On a side note: Can I sue to get too much sex?

Sometimes, yes.

If a Hollywood trophy wife is there by force and not by choice, then she's essentially living in slavery. Yes, I would consider that degrading.

Doesn't matter how well your master treats you ... if you are there by force, you are degraded.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

I'm actually amazed that the woman was actually, well, doing something. My understanding was that the phone sex workers were all faking it.

I would have thought so too ... but apparently not. Who knew??

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

If a Hollywood trophy wife is there by force and not by choice, then she's essentially living in slavery. Yes, I would consider that degrading.

Doesn't matter how well your master treats you ... if you are there by force, you are degraded.

True. On the other hand, I'd bet there are more than a few of those trophy wives who look around at the money, the attention, the mansions, the clothes, the cars, the plastic surgery and personal trainers, the spas, the backyard pools (and pool-boys)... and figure they can handle a bit of degradation for that.

On a more down-to-earth note, a person can have a degrading job (such as a maid--not that all maid's jobs are degrading, but just as an example), but if it provides enough money to benefit their family (say, bringing them to a better country, or making life better where they are), it may be considered by that person to be worth the degradation to benefit others.

Again, it's up to the individual to decide whether or not they are being degraded, and whether or not the degradation is worth what they get out of it. It's not always obvious enough for outsiders to judge.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

I'm actually amazed that the woman was actually, well, doing something. My understanding was that the phone sex workers were all faking it.

You've never heard of "method acting"?