Friday, August 30, 2013

Sex Boxes in Zurich


The Frau almost made the international news on Monday night when an editor at The Wall Street Journal contacted her to discuss Zurich’s latest development in prostitution: the sex boxes in Zurich Alstetten. These opened for the first time on Monday night, giving prostitutes a legal place to do their business. If you haven’t seen photos of them, imagine a bunch of Swiss bus stops made out of wood and put in a line back to back. Or see a photo and read more about them here.

Anyway, why The Frau of all people was contacted to talk about prostitution in Zurich is yet to be determined, but in any case, she missed her chance since it was her “big mom night out” and she was swimming at Zurich’s Hallenbad.

But it got her thinking about Zurich’s new sex boxes and stark difference in the way the Swiss have reacted to them in comparison with the rest of the world.

On Monday, the topic of Swiss sex boxes was featured in about every paper around the world—with the exception many Swiss ones. Even Blick am Abend, the local Swiss tabloid that loves sex like no other newspaper, had no mention of the sex boxes in its Monday evening edition. Instead, Lady Gaga graced the cover.

The NZZ, the Zurich equivalent of The Wall Street Journal, had an article about the sex boxes—but it was regarding the rest of the world’s fascination with them.

Here’s the thing, Rest Of The World: For the Swiss, sex boxes aren’t a new discussion. They are a practical solution to an old problem.  While the rest of the world is making jokes or pushing taboo problems further under the rug, the Swiss are making both their own neighborhoods and the world’s oldest profession safer.

The Swiss are matter-a-fact and realistic. They engineer everything—even prostitution. While the rest of the world is tittering over this so-called “taboo topic” like teenagers, the Swiss have moved on to conquering the next one through referendums.

To the Swiss way of thinking—people will do “taboo” things no matter what. Better to legalize them and make them safe then pretend they don’t exist or spend millions putting people in prison for them. There's a reason there isn't much crime in Switzerland. It's because the Swiss give people safe places to do so-called illicit things. As a foreigner in Switzerland, The Frau can’t vote. But if she could, it would give a big “yes” to most of these progressive ideas. Yes- Give the prostitutes beds with policemen and social workers nearby. Yes- Give the druggies clean needs. And yes- Give the people who want to die access to the drugs to be able to do so. 

What do you think of Switzerland's legal activities?

18 comments:

Martin said...

Why Swiss media did not cover the story that thoroughly on the day of opening is easily explained: They did it previously, many times, over weeks, months, years. This is one major aspect of direct democracy: media will (have to) cover any political issue thoroughly in order to fulfil their task to inform the public.

Here just a single example:

Tages-Anzeiger newspaper (only a selection of many, many more articles in the very same newspaper!):



25.08.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Leupi-studiert-in-Deutschland-Sexboxen/story/16750369?dossier_id=702

30.08.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Die-offene-ProstituiertenSzene-am-Zuercher-Sihlquai-/story/18389417?dossier_id=702

16.09.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/In-Koeln-bewaehren-sich-die-Sexboxen/story/11982755?dossier_id=702

20.09.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Warum-Sexboxen-in-Zuerich-scheitern-koennten/story/26857324?dossier_id=702

05.10.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Sihlquai-Stadt-will-Bevoelkerung-vor-Geschlechtskrankheiten-schuetzen/story/31648869?dossier_id=702

11.10.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Widerstand-gegen-Sexboxen-in-der-Brunau/story/30052727?dossier_id=702

05.12.2010: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Daniel-Leupi-bricht-mit-einem-Tabu/story/12709319?dossier_id=702

19.01.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Nur-mit-Versicherung-an-den-Sihlquai/story/23113574?dossier_id=702

13.04.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Prostituierte-befriedigen-Freier-wieder-am-anderen-Ufer/story/20842655?dossier_id=702

21.04.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/ProstituiertenRekord-auf-dem-Sihlquai/story/18431927?dossier_id=702

20.05.2011 (announcement about Zurich's executive presentation of the "new prostitution policy" the coming week): http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/15-Minuten-am-Sihlquai/story/30078914?dossier_id=702

--> 23.05.2011: Zurich's executive (Stadtrat) presentation of the "new prostitution policy" <--

25.05.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Altstetten-statt-Sihlquai-Hirnrissig/story/29410517?dossier_id=702

26.05.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Zuercher-Strassenstrich-Drei-Zonen-fuer-Sexboxen-Autos-und-Fussgaenger/story/30897754

26.05.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Weshalb-Sexboxen-das-ZuhaelterProblem-nicht-loesen-werden/story/27830956?dossier_id=702

27.05.2011: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Hohe-Huerden-fuer-die-Sexboxen/story/13194007?dossier_id=702

Martin said...

26.11.2012: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Strassenprostitution-nur-noch-an-drei-Orten/story/12145343

28.11.2012: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Schade-faellt-der-Strich-am-Sihlquai-weg/story/14787966?dossier_id=702

08.08.2013 (after a rejection of a official complaint): http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/SexboxenEntscheid-definitiv/story/13153499

16.08.2013 (previously to the public "open door" day on 24.08.2013): http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Neun-Boxen-zwei-Stehplaetze-und-vier-Wohnwagen-fuer-Sex/story/29460190

24.08.2013: "open door" … public pre-opening visits by the public

25.08.2013 (after "open door" visits by the public): http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/Das-Interesse-am-neuen-Strichplatz-ist-gross/story/15837056?dossier_id=702

--> 26.08.2013: opening of the sex boxes <--

26.08.2013 (on the opening day!): http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Wir-werden-nicht-zulassen-dass-aus-der-Brunau-ein-Sihlquai-wird/story/26067625

27.08.2013 (after-opening discussion): http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/region/Sieben-Frauen-wurden-bereits-gebuesst/story/12454612?dossier_id=702




And here the link of the whole "Dossier" by Tages-Anzeiger: http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/dossiers/zuerich/dossier2.html?dossier_id=702


The coverage by Swiss television SRF: http://www.srf.ch/sendungen/srf-4-aktuell/sexboxen-fuer-frauen-besser-als-die-arbeit-auf-der-strasse


… and these are just a few examples!

Hattie said...

I prefer the Swedish solution. Buying sex has been illegal there since 1999.

Martin said...

Well Hattie, and this is exactly the reason why

- prostitutes gets thoroughly exploited - even more misused - by pimps and clients (keywords: murders, human trafficking, …)
- why security for the women who cannot work anything else is almost not existent
- why health of the women working there is at large danger … and also the health of the public, because men who goes to prostitutes do not only have sexual intercourse with them, but also e.g. with their wife … which is a good source to spread out diseases onto the whole population
- why prostitutes can hardly afford or apply health treatments (here in Switzerland, they have a health insurance requested by law!) and therefore accelerate the distribution of diseases even more
- why illegal activities are even more accelerated (too poor income, working in illegal environments and on illegal status, have to hide their children etc. etc.)

.. and many more bad habits to the disadvantage and decrease in security of the whole population. In other words: to criminalize prostitution is exactly and simply the worst and most stupid way how to handle it.

… and the very reason why there rare so many unresolvable direct and indirect problems around this issue in countries such as USA and Sweden.

-------

One 1990 study estimated the annual prevalence of full-time equivalent prostitutes in the United States to be 23 per 100,000 population based on a capture–recapture study of prostitutes found in Colorado Springs, CO, police and sexually transmitted diseases clinic records between 1970 and 1988.[21]

A continuation of the Colorado Springs study[22] found a death rate among active prostitutes of 459 per 100,000, which is 5.9 times that for the (age and race adjusted) general population. This corresponds to an occupational fatality rate more than triple that of fishing workers (the highest fatality profession tracked by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Among voluntary substance abuse program participants, 41.4% of women and 11.2% of men reported selling prostitution services during the last year (March 2008).[23]

In Newark, New Jersey, one report claims 57 percent of prostitutes are reportedly HIV-positive, and in Atlanta, 12 percent of prostitutes are possibly HIV-positive.[24]

A 2004 TNS poll reported 15 percent of all men have paid for sex and 30 percent of single men over age 30 have paid for sex.[25]

Over 200 men answered ads placed in Chicago area sex service classifieds for in depth interviews. Of these self-admitted "johns", 83% view buying sex as a form of addiction, 57% suspect that the women they paid were abused as children, and 40% said they are usually intoxicated when they purchase sex.[26]

The prostitution trade in the United States is estimated to generate $14 billion a year.[27]

Anonymous said...

I really hope this comment was a joke, Hattie!

Unknown said...

zhengjx20160805
polo ralph lauren
retro 11
michael kors bags
kobe 11 shoes
michael kors bags
christian louboutin pas cher
ray ban sunglasses outlet
longchamp bags
michael kors handbags
air max 95
tory burch flats
celine bags
montblanc pen
kate spade outlet
louis vuitton outlet stores
ralph lauren
louis vuitton handbags
coach outlet canada
coach outlet online
supra for sale
polo shirts
polo ralph lauren
rolex submariner price
louis vuitton purses
michael kors outlet clearance
coach outlet store online clearances
tory burch shoes
air jordan 4
tory burch outlet online
fitflops
adidas nmd
michael kors purses
abercrombie clothing
replica watches
coach outlet online
coach outlet
christian louboutin sale
longchamp outlet
nike air max
timberland outlet

Unknown said...

birkenstock shoes
adidas nmd r1
adidas nmd
michael kors outlet
true religion jeans
chanel bags
ralph lauren uk
nike roshe
valentino shoes
mbt shoes
20172.17wengdongdong

raybanoutlet001 said...

nike blazer
michael kors handbags
yeezy boost 350 white
giants jersey
christian louboutin shoes
prada outlet
kate spade sale
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin shoes
ed hardy

raybanoutlet001 said...

nike shoes outlet
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
polo ralph lauren outlet
coach outlet
indianapolis colts jerseys
ralph lauren outlet
michael kors handbags outlet
kate spade sale
michael kors outlet online

adidas nmd said...

coach factory outlet
pandora outlet
christian louboutin shoes
cheap jordan shoes
birkenstock sandals
coach factory outlet
ray ban sunglasses
uggs outlet
ray ban sunglasses outlet
coach outlet

Unknown said...

kobe byrant shoes
jordan retro 13
lacoste outlet
hermes bag
hogan outlet online
jordan shoes
longchamp handbags
foamposites
asics sneakers
true religion

Unknown said...

yeezy shoes
nike dunk low
yeezy boost
nmd
nike basketball shoes
kobe 9
nike air max95
adidas yeezy
links of london sale
adidas shoes

raybanoutlet001 said...

zzzzz2018.4.29
louboutin shoes
ralph lauren uk
ecco shoes
eagles jerseys
hugo boss sale
nike trainers uk
ralph lauren outlet
canada goose outlet
skechers outlet
christian louboutin shoes

QQQQQQQQQ said...

damian lillard shoes
michael kors outlet
jordan 4
balenciaga
yeezy boost 350
kobe basketball shoes
yeezy boost 350
nike air huarache
adidas yeezy
michael kors outlet online

5689 said...

zzzzz2018.8.20
jordan shoes
super dry
ralph lauren uk
fitflops sale clearance
golden goose shoes
manolo blahnik shoes
canada goose outlet
nike outlet
reebok shoes
moncler online

ouch said...

0821jejeair france amman jordan office Les enzymes sont adidas zx flux femme noir et rouge expédiées pour dissoudre ces cellules dysfonctionnelles en leurs composants d'acides aminés pour être utilisés plus tard si vous voulez construire de nouveaux basket blazer nike femme pores et des cellules cutanées sains. Les autorités ont créé des technologies merveilleuses pour la durabilité asics chaussures tennis homme extraordinaire et le confort et la facilité dans les chaussures, les technologies célèbres sont Nike Air, nike blazer femme soldes Nike Max etc Organisation a également quelques collections uniques, Air Max, Nike Pro, Nike +, basket nike basse noir Mercurial et ainsi de suite. Alors que l'un de ces couvre-pieds spécifiquement développés adidas zx flux chaussures en fr est souvent élégant en outre, ils permettent de protéger contre les accidents particuliers rencontrés dans les conditions de travail ou air jordan chaussures femme de jeu.

yanmaneee said...

longchamp bags
links of london
michael kors handbags
adidas outlet
nike air max 270
hermes belt
golden goose
air yeezy
hermes belt
tory burch sandals

yanmaneee said...

nike air max 95
michael kors outlet
curry 6 shoes
michael kors outlet
nike foamposite
hermes handbags
russell westbrook shoes
yeezy boost
balenciaga shoes
valentino

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin