Sex Worker Alliance: GTA normalizes violence against sex workers

This is why they should legalize prostitution, or at least decriminalize it to the point where it's not this pointlessly dangerous.

I don't blame the game, but the law's pretty fucked up as it is. They're real people, and they work harder than any of us do. They should be able to feel safe.

"Sex workers", LOL. I love political correctness.

Don't want to be the victim of "sex worker violence"? Then don't be a fucking "sex worker" because it's fucking illegal.


You want rights? Legalize prostitution like in many countries in Europe.

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers:

Wow, I never knew that I shared my birthday with a holiday before!

Most sex workers don't have a fucking choice.

You ever seen Born into Brothels?

Or read the fucking news every day about the children kidnapped from their homes to be shipped off to some other country as whores?

You ignorant fucks please shut your mouths.

Can you please not allow comments on this thread so all these self righteous judgmental asshats can stop preaching about getting "a real job."

Were lucky we don't have statistics on clerk murders, then, arn't we? Cause killing clerks DOES pay in GTA. Listen ladies, prostitutes get killed because they work at night, in places with low police vigilance(otherwise why bother?) and their clients don't generally have high moral standards. It sounds harsh, and it doesn't bring joy to my heart, but that's the truth for ya!

You know, I'm half surprised Joystiq posted this if they can't close comments for a post since this is almost guaranteed flamebait...

...and has become a flame thread.

I thought they were called The Seamstress Guild

Hmm I wonder if they celebrate this special day down at Madam Wu's House of Pain? To be serious though, violence of any kind against real people is horrible. That's what we have FPS and beat em ups for. When my girlfriend left me for my best friend I was playing Quake for days. They should be grateful I had that game so I could take my anger out on pixels instead of them.

It's a story in the Toronto Sun. The Toronto Sun is a tabloid (at best) that likes to think it is a real News Paper. Nothing it prints should ever be considered "News" so much as hype generated to sell copies.

All I'm going to say is when they hold that rally I will definitely be there because you know they're fuckin'. There ain't gonna be virgins in that crowd.

"Uh yeah, GTA is bad. Do you spit or swallow?"

I just want to point out something...

War was legalize along time ago...

So far we haven't figured out why people are still dying, but several sceintist are coming close to an answer.

(Ps. I agree with wickedpheonix. I mean it was funny till someone got all "Save the whales!" on the subject.)

The dialogue in response to this story makes me fear for the human race.

The point isn't that Grand Theft Auto is the cause or even a catalyst for violence against sex workers. That's hardly even alluded to, let alone stated outright. The point is that the game series is an example in the media where violence against prostitutes is acceptable, and even provides the viewer/player with rewards for carrying out that act of violence. Nobody's saying that killing some stereotypical, virtual prostitute is going to make a murderer out of you, but that it makes light of violence against sex workers in real life, and makes it more of an acceptable idea. A good half of you are perfect examples of this, making jokes about just such acts.

I'll go one further with a segway; a few of you have referenced the Wayne Brady skit on the Chappelle Show. Try to think back a couple years, before the show came out. You'd be hard pressed to find any white kids using the N word in a comedic fashion. The Chappelle Show was so popular that it became acceptable (at least in their minds) for white guys everywhere to shout out the slur as a greeting, or in reference to a skit, as long as it was in a "comedic" fashion. Well it is offensive no matter what, and it's even one of the reasons Chappelle changed his comedic direction.

It's that kind of link that Anastasia Kuzyk from the Sex Workers' Alliance of Toronto is talking about. When you remove a certain taboos, there is less vigillance attached to preventing their causes.

Read the source before spreading more bull online, people.

I think Generic nailed this one on the head.

Conditions of working in a dangerous job. Perhaps they should try crab fishing instead...although I'm sure catching crabs is still a part of their jobs :P

Not only do I work in the "Escort" business, but I also live in Toronto.
Two things need to be pointed out here:
1) The Toronto Sun is a tabloid. Do not confuse it for real news.
2) At about 13 deaths a year there are many many more dangerous jobs out there to be worried about.

Wait, when did prostitutes unionize? What does this mean for there pimps?

I find it funny that WinAmp just started playing Gavin Friday - Baltimore Whores as I was reading this.

ThornedVenom,

I understand, and in light of your edit, I agree completely.

Actually... I think pimps normalize violence against sex workers.

I would totally agree with these "sex workers" (get over yourselves, you're whores. Whores Whores Whores!!!)

Except for the fact that the game gives you choice, meaning you can choose whether or not you want to kill whores. But if you're like me, you'll rundown anyone regardless of their sex, race, or employment.

Unfortunately, sex workers have always been in a very vulnerable position, and they rarely have the protection of the law to fall back on.

Crimes against sex workers have been going on for centuries, they are simply easy targets. Legalisation would probably help, but it wouldn't solve things entirely.

Either way, the GTA games have no relation to the issue whatsoever. (but to be fair, she hardly harps on about it as the main problem).

"Don't want to be the victim of "sex worker violence"? Then don't be a fucking "sex worker" because it's fucking illegal."

Very few women chose to go into prostitution. They are forced into it out of desperation because they cannot get a job. And even if prostitution was legal, it does not make it any safer.

If anything the incredibly insulting comments on this topic show the extent to which this topic *has* become normalized, and, I hate to say it, but you are all proving Kuzyk's point again and again: most of the comments here are ignorant, violent, crude and derogatory against women. It is an attitude that has to change, and whilst everyone here seems so keen on linking arms and saying video games have had no influence *something* has, because you seem to all think like that. It's a very serious, depressing issue, and to just brush it aside by blaming women for going into prostitution is completely avoiding the point.

"Does Wayne Brady require to choke this bitches?"

Like they always say, do something you like as a career :D Or something you're good at.