SCMP - 17th May

Another interesting debate in the paper following the conviction of crime of the owner of sex ads website:

".....those who profit from such acvertisements can also be convicted of crime"

"....members of his (founder of prostitution website) ewere also convicted and given non-custodial sentences."

"The case raise a problem with the Law. The legislation in question, which dates back decades, rightly aims to protect women from exploitation. But the offence of living off the proceeds of prostitution was intended to target those unsavoury characters who control prostitutes and take a cut og their earnings"

"That was not the position of the website workers. Their employer made money by charging the prostitutes for advertisements run on the site. IT was offering them a service. The defendants clearly profited indirectly from prostitution and the company made substantial profits. .........But whether this was a PARASITIC relationship between the defendants and the prostitutes, as the hudge found, is open to question"

" The law could lead to absurb situations. A logical extention of the reasoning behind it would mean a cleaner who knowingly worked for a prostitute would be at risk of arrest and conviction. That is surely not what the drafters of legislation intended. By curbing advertising, the law may also unacceptably restrict freedom if expression."

"Consideration should be given to amending the law so that it only applies to those who control prostitutes for the purpose of living off their earnings."

"The Judge expressed the view that HK is a more conservative society and is , therefore, not ready for law that permits the advertising of a sex worker's services. But that is for society to decide. The law should be reviewed and , if necessary, amended following public debate on this issue."