Join a brothel or lose your benefits

[7_V]

As you may know, prostitution has been legalized in Germany for the last two years.

This month, in a bid to reduce German unemployment, the government has introduced new welfare reforms that mean that anyone under 55 who has been out of work for more than a year can be forced to take an available job or lose their unemployment benefit.

Can you see where this is going?

Berlin job justice: brothel or no benefits

 

[Uncle Ants]

That's an interesting twist on the old Workhouse concept, don't you think?

 

[tones]

As they might say in Tokyo, "Oh blothel!"

 

[julian2002]

whoever said 'the law is an ass' was right. it's almost american in it's stupidity

cheers


julian

 

[7_V]

whoever said 'the law is an ass' was right. it's almost american in it's stupidity

Absolutely.

It will be interesting to see what happens if this makes the courts. I guess it will force an amendment to the welfare reforms.

As the law stands, could unemployed men be forced into homosexual prostitution?

 

[Philip King]

I love the quote "The government had considered making brothels an exception on moral grounds, but decided that it would be too difficult to distinguish them from bars."

Just where the F&%¤ do the german government drink, and can I get membership ;-)

 

[penance]

I'm emmigrating

 

[7_V]

I'm emmigrating

...and giving up your job?

 

[penance]

...and giving up your job?

Ah, um, er, no!
I'll see if i can get a transfer

 

[julian2002]

no way peanance you're my biatch.... back to the docks before i stick my boot up yo' 'ho ass.
cheers


julian

 

[penance]

sorry ma

 

[amazingtrade]

I don't think the european court of human rights will agree with this one! I see the point of work or get no benefits but making people join a brothel is a step to far. What if they are religious?

I wreckon they should just export them all to China so they can make lovely products for Mr Richer.

 

[julian2002]

playing devils advocate here - why? if prostitution is a legal, taxable job and this person has been offered, and refused, the oportunity to make money in this way. how is it different to me saying i object to lifting heavy things in a warehouse?
cheers


julian

 

[7_V]

...how is it different to me saying i object to lifting heavy things in a warehouse?

Interesting point that kind of harks back to the religious/atheist Jerry Springer debates.

If you're religious it's easy to claim that this is against your morals, creeds or beliefs. An atheist could play the moral card but if Germany's already ruled that prostitution is NOT immoral ...

For a good-looking, unemployed fraulein, it's prostitution or the bible.

 

[amazingtrade]

Interesting point that kind of harks back to the religious/atheist Jerry Springer debates.

If you're religious it's easy to claim that this is against your morals, creeds or beliefs. An atheist could play the moral card but if Germany's already ruled that prostitution is NOT immoral ...

For a good-looking, unemployed fraulein, it's prostitution or the bible.

You don't even need to be good looking to be a prostitute, in fact they are usualy quite ugly.

 

[MartinC]

If you're religious it's easy to claim that this is against your morals, creeds or beliefs. An atheist could play the moral card but if Germany's already ruled that prostitution is NOT immoral ...

I think there's a HUGE difference between legality and morality - think big business for starters...

Clearly this case is an example of a daft situation that is going to have to be addressed, as I'm sure there's no way the German population really wants people being forced into prostitution by the government.

 

[julian2002]

now we're getting into the fun realms of absolute morality. or the idea that there is 'absolute good and absolute evil'. where in practice morality is almost entirely a cultural thing. for example to us canimalism is abhorrent however in certain cultures it is seen as a way of honoring the dead.
another rule of life should be - don;t foist your morals off on me.. of does 'and let it harm none' cover that too?
cheers


julian

 

[leonard smalls]

You don't even need to be good looking to be a prostitute, in fact they are usualy quite ugly.

You should look round the red light district in Amsterdam - though in many cases you'll find your beautiful lady is in fact a beautiful ladyboy..

 

[narabdela]

It's an Urban Legend! You'd think "The Telegraph" would be more careful.
http://www.snopes.com/media/notnews/brothel.asp

 

[wolfgang]

Thanks for restoring my faith in people common sense......... Trust the press for getting it wrong yet again.