[2008.11.22] 性服务业：黄灯区

Prostitution
性服务业

An amber light
黄灯区

Nov 20th 2008
From The Economist print edition

Britain’s muddled half-ban is no way to deal with commercial sex
英国混乱的半禁令难以管制性交易

IN QUIET suburbs and off busy high streets, Britain has a modest trade in rape. Most prostitution, which is legal, is consensual. But worries about abuse are rising. Performed behind closed curtains and often by people who fear to seek help, prostitution has always been a job in which exploitation is possible. Now, like most unappealing, low-paid occupations, it is increasingly carried out by immigrants: eight out of ten London prostitutes are foreigners, police think. Isolated, lacking knowledge of English or the law and sometimes trafficked by criminal gangs, the new arrivals are especially vulnerable. In the past two years police have rescued 251 women whom they believe were trafficked to Britain for sexual slavery.

在英国僻静的郊区和繁华大街的尽头，英国人正暗中进行性交易。绝大多数的性工作者都是合法从业，且自愿入行的。但这一行业的泛滥引起的担忧与日俱增。由于服务地点隐蔽，再加上从业者不敢寻求帮助，使性服务业一直以来都有剥削的余地。如今，越来越多的性工作者都是来自移民，一如绝大多数不光彩，工资低廉的职业。警方认为伦敦的性工作者中，10人中有8人来自国外。由于孤立无援，不怎么懂英语，也不懂借助法律维权，有的人还是被不法分子卖到英国来的，新近移民者的境遇格外悲惨。在过去的两年内，警方共解救了251名他们获悉是被拐卖于此沦为性奴隶的妇女。

The situation is shameful, but the proposal the government unveiled this week-to make those buying sex liable to criminal charges if it subsequently emerges that the prostitute was controlled for another person’s gain-is no way to remedy it. This newspaper tends toward a liberal view of these matters, but even those who do not will find this amber light a waste of space. Better by far either to criminalise outright the purchase of sex or to legalise it and regulate what ensues.

这种现象是令人不齿的，但是政府本周公布的草案对此却于事无补。该草案规定向强制从业的人购买性服务是违法的。本刊对这一行业持开放态度，但即使对此持抵制态度的新闻机构也会发现所谓的”黄灯区”一说毫无意义。这么做还远远不如干脆禁止嫖娼或者将其合法化，然后拟定细节来得有效。

Britain’s dilemma is not unique: all countries have prostitutes of varying sexes and nationalities. Some, such as New Zealand, have tried to minimise the problems that usually accompany the trade-violence, coercion, drugs, exploitation of minors and migrants-by allowing prostitutes to operate openly. This seems both fair to those who choose to sell sex and good for exposing any abuses. Other countries, including most American states, have sought to expunge prostitution’s unpleasant aspects by banning it altogether. Sweden, and some imitators, have opted to criminalise only the clients.

英国不是唯一面临这一两难境地的国家：各个国家都有不同性别和国籍的性工作者。一些国家，比如新西兰正试着缩小伴随着允许性交易合法运作而产生的不良现象—-如暴力行为，逼良为娼，吸食毒品，压榨未成年人和移民。这对那些选择出售性服务的人和纠察暴力现象都有好处。美国的一些州则为了杜绝性交易衍生的一些列恶果对其明令禁止。瑞典选择了采取只惩处嫖客的措施，其它一些国家也效仿这一做法。

No system works brilliantly. But this British proposal would only make matters murkier in a country that already has some of the world’s most confusing vice laws. Buying and selling sex is legal now (a situation that older voters, in particular, support, as the chart shows), but most of the things that make it possible-kerb-crawling, soliciting, pimping and brothel-keeping-are not. As the law stands, punters who knowingly have sex with an exploited woman can face charges of rape. The new law would criminalise the oblivious as well.

上述体系没有哪一个是天衣无缝的，但是英国的这项草案只会把这淌水搅得更混，这个国家针对赌博，贩毒，色情产品，卖淫方面的法律已经是全世界最含糊的了。现行法律规定买卖性服务是合法的，（从图表上看，这一点尤其受到年长投票者的支持）。但是绝大多数必要的形式，比如站街拉客，上门服务，拉皮条和开设妓院等却又是违法的。按照新法案的规定，一个人如果明知对方是一名被迫从业的妇女，仍与之发生关系的行为被界定为强奸。这一新法案将有可能连不知情者也一并法办了。

That is unjust, and inconsistent with the law in other areas. A man who has sex with an underage girl, for example, may be acquitted if it emerges that he was fooled. There are areas where the law rejects ignorance as an excuse, as any tourist caught driving in London’s congestion zone knows. But that refers to ignorance of the law, not ignorance of facts that were withheld. Furthermore, women deemed to be “under the control of another” could include those who support their boyfriends, or work with a mate. The most ethical punter could easily be caught out. Good, says Jacqui Smith, the home secretary: it will make potential clients “think twice”.

这一草案是无公正可言的，与其他地区的法律也不相符合。假设一名男子被控告为与未成年女子发生性关系，他大可借口自己受骗了来获得假释。诚然，一切就如任何在伦敦交通堵塞区被抓的游客都知道的，”不知法不免责”在法律上是不能拿来当作托辞的，但这是由于对法律条文无知造成的，而不是对自己犯了什么事不知情。另外，被判定为”受到他人控制”的妇女有可能将挣钱养男朋友，或者和其他人一起从业的人也包括进来，就连最守道德的人也可能被列入违法者的范围。内政大臣施卓琪认为这一点”很好”，这会让一些有可能成为嫖客的人”三思而后行”。

Make your mind up
拿定主意吧

If that is her view, she should outlaw buying sex altogether, rather than backing a confusing law in the hope that (mostly) men will decide not to risk it. Better still, she should legalise prostitution fully, and tackle trafficking and exploitation with better policing. There is something to be said for either extreme. The proposed compromise is a muddle that will put men in the dark and make women no safer. The Home Office has a track record of poorly drafted legislation on terrorism, which the courts have repeatedly found holes in. The proposal on prostitution is another corker. MPs should scrap it.

如果她对此是这么看的，那么她应该彻底禁止购买性服务，而不是支持一部含糊的法案，寄希望于欲购买性服务者（绝大多数是男性）会选择不轻易尝试这一交易。又或者她索性将性服务业合法化，然后在实施些更有效的政策制止拐卖和压榨的现象也相对是一条上策。这两种极端的做法虽然也有值得指摘的地方，但总归好过提出一种暧昧的折衷，使有意购买性服务的人茫然，同时也起不到保护妇女的作用。内政部针对反恐已经有了一连欠考虑的草案，法律部门一再在这些草案中找出纰漏。对性服务的草案又将成为另一个蹩脚的例子，国会议员应对此群起而攻之。

译者：Wordy_Camel   http://www.ecocn.org/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=15531&extra=page%3D1