Swiss City to Unveil Taxpayer-Funded “Sex Boxes” for Prostitutes

[steve2470]

http://world.time.com/2013/08/23/swiss-city-to-unveil-taxpayer-funded-sex-boxes-for-prostitutes/



Summertime and the livin’ is easy – especially in the Altstetten area of Zurich where, starting Aug. 26, the city’s prostitutes will have brand new, government-sponsored digs to ply their trade.

Switzerland has a unique system of direct democracy, and issues big and small are frequently decided at the ballot box. Last year, 52% of Zurich voters approved the proposal of municipal authorities to earmark $2 million of taxpayer money towards building nine drive-in structures to provide a safe and discreet environment for sex workers. And on August 26, the “sex boxes,” as these premises are called, will be put into service, welcoming dozens of prostitutes and their clients.

While most of Zurich’s political parties have backed the plan, not everyone in the city is happy about these facilities – like Switzerland’s rightwing party, SVP, which has argued that prostitution is a private matter and no public funds should be spent on sex workers.

But for the city council and residents alike, the Altstetten facility provides a much-needed alternative for prostitutes working in the riverfront Sihlquai neighborhood, where residents have long complained about the noise, traffic jams, and other disturbances caused by clients cruising — and carousing — in the streets. And though the sex boxes come with a $700,000 per-year price tag for operational costs, the city council argued – and voters agreed – that “this money is spent for harm reduction – protecting both sex workers and the public,” Michael Herzig, the social worker responsible for the Altstetten project tells TIME.

[DetlefK]

1. Cue word-plays with "box".

[TwilightGardener]

2. That's nice. We have no universal health care and our postal service is going under.

But they have tax money to support the sex trade. Kind of makes your head spin.

[Jesus Malverde]

5. Switzerland is home to the banks. It's a special place...nt

[Coyotl]

3. Video News:

[Fix The Stupid]

4. "Switzerland has a unique system of direct democracy, and issues big and small are frequently.."

"Switzerland has a unique system of direct democracy, and issues big and small are frequently decided at the ballot box"

Gawd.. wouldn't that be nice?

In this day and age I can't see why ALL issues aren't decided by a popular vote...

Legalize pot? Let's ALL vote on it...
Want to go to war? Let's ALL vote on it...
Legalize prostitution? Let's ALL vote on it...

Etc,etc.


With the internet, this should be a very real possibility.

Imagine that...letting the PEOPLE decide what their gov't does and doesn't do...

[snooper2]

6. Why do they have the stick figure holding it's ass

How about one hand on the roof, one on the door?

Maybe an elbow against the door pillar?

[geek tragedy]

7. Or they could spend that money on transitioning these women into jobs

and out of that 'trade.'

Of course, those boxes aren't there for the prostituted women, but rather for the men who rent them.