Hi Miriam,
Rachel's is indeed a tragic story given that she was a child prostitute and
the violence she endured.
As I read more and more articles on both sides of the prostitution
legalization debate I am coming to believe that perhaps whether prostitution
should be legal or illegal is not the most important question. Perhaps it is
that the more important question is why do we allow any kind of violence
against women? And, boy do we ever allow such violence. Whether the sex is
paid for or not, nonconsentual touching or penetration ought to be dealt
with quickly and harshly. IT seems to me that whether or not prostitution is
legal does not determine the level of violence and violation. And, we've got
a long way to go if we ever do want to get serious about putting an end to
the violence and violation. Heck, we can't even stem the tide of human
trafficking of minors! WE need to create an environment where all women are
better protected from violence and violation. That goes for your girlfriend,
your wife, your stister and the local prostitute as well. Bob Hachey