I think it's important here to seperate two issues here: 1) the legality of prostitution (which is a long and lengthy debate) and 2) Not having innocent bystanders (ie neighborhoods) get caught up in #1) and suffering the ill effects of having this "industry in your backyard. The Herald article is written, and I think this law is written to address 2).
Whether you're for or against the legalization of prostitution I think it's safe to say that no one supports having Johns cruising residential neighborhoods and propositioning 15 yr olds on the way to school. Or having their 5 yr olds blowing balloon animals with the used condom they found in their backyard.
Quite frankly, I think the effect of this legislation is to drive the revenue model into a more "escort agency" or dial-a-hooker scenario, in an out of sight, out of mind attempt to control it. I don't think anyone think's they're going to stop this completely but at least the innocent bystanders won't get caught up by this.
I bring some perpective on this as I lived in a condo on the infamous 15th Ave stroll in Vic Park for 4 years with a window view of the main stroll. These are not "Julia Roberts" hookers but graduates of the school of hard knocks, C list stuff). I think a lot of the comments posted here come from the male perspective, and it'd be a whole lot different if you were a girl in these neighboorhoods. I heard and saw a whole mess of incidents for residents in our condo such as:
- A well dressed lawyer (blonde and attractive) for a major firm in town walked to downtown every day. Clearly not a working girl but the Johns would still circle her on the route everyday. Ditto for any reasonably attractive woman walking in our area. "Permanently creepy" were the words one girl used to describe it.
- My buddy's wife who was meeting us at my condo couldn't buzz up as I had my phone off by accident. She asked other residents in my building to let her in and they assumed she was a hooker. She then has to hang out outside our building and gets "spotted" by the Johns who mistake her for one of the regulars. She ignores them but a guy gets out of his car who can't understand why she's not responding. You have to understand she's a very neurotic and prim woman whom if you could pick the person who would react the worst to this situation - she'd be it. She freaks out and refuses to come back to my place ever again.
It was always sad/disgusting to see the cycle of life on the streets. A fresh faced pretty teen would start the streets and within 8 months she'd look like a 42 year old. I didn't blame them but I never could figure out the Johns. Who the hell needs it that bad at 7:30am in the morning on a Sunday? Shift work I guess. Quite the wide assortment of Johns too, everything from the beat up pickup from work to Chevy Avalanches and BMW's. Amazing.
The best was once when a company van picked up a girl on front of our building. Only the van has the phone number of the business written all over it. The lady next door phoned it promptly and informed them what their driver was up to...
A few resourceful Johns (mainly seniors from what I saw) figured out a way around the law, but I'm not sure if the amended law closes the loop hole. They'd park their car, get out and walk a block to proposition, before returning to their cars.
Man am I glad to be out of that hood!
Bottom line: you won't stop prostitution - but at least you'll make life a little more difficult for Johns, and it'll help give neighborhoods overrun with the sex trade a fighting chance.