S.B. 304 & H.B. 582 Under Fire from Conservatives

Bills Decriminalizing “Kiddie” Prostitution Would Turn Morality Upside Down

The author promised to have a new version of S.B. 304 available February 8th. Hopefully, the new bill will not include the decriminalization of juvenile prostitution. If it does, the opposition will proceed. The following facts explain the persistent opposition to her original version.

S.B. 304 decriminalizing juvenile prostitution would drastically affect the law as follows:

• Minors under age 16 could not be charged with the offense of prostitution even when caught soliciting or committing the act. They could engage in and practice the full spectrum of sex acts, including but not limited to sexual intercourse or sodomy, and receive payment for it.

• Minors under age 16 could not be charged with the offense of masturbation, whether as a masseur, masseuse or “sex worker.” They could commit the offense of masturbation for hire (exclusive of sexual intercourse) and receive payment in money or other items.

During a press conference at the State Capitol, February 1, 2010 conservatives announced their opposition to a proposed legal change they never dreamed could occur in Georgia – the decriminalization of “kiddie prostitution2.” If S.B. 304 passes, juvenile prostitution would not be a crime in Georgia and law enforcement officers would have no jurisdiction over it.

• To read the rest of this newsletter in PDF format, please click here.

  Does that piss you off?

  Here is what they did.

  From http://childwelfare.net/activities/legislative2009/HB582StatutoryAnalysis.pdf we get this:

  Legislative Purpose The bill proposes to amend two sections of Chapter 6 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (“O.C.G.A.”) by mandating a minimum age of 18 for the prosecution of the offenses of prostitution and masturbation for hire. Under this proposed amendment, children under the age of 18 involved in the acts described as prostitution and masturbation for hire would not be considered law-breakers. The changes are intended to ensure that children involved in prostitution or masturbation for hire are treated as victims, rather than as offenders.

  You can read the rest of it at that childwelfare.net PDF.

  So it is not about legalizing child prostitution. It is about keeping them from being treated as criminals. They aren't criminals but they are victims.

  See what they do? They make these wild-ass assertions about some made up outrage, and it is all a lie. Unless you think it is a Good Thing to throw these kids into the juvenile "justice" system.