First of all, the very thought that I'm posting in a thread started by someone who had sex with a prostitute makes me cringe. But I have no choice. So here goes. " if you have support to back up your theories, i.e. then please provide them here" What theories? That in Germany and many European countries prostitution is completely legal? Look it up yourself. It is a CHOICE for everyone unless you're a sex slave. Free will, remember? Nobody controls what you do with your life. You make the decisions. That's the bottomline. "a lot of these women actually have children at home, have siblings, even the younger ones , are about 15-24" So you're saying that the root of the issue is poverty. Guess what, my grandparents were poor. But through hard work, they managed to make something out of themselves. Poverty is NOT AN excuse for having sex with strangers. The point is that if you're motivated enough, you can definitely pull yourself up your bootstraps no matter what situation you're in. I believe that hard work can take you to places. Sorry, but saying that poverty is the number one issue doesn't cut it given that many of our parents/ancestors, etc were poor as well. I sure as hell didn't have rich ancestors. Not all of us were born with silver spoons in our mouths. My grandparents had siblings too. They didn't open up a whorehouse to make some quick cash. They did it the hard way, the slow way. The point is that poverty is not an excuse for prostitution. You're justifying prostittution by implying that poverty is the problem. Of course, we cannot deny the fact that virtually all of these women are poor. HOWEVER, I think it's about having a MORAL COMPASS. "but what about the rest who have nither the education, nor the qualifications to find a job" Oh, I see. If you're uneducated, poor, with no qualifications, just go and have sex with a stranger. Nice justification. "waht about women who are trying to escape the maoist insurgency and came to kathmandu" So I see, these women should just go to a whorehouse and sell their bodies. There is no other way out but sex with a complete stranger. I really like your logic. You deserve a cookie. " the only more difficult route i can think of is starving yourself and yoru children and your fmailygetting kicked out of your "dera", sleeping in the streets, taking your kids out of school, etc etc" I get it, all poor women should sell their bodies to complete strangers. The biggest fallacy in your statement is that NOT ALL poor people sell their bodies. Secondly, work on a farm or something. If not, go to India. There are so many choices out there. You're telling me that only prostitution is the way out? There is no other way out, but prostitution? NONE WHATSOEVER? Wow, your stance is quite astounding I must say, and wow, you're really more educated than I am. "say, sewing clothes, or some kind of o ther vocational traning. how much would they make? 1500 ruppes a month" Isn't that what I said? Prostitution is the easy way out because you make good $$$, and it's not much of a challenging job either, save for a few rambunctious individuals who are a bit too rough. You're just repeating what I said. Prostitution is good $$$$. There are many others out there who are in the same situation, and don't go around having sex with strangers. "believe that not wanting to live for 1500-2000 rupees a month, and trying to make a better life for yoruself and your family by succumbing to sex work is a choice, then that is a differnet issue" It's not a different issue. Having sex with a stranger is a CHOICE unless you were forced to do it against your will, which is the case for many Nepalis who've been taken to India. These women are innocent. As far as the ones that are having sex with strangers, even though they could have done something else with their lives, are concerned, it's definitely choice. You're being lured by easy money. What's so forced about it. "no woman does this by choice. " Give me a source that says that no woman does it by choice.