It is said that prostitution is the " oldest profession " on this planet and there is no doubt that sex for sale is rampant in just about every country on Earth. In the western world it has emerged from prosecution by the law in many countries and here in Australia we have legal brothels in most communities.
Despite legal recognition, women who work in the sex industry are usually not keen to disclose their profession. We still have a quaint notion that marriage and virginity go together and someone who works in a brothel is not considered an ideal marriage partner. No such stigma sticks to the man who occasionally visits brothels as a customer.
But buying sex is still a matter that is best served with discretion, and that is the reason many men prefer to indulge their fantasy during the anonymity of an overseas holiday. There are many destinations where sex is available from very attractive women who supply their services willingly - for a low price. Sex tourism is a growing industry.
It is a fact that many women are driven to prostitution by sheer necessity. It is the only way they and their family can financially survive and often they are mere pawns in the hands of the criminal fraternity. The average male tourist is probably reasonably safe using their services, but those with a professional career are finding it an image shattering trap.
Consider the experience of married National party MP Andrew Broad who was enticed by a website promising to connect wealthy men with attractive young women in what was termed a " Sugar Daddy " relationship. It suggested that such young women would be ready to exchange sexual favours for wining and dining - and perhaps " gifts " from their older male benefactors.
As a result of such a liaison, Andrew Broad found himself featured in an Australian women's magazine which ran a sensational story with interviews and texts from the woman he met in Hong Kong through this Sugar Daddy website. The uproar was so divisive that he was forced to relinquish his ministry and he will not contest his seat in Federal parliament at the next election.
The majority of people would agree that a married man should not cheat on his wife by having casual sex on an overseas holiday, but prostitution is perfectly legal and it seems that a double standard applies.
It does raise the question of whether sex is such a big deal in today's permissive society. The Family Court no longer requires it as a reason to dissolve a marriage and what used to be called " de-facto " relationships are common. It seems strange that any story that has a sex connection has us glued to our newspaper report or our television screen.
Perhaps because it still retains that mystique that is the base of human curiosity. We are agog to know who is doing what with whom. Instilled too deeply in the human psyche to ever be fully erased.
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