Case Study (1): Roundtable Discussion on Prostitutes
Some district councillors have reflected to the police that prostitution in the area is very serious.
Some streetwalkers would solicit in the streets for business. Some district councillors have received
many complaints from female residents in the area that they were misunderstood as streetwalkers,
and were being enquired for their service charge. As a result, they were scared and feared to go out
alone.
In this regard, some district councillors requested the police to take action and combat
prostitution activities in the district. Below are the views from people supporting and opposing the
combat of prostitution activities.
Mr. Lee, District Councillor: Reverend Lau:
I received a lot of complaints. Some of the As we all know, prostitution and
female neighbors have been approached by patronizing prostitutes are immoral acts and
whoremaster and often sized up by unfamiliar only undermine human relations, devalue
men, making them very embarrassed and human dignity and disrupt social order.
disturbed. Even male neighborhoods have Therefore, it is the responsibility of the
become the target of prostitutes to solicit government and the police to crack down on
business. They also feel uncomfortable and them.
harassed. Prostitution of a small number of
prostitutes and whoremasters has actually caused Representative of the Sex-workers:
the residents in the entire district to suffer. It is
really wrong. Therefore, I urge the police and the
parties concerned to crack down on prostitution I am acknowledging the fact that
activities in the area. some ladies are embarrassed when
whoremaster enquires their “service charge”.
Representative from the Hong Kong Police: And some women feel uncomfortable being
sized up by men when they wear trendy
Prostitution is not unlawful according to
costumes. This is understandable.
the law. However, acts such as “soliciting for an
immoral purpose in public premises”, “living on
earnings of prostitution of women”, “keeping a
But according to the law, prostitution
vice establishment”, amongst others, are illegal.
is an agreed business deal between both
The police will combat these activities should
parties, and does not violate the law.
that happen.
“Standing on the street” for business is the
way we make our living, and this is where we
Ms Cheung, a resident in the district: work.
I once asked a female friend to meet me
up in a small park downstairs. It was scotching Prostitution is not illegal, but some
hot that day and she wore a slip dress. During people want to combat us merely because
her 10-minute wait, 3 men passed by and asked we bring inconvenience to their daily life. Is it
her how much she charged for one night of reasonable?
service. At first, she only replied in a displeased
manner that she was not a prostitute. In the
end, she shouted at them loudly.
This incident made her so embarrassed
that she swore she would never meet me in my
neighbourhood anymore.
Questions to discuss:
1. Among the opinions of the above 5 people, whose opinions are closer to “rule utilitarianism”? Why?
2. Among the opinions of the above 5 people, whose opinions are closer to “act utilitarianism”? Why?
3. Among the opinions of the above 5 people, whose opinions do not take up the perspective of
utilitarianism? Why?
4. Regarding the above event, what do you think are the weakness of utilitarian analysis?
