I have grown pretty accustomed to the prostitutes in Barcelona, mainly on the stretch  of Ronda Sant Antoni I walk everyday to and from work. Yes, there are some females who are very aggressive, even if you walk down the street with a male companion, they will accost him, while others seem quiet and well, like they're just trying to make a living. I admit, the stretch on Carrer Sant Pau with Sant Ramon is much skeevier-I often warn visitors and friends about it- with prostitutes, junkies and the whole seedy lot. Actually, just last week I was walking down the street, and yes, there was a bit of police presence, but they were about a block away from where the 'real' action happens, which made me wonder, are they also afraid of the out-of- handness and scariness of the street?

The main thing that has always bothered me, is that the working ladies seem to be the ones who ALWAYS get in trouble, while the men just walk away scot-free. As people discuss whether or not to legalize it-to my understanding, right now prostitution is ok, just as long as it is not out in the street and near public spaces like parks or childrens' schools-i wonder, why don't they just increase the number of Sexylands and just call it a day? After all, most of the women out on the street have been sold into sexual slavery and are doing it against their will. Wouldn't legalizing it completely and having a redlight district just give a special Benvinguts to mafia members, human traffickers and sex slave masters? Then again, how can you tell if a woman on the street is doing it because she wants to, or because she is forced to?

Banning it altogether, on the other hand, could see a prohibition type surge, or just more of the same. After all, the cops are patrolling more today, but, that is just a temporary solution. What about educating the male population more to know that this is NOT the thing to do. In Malaga right now, they have a campaign with banners saying that prostitution = violence, but is that helping?

I don't know.....it is a very tricky subject, and while I usually have a firm opinion on these things, I just don't know....Does anyone have a solution? Why, if this has been going on for so long and Barcelona is even known as a destination for these tyoes of services is it a topic of discussion or such a scandal now? What do you think?

As an aside, these photos have also sparked a bit of a war in the prostitution community, mainly pitting prostitutes in Madrid against those at the Boqueria as they claim that those at the Boqueria are giving them a bad name, read on. Now whattya think about that?