Prostitution?

According to ProCon.org (2011) countries like Singapore, Germany, France, Uruguay and United Kingdom (included) Scotland had legalized prostitution. In the contrary, countries like Thailand, North and South Korea, Cambodia, South Africa and also China (included Taiwan) do not agree in legalizing prostitution. Simultaneously, there are countries legalizing prostitution 50 per cent legal. The booming of sex industry brings out red light areas which is the concentration of prostitution.

In such countries like Amsterdam of the Netherland, Mumbai of India and Hamburg of Germany a legal concentrated prostitution area are called red light district. According to ProCon.org, n.d, also “legalising prostitution would reduce crime, improve public health, increase tax revenue, help people out of poverty, get prostitutes off the streets, and allow consenting adults to make their own choices.”  They contend that prostitution is a victimless crime, especially in the 11 Nevada counties where it remains legal. Moreover, according to Dublin (2005), by legalizing prostitution would benefit the government and the society.

But in contrary the cons opinion on prostitution is “Opponents believe that legalizing prostitution would lead to increases in sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, global human trafficking, and violent crime including rape and homicide. They contend that prostitution is inherently immoral, commercially exploitative, empowers the criminal underworld, and promotes the repression of women by men.” In my own opinion legalizing prostitution can lead to other factors such as use of drug and alcoholism, unwanted pregnancy, breaking the moral of a society and moreover degrading women’s dignity.

So what is the definition of prostitute? A person, typically a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment or offer.(Oxford Dictionary)

So why prostitution is being legalised? When in fact according to http://www.object.org.uk/the-prostitution-facts , prostitutes would likely escape from their job if they have the chance to escape. Some facts of prostitution are 75% of women involved in prostitution started as children, up to 70% of women in prostitution spent time in care, 45% report sexual abuse and 85% physical abuse within their families (Home Office 2006). Moreover, Up to 95% of women in prostitution are problematic drug users, including around 78% heroin users and rising numbers of crack cocaine addicts (Home Office 2004) and 68% of women in prostitution meet the criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the same range as torture victims and combat veterans undergoing treatment (Ramsey et al 1993). Also proven by statistic and research, more than half of UK women in prostitution have been raped and/or seriously sexually assaulted. At least three quarters have been physically assaulted (Home Office 2004).

In conclusion, legalizing prostituion has more harms to the society than to benefit the society. As we all know, society does not always have to get the source of economy to build the infrastructures, feed on the poors, improve on the education and health care only from the legalization of prostitution. Besides, the spread of unwanted STD (Sexual Transmitted Disease) such as HIV and AIDS is a lot more serious problem that we, as a nation need to be concerned about. In any ways we have to prevent the disease to be more spreadable. It was proven, that even if a prostitute is being tested every week for HIV, she will test negative for at least the first 4-6 weeks and possibly the first 12 weeks after being infected. Most likely the prostitute will quit working as soon as he or she finds out the test is HIV Positive, which is highly unlikely. This is not the best approach for actually reducing harm. Instead, in order to slow the global spread of HIV/AIDS we should focus on our efforts on abolishing prostitution.

Business Ethics

Business ethics or corporate ethics is  define as all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations. (Wikipedia, n.d) Business ethics has both normative and descriptive dimensions. The dimensions are ranging of the business commitment to non-economic values for example, usually under company headings such as ethics codes and social responsibility manners. Business ethic’s aim is to determine the fundamental purposes of a company, which reflects the philosophy of business.

The importance of ethical business is for the organization to differentiate between right and wrong, often no clear-cut choices and often shaped by the orgaziation’s ethical climate. The ethical business acts as a lubricant that keeps the economy running. Without the lubricant, the economy would operate much less efficiently-less would be available to consumer, quality would be lower, and prices would be higher. Ethical behaviour and Corporate social responsibility could bring benefits to a company: attract customers to the business therefore higher profit or sales, attract investors and make the company share high price, attract the employees to work with the company and stay and grow with the company. On the other hand unethical behaviour and lack of coporate social responsibilities in business could lead to damaging the firm’s reputation and make it less appealing to stakeholders, therefore profit could fall as a result. As an American business philosopher and author, Peter Drucker (1909-2005) says, “Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable.” In an organization, individuals can make the difference in ethical expectations and behaviour. Either the individual do ethical or unethical business which can damage his/her reputation and the company. For example by putting own interest ahead of the organization by corruption, lying to employees/er, misrepresenting hours and so on.

Another example is a dishonest farmers, distributors, and grocers tried to sell rotten vegetable as fresh vegetables and that grocers refused to take back the rotten vegetables. What will we do as a consumer of vegetables? We realised the grocers cannot be trusted, even the suppliers and farmers. Plenty of customers dissatisfied and realised this then sales of vegetables will plummet. Everyone loses. Farmers, distributors, and grocers make less money; consumers enjoy fewer vegetables. The point is, without fundamental trust in the integrity of business, the economy would operate much less efficient. In a much bigger scale, this could happen to companies which in reality had gone bankruptcy because lack of integrity and not applying their good corporate governance. Companies such as Enron, Bernie Madoff, Lehman Brothers and Countrywide.

So is a profitable business organization means an ethical business? It all depends. Because an ethical business, as explained before gain more attraction to customers, employees and shareholders; on the other hand a profitable business can either be achieved from an ethical or non ethical business conduct. That is why a company core values influence its decisions throughout its value chain. In conclusion, stakeholders prefer to deal with company which they can trust.

Child Labour

Children or child is a person age from 5 years old until 14 years. The child world are commonly filled up with fun, education and plays. Children are the future citizens of our nations. That is one of the reason why we, as the adult or the parents are obliged and have the responsibilities of protecting their rights and making sure their environment and well being are taken care off. 

Unfortunately there are increasing number of child issues which we as a global citizen are facing today. From child abuse, child labour, child poverty, lack of access to education, and many other issues the children are faced with.

Child labour is defined as labour or work which deprived children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and it is not healthy for their mental, physical development. It often interferes with the child's mental, physical, social, moral life. Often children are forced or required compulsory work to get more income for their family's income with leaving school prematurely or if not doing partly work and school at the same time which make the children exhausted and lost their balanced life. The work the children are obliged to do are often heavy, long hours work. If not heavy it is usually involve harmful environment which are highly risky for the safety and belonging of them. In the end of their work, some children get little pay often are left out without any pay at all. The working environment are often suppressed of them not having freedom of move and speech.

The United Nations of International Labour Organisation (ILO) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) reported that in some Asian countries, children works the longest hours and are worst paid of all laborers. According to the ILO again, an estimated of 211 million children age between 5-14 years old are working around the world. Of which 120 million are working full time, meaning they spend mostly of their time working to support their families. 

Children on child labour issues are often forced and coerced to work to either support their family daily life, some are even granted to pay debts of their parents. Often are also kidnapped from the streets. 

Children are often employed in formal or informal sectors.  Industry the children are working varied but mainly are high risk working environment such as  construction work, domestic work, small-scale industry,sweatshops and even can go as far as brothels. In one country, in a manufacturing of sports equipment, children are the main labour of that manufacturer. Considering the wages are low and less complaints of benefits and working conditions, employer are manipulating them as a main worker by hiring them to gain high return profit.

But is it really ethical to employ children for whatever reason? Considering the consequences of child labour, one cannot imagine. The negative impact of child labour are consequences on the children's mental state and physical growth. Majority studies from around the globe resulted in common conclusion on child labouring. Mostly children have poor physical health, fatigue, irritability, ear problems and skin problem. Mental well being is disturbed and turn out to be abnormal compare to those who are not forced to child labour.

It is a sad issue when we realised that we, as an adult who are supposed to be protecting children are often misusing them. Poverty and education is mainly one of the contributing factors in the child labour issue. Parents do not have much choice than to use the child for their own advantage, thinking parents "own" the children, so they have the rights to also coerced them into the working field to maximise their advantage. 

Womb for rent

In this era of high medical technology and free market, the new reproductive technologies such as sperm donation, insemination, cloning and surrogacy has always raised pros and cons since it was invented. Not merely only from the culture or religion based debates but also from the humanity side of it.

According to the Webster’s new world dictionary, Surrogate means to delegate, to substitute. In the medical reproduction term surrogacy means to arrange a woman to bear a child, carries and delivers for another couple or person. Meaning the woman’s womb is used technically to bear a womb for nine months and then delivers it for the adoption of another couple or person.

In the medical term there are two (2) types of surrogacy. Traditional surrogacy and gestational surrogacy. The traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is the child’s genetic mother. In that, the child may be conceived via artificial insemination or impregnated trough IUI (Intrauterine insemination) or ICI (Intracervical insemination) performed from a clinic. The advantage of traditional surrogacy is that there is still biological connection to the couple since the male provided his own sperm. But the disadvantage is emotional attachment of the surrogate mother to the baby in her womb, especially since the egg came from her. While the gestational surrogacy, the woman carrying the child maybe genetically unrelated to the child, therefore it requires the transfer of embryo to the woman’s womb. Most couples would prefer this because the surrogate mother is not the supplier of the egg.

Surrogacy procedure is obviously not easily done and costly. In 2009, the average cost of surrogacy ranged from $25,000 to $100,000. The time frame can take to years from the beginning couples to decide on surrogacy to legally process adopting the child later after the child is born.

The surrogacy contract agreement form of bearing child will usually takes place in an agency where a couple or a person agreed to pay certain amount of money to have their genetic or non genetic embryo beared by a woman. The surrogate mother who agreed to bear the child for nine (9) months then give out the born child to the couple or a person. There are reasons why surrogacy happens. It can be because the couple are not medically fit to have babies, or there are certain health reasons behind it. Some because of the social parents (parents to raise the child) is gay or lesbian but wanted to adopt a child or maybe he/she is a single parent. On the other hand there are also reasons behind a person becoming a surrogate mother, but mainly because of financial reason.

In certain countries such as Singapore, surrogacy is illegal that is why couples who are seeking to do surrogate procedure need to go to overseas country such as Malaysia, India to perform the contract.

In New Delhi, India, a certified surrogate mother clinic can get $6,000 from the $28,000 total surrogacy procedure cost (nd, the star online). The issue of wealthy foreigners paying poor Indians to have babies has raised ethical concerns in many Indian minds about “baby factories” despite the fact that the Indian government has been pushing the country as a medical tourism destination. Many of the surrogate mothers in the clinc has been “improved economically” since they had been a surrogate, some even go as far to do it again.

Despite the positive encounter the surrogacy had on improving the surrogate mother financially, there are some arguments which says it was not human for the mother since it is similar to a form of human exploitation and prostitution. Some religious organizations firmly forbid their members from participating in surrogacy, whatever reason and however desperate they are to have a child.

Objectively we have to not only judge but also need to see the case of surrogacy delicately since some of the advantages can also be weigh. Such as it can help couples on their marriage-especially when the woman has health issues that becoming pregnant would be life threatening, help childless couples to have child with genes from either or both of them instead of doing adoption, help gay or lesbian couples, and helping a single parent to have a child. Disadvantages are the potential emotional and psychological aspects of being a surrogate mother or the social parents. Furthermore they also have to deal with trying to convince relatives or family members that this is a right thing to do. It will be a big issue to discuss with since there will be a long procedures to follow trough.

In conclusion, surrogacy motherhood is a complex issues. It involves complicated systematic and humanitarian issues which need to be addressed delicately and considered case per case.

 

Medically Assisted Centre

One afternoon in Hospital Clinique, during my visit to the gynaecologist, during consultation, the assistant doctor called us up for a pre-treatment information. As we are giving out personal information background, we are then assisted to mention our preferred form of treatment.One personal question was asked whether i wanted to conceive a child from my spouse or other man.

I thought the assistant doctor was joking but he looked serious, so I asked why. Apparently there are cases where the potential mother willing to conceive a child from other man. Culturally and religiously I know this is a new issue for me. But apparently in some cases where the disease was so serious and uncurred it is permissable. In western country there are many cases of sperm donors and surrogacy mother. Is it ethical?
Sperm donors is define as a procedure in which a man donates semen, to help an individual or a couple conceive baby. Donated sperm can be by two (2) ways, first is injected into a woman's reproductive organs (intrauterine insemination) or secondly is by used to fertilize mature eggs in a lab (in vitro fertilization). The use of donated sperm is known as third party reproduction. For the procedure of sperm donation, the identity of the man who donates it can be known or anonymous to the recipient. Sperm donations made to a known recipient are called directed donations. Afterward, the donator must be screened for medical conditions and other risk factors before they can make a sperm donation.
There are several ethical issues concerned such as emotional, psychological and legal issues are also needed to be considered for the sperm donation. Not only it will affect the future parents, it will also involve the phsycological factors of the future child and the biological father.
If the child came from same or similar race, it will not be so obvious for him/her when the parents chose to hide the donator identity. But if it comes from different race or biracial, then it will be an issue which needed to be solved when the child grow up and find out about their real identity. The child might also face a problem of bullying from their peers since they grew up from a single mother/unmarried or a biracial parents.  Other issue is that regarding how informed the client or recipient of sperm donation on the limitations and potential complications involved with sperm donation. Sperm donation is not always successful and multiple treatments might have to be performed. Whether the sperm is disease free or free from genetic abnormalities. Another risk is that if a right of third party reproduction become so common in the society, plenty of unmarried single women will be having family of their own. The concept of 'family' will be questioned. 
Above all risks, the most significant  case which cannot be avoided is that the chance of half brothers or half sisters (from the same donor father) have actually married not knowing they were related.
On the the other hand, the third party reproductions have helped a number of infertile people both physically and mentally, giving them hope and courage to actually have a child. It has a positive impact for those who are infertile or have a major problems in going on a normal procedure to produce a child. In minor cases, mostly western countries and european countries, homosexual couples are helped by this form of reproduction. Other cases such as single parent by choice (SPC), it also help them to reproduce without having to adopt a child.
In conclusion, the issue of this third party reproduction have to be regulate and delicately handled since it is quite new and sensistive issue both ethically and legal terms. Some cultures in certain countries even strictly prohibited the third party reproduction or sperm donor to be legalised, not only concerning ethical issues but mostly religious view.