Prostitutes call for ban on GTA

[MrPsychic 1]

Prostitutes call for ban on GTA

Sex workers cry foul, say game "accrues points to players for the depiction of rape and murder of prostitutes."

 

The Grand Theft Auto franchise is getting attacked from all angles. Joining the ranks of politicians, policemen, and attorneys in their crusade to see the game lifted from shelves are the nation's sex workers. On its Web site, the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA is asking parents to assist them in calling for a ban of Take-Two Interactive's controversial game.

 

Citing a 2001 document from the National Institute on Media and the Family's David Walsh, SWOP is calling "on all parents and all gamers to boycott Grand Theft Auto."

 

The organization quotes various points from Walsh's paper, including, "Children are more likely to imitate a character with whom they identify with. In violent video games the player is often required to take the point of view of the shooter or perpetrator."

 

Though the organization admits to being "adamantly opposed to any and all forms of censorship," as concerned parents themselves, they "wish to inform other parents of the potential danger extremely violent video games pose to children." Likewise, in the interest of promoting the rights of sex workers, the organization is opposed to the depiction of the rape and murder of prostitutes.

 

In the games, players can solicit "services" from prostitutes by driving their cars slowly near them. No sexual acts are in clear visible view, but during the "transaction," the player regains health and loses money. Though the player cannot actively rape prostitutes in the game, a possible rape is alluded to once during the storyline of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The prostitutes, like every other character, are also subject to homicide at the hands of the protagonist.

 

According to its Web site, SWOP USA is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of sex-industry workers and to the promotion of a safe working environment for the industry.

This according to www.gamespot.com... This is crazy... :lol:

[Jack_Bauer 1]

Are they just doing this now? GTA 3 came out almost 5 years ago and San Andreas was 2 years ago.

[MrPsychic 1]

I think they just want the attention. If you look at the group's main objective, they want to legalize prostitution... I've played GTA: III, Vice City, and San Andreas and I've never heard of a rape in it at all. Then again, if you think about it, Grand Theft Auto is the only thing that brought politicians, parents, and prostitutes together. :lol:

[Capt_Picard 0]

If people watched what they are getting their kids for games then this wouldn't be happening. I mean if you are a 12 year old and your mommy buys you this game you should start worring about mommy.

[MrPsychic 1]

When I worked at Wal-Mart, I would flat out tell the parents what was in the games. "Oh, you're getting your son GTA: San Andreas...How old is he? 8? Yea, it's not appropriate for him, unless you want him to see blood splattered on the screen after you kill the prostitute you had sex with for the money back you paid her"

[Stephen of Borg 2]

I don't think video games really effect children anyway, especially those 10 and up. I was playing violent games at that age and I have never thought about hurting some one in reality. I don't know why they do it. In the 50's, it wasn't video games, but comic books. Parents thought that the comic books that the kids were reading, like the Tales from the Crypt comics, were too violent and would warp their minds. But it didn't. The sad thing is that those kids who cried because their parents wouldn't let them have their comics are now doing the same thing to their kids except with things like video games.

 

I'm not saying that a kid really should be playing a game like GTA at young age, just saying that if they did, serious doubt it would effect him mentally, especially if the kid was old enough to tell reality from make believe.

[Jim Phaserman 0]

I don't think video games really effect children anyway, especially those 10 and up. I was playing violent games at that age and I have never thought about hurting some one in reality. I don't know why they do it. In the 50's, it wasn't video games, but comic books. Parents thought that the comic books that the kids were reading, like the Tales from the Crypt comics, were too violent and would warp their minds. But it didn't. The sad thing is that those kids who cried because their parents wouldn't let them have their comics are now doing the same thing to their kids except with things like video games.

 

I'm not saying that a kid really should be playing a game like GTA at young age, just saying that if they did, serious doubt it would effect him mentally, especially if the kid was old enough to tell reality from make believe.

 

I agree, Gamera, and my stance on Parents, Politicians, Lawyers, and now Hookers calling games like GTA (and Comic Books before them) is that it is one thing: A Parental Cop-out. The number one thing that leads to kids being violent or turning to crime? Bad parenting. When we as a nation finally realise who the REAL people at fault are, we'll be alot better off. Games like GTA, and Comics before them, became a scape-goat. "Kids became violent because of...." No. Kids became violent because they saw Daddy (I'm trying to say a bad word but can't)-slapping Mommy in a drunken fit, and thought if Dad did it, it must be okay. Children of Alcoholics are more likely to become alkies themselves. Children of Abusers are more likely to become abusers themselves. Parents need to teach their children that violence is NOT the answer. Parents need to teach there kids that Crime doesn't pay. If anything, I say let the kids watch Law and Order and CSI. If we are going to put a false image into the kid's head, let the kid think that committing a crime means doing time. Teach them that their actions have consequences. Don't be afraid to ground your kids (AKA put them on restriction).

[Stephen of Borg 2]

I agree