Holland's Banks Join the Euro Anti-Porn Front

As predicted, in the general SDP{/Labouriet panic over the evils of all aspects of the sex biz, The Netherland, long known for its laid back attitude toward sex work, is using economic means to try and strangle it. If anyone thinks this can't happen here, I have some news - it already has. The banks in Holland have admitted they are closing down all accounts for adult buisenesses - the usual nonsense about trafficking and oranized crime of course - but banks here did this quietly to a lot of Web operators over he past six years.

Yet another example of the glories of the Swedish model, econmic version, in operation. We don't make porn and other sex work illegal. Oh no, we just make it impossible for consumers to pay for it. At least over there some organized resistance exists to combat this kind of backdoor censorship, but how effective it will be is hard to say.

If it isn't, look for some sleeper anti-porners in our wonderful new presidential administration to try more of these shenanigans on this side of the Atlantic.

National Association of Dutch Sex Companies says banks no longer want to do business with them


--radionetherlands.com

In a letter to Minister of Justice Hirsch Ballin, [pictured] the National Association of Dutch Sex Companies says banks no longer want to do business with them. The letter says the banks intend to close existing accounts and refuse to open new ones. The banks involved are ABN AMRO, Fortis, ING, SNS and the Rabobank. Only the Postbank has refused to join the boycott.

The association says the banks are taking the action because they no longer want to be associated with firms that may be involved in money laundering and human trafficking. However, the association points out that the boycott also applies to companies that fully abide by the law.

The association says it does not object to companies or individuals that break the law being refused by the banks, but wants the government to ensure that bona fide firms are not subject to the boycott. It adds that if all firms are forced to open an account via a third party, this will make the activities of the sex industry less transparent, and points out that this is something the government has been working hard in recent years to avoid.

The association is a national organisation for brothels, swingers' clubs, massage parlours, erotic cafes, escort companies and SM studios.