If the news doesn't seem interesting, I won't post it. But this was too good to pass up.

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.

By Tim Surette -- GameSpot
Posted Feb 14, 2006 3:48 pm PT

These are some intelligent hoes.

its a beautiful moment when you can see hookers joining along side politicians. god bless america.

Lol, hookers defending their positions. Just amazing.

hahah. wow. that's definately a first.

I guess this tells us not to underestimate anyone...

People need to just shut up about Grand Theft Auto. I've played it. It ain't that bad. It's a game.

^ Not bad, but then again it's not really a good game, I don't enjoy playing it much, but that's just me.

What planet do you live on, man? The next-gen GTA series is easily some of the best work ever released by Rockstar Games and has revolutionized the action adventure/rpg genre.

If it weren't for GTA, SpiderMan, THUG (and American Wasteland), True Crime, Driver, etc wouldn't even be the games they are today.

Have you ever played it from beginning to end? Its one big movie.

Thanks for that info on hookers.

That's true, but still, Grand Theft Auto isn't one of my favorite games. I take back saying that it wasn't a good game, because it IS a good game, although it's just not my type of games.

wow, people are going crazy over that game.

i love how to put it nicely they said "sex workers". everytime i read that, i was like "bah. hah."

Hahaha. GTA is going down.. Even hookers don't like it!

lol true crime definately wouldnt be what it is today. hell, if max payne was never made true crime would be different.

Good idea. Take it off the shelves. I've been slappin hookers and killin cops for far too long. I now know whos to blame.

hookers and politicians. like two peas in a pod.

Man without prostitutes, I would have no reason to play GTA.

too true.

wow! thats a first lol

Hahaaah.

Lol.

Hookers defending their rep`s.

lols. i heard about that. but they didn`t have to be hookers if they didn`t want to so it`s kinda their fault.

Haha, that's funny. Why don't you hookers get a better job now, GTA is awesome.. so back off, lol. This is interesting.. yeah it's their fault they're a bad influence.

thats stupid. its just a game.

^ umm.. yeah exactly.

QUOTE(Krunk_Muzik @ Feb 16 2006, 8:24 PM)

Lol, hookers defending their positions. Just amazing.

LOL
EXCATLY WHAT I WAS THINKING

haha thats....crazy

America is one f-ed up but interesting country

You said it.