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No, it's a down ward spiral for the women and the pimps seem to be the only ones who benefit. It should be stopped, which will probably be impossible to do, but these women (and men) are not treated like humans.
No way. I'm interested to hear why some people think it should, though.
Yes. People are going to do it anyway, so let's legalize it, regulate it, and tax it. To me, it's the same argument as legalizing marijuana. It's much more dangerous when it's illegal. Legalizing would reduce crime, improve public health (mandated regular STD tests?), increase tax revenue, help people out of poverty, get prostitutes off the streets, and allow consenting adults to make their own choices. I also don't think pimping would be an issue if prostitution were legal, as women could unionize and have real, legal representation.
I don't think I know enough about it to form a definite decision, but my gut reaction is to say no. Or at least, not without an extremely rigid monitoring system, but I seriously doubt it would even get that far. Legalization talks can often be one of those things that would theoretically work perfectly, but it would become way to hard to enforce, one of my big hangups with the marijuana argument. Paying people for sex, much like allowing people to smoke weed in the privacy of their own homes, I really don't have an issue with. Maybe it's not my personal choice, but I am of the mindset that while I might not agree with your choice, I'll defend your right to make it.
Where it gets complicated for me is, it opens the opportunity even more for child trafficking and exploitation. That is my biggest red alert when considering how legalization would affect the overall sex trade.
Yes, if followed properly there would more more regulation and less exploitation. Also, women would be kept track of because they would need to be licensed and they would be required to be checked out by a doctor. Hopefully, it would also cut down on trafficking of women and children in the U.S. ( HUGE problem here!). The whole idea is not to legalize prostitution so some gang banger down the street can beat and exploit women further it is to turn it into a legitimate business to protect the willing women who work there and their customers.
Prostitution is the world's oldest profession, it is not dying out anytime soon and it is irresponsible to think just because it is illegal that it will stop people from practicing.
As a side not there already are legal brothels in the U.S. and is legal in Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece , Turkey, Hungary, Latvia and limited legally by countries like the U.K. and U.S.
Edit: There would also be th option to go to the legit prositiute for a "safe" time but the black market would still be a problem.
@KatyElle: I agree about the trafficking and exploitation. Just because something is technically legalized, doesn't mean that everyone will follow all the rules.
Absolutely not. It encourages human trafficking of women, and many times the well-being of these women and their families are threatened if they try to leave. I don't think women should be the ones punished because there are too many cases in which they are the victim, however the laws in many countries need to change to punish the pimps and consumers of this trade.
@Au Jardin: Oh you make a very good point that it is the women who are punished for thier vicitimization, no the men controlling them!
it's legal in Denmark as well but you have to pay your taxes.. not sure how they keep track of that though. it's pretty much a non issue as far as I can tell. it is however illegal to be a pimp so maybe that helps.
I can see the benefits such as taxes, making is safer through mandatory STD and drug testing, getting rid of pimps, etc... but no. I still don't think it should be legal.
I think it should, because in my opinion, it is going to happen regardless. And if it it legalized, at least there can be some sort of regulation on it (required testing).
I vote "yes".
As far as "if it's legalized, it doesn't mean people will follow the rules", that may be true, but it's illegal now in most states so there are no rules!
I personally think since prostitution is currently banned in most states, that it fuels sex-trafficing. If it were legal, I think it would decrease sex-trafficing.
Prostitution is legal in Nevada. I think legalizing it gives the women working in the industry a lot more control over what goes on. Also it makes it safer for the clients of the industry because the woman are required to get STD screenings and be licensed.
I don't want my husband going to a prostitute, or my future children becoming prostitutes, but I do think it should be legal. Just because I don't want my family to partake doesn't effect my legal view on it.
I also find it strange that porn is legal but prostitition is not. Sex for money is okay as long as there's a video camera involved!
I definitely see how it could take the control away from the pimps and let women (and men) decide how they choose to use their own bodies. It would mean members of the sex trade are required to license and register with the state, therefore becoming legally accountable for their sexual health. I do believe porn industries are obligated to maintain certain standards legally, but of course again, I don't know enough about that to say it's the truth.
It would also empower women of the sex trade with legal protection if their rights are violated. Many women who are involved in the sex trade will not step forward in cases of rape or abuse because what they are doing is illegal in the first place. I definitely see the benefits, but I still feel in many ways with the expansion of the sex trade, there would be a significant rise in underage victims being used and exploited.
This is one topic that has stuck with me since college... I always hear that legalizing prostitution would increase taxes for the USA , to me it made it sound like the government would be the new pimp lol. "Theyre going to do it anyway" well people are going to do cocaine/crack/ heroine that doesnt mean it should be legalized either although legalizing all drugs would eliminate or GREATLY decrease the crime worldwide assocciated with drug trafficking! Sadly i must add i wont be surprised if 50 or 60 years from now this will be considered. What a sad thing if this was parents solution to their teens having sex: well theyre going to do it ANYWAY... yes this would be between consenting adults but still...which leads me to the next topic: our KIDS and our kids kids. Is this the message we're going to give our girls? I may not be the best debator but I can say this: if you dont mind if your mother, sister, daughter becomes a prostitute then maybe it should be legalized. If you DO mind then lets NOT teach our kids hipocresy.
Btw i believe that it WILL be legalized soon whether i go down kicking and screaming or not lol. But i guarantee there will be a whole new set of problems. There always is.
@Mr.Smithsgirl: I see your point, but that to me isn't a good enough reason to say outlaw it. I hope my daughter never has an abortion, but not because I think they should be outlawed. I wouldn't want her to not wear a seat belt, but I still think it's unconstituational for the law to mandate that people wear them. This is definitely a pro/con issue, and there are definite pros, but the potential cons are too much to ignore, at least right now. I'm defintely going to be doing some reading on the laws in Nevada!
Absolutely true, still cant shake it out of my mind...
I feel like the major problem with prostitution right now the women being expoited, and if we legalize prositution women would be much more empowered. If a client assaults them, they could go to the cops. They could set up their own business instead of relying on a pimp. Nothing we do is going to get rid of prostitution, so we need to focus on making it as safe as possible.
I just don't understand how it's illegal in the first place. Sex is legal as long as it's free. But as soon as you throw some money into the equation, it ceases to be a legal activity? The act itself is the same, it's just MONETIZING it that makes it criminal. Bizarre.
I used to hate pimps. Then I read the second Freakonomics book in which a study of Chicago prostitutes found that women with pimps were less likely to risk assault, arrest, or customers who refused to pay. They also ended up with more money every week because pimps were able to find them clients more effectively. So now I guess I'm sort of pro-pimp. Which is an uncomfortable position in which to find oneself.
I don't think there's a parallel between prostitution and cocain/heroin/etc. Prostitution is just sex for money. Sex is not illegal. Sex is something we are all free to do. Yet when it gets put in the context of a business transaction, it's all of a sudden illegal. Drugs such as cocain and heroin are illegal because people can become become hooked after just 1 use and overdose/die on them. Sex you pay for isn't any more dangerous than sex you get for free.
I actually read a fascinating article a couple of weeks ago about prostitution. Basically, this researcher went into the Bronx to do research on the demographics of sex workers there, focusing on underage sex workers. What he found was surprising and really interesting.
@zippylef: "But after spending several hours sweating in the muggy August air, the professor and his PhD student decided to head home. They'd found a grand total of three hookers. Only two were underage"
Erm...
I'm going to keep reading though!
This is an interesting question. I think legalization or even just a partial legalization would do a lot to empower the women involved. In Sweden, it is illegal to buy services of a prostitute, but it is not illegal to sell sex. Since the women can't be prosecuted, they have more power to report assault, rape, nonpayment, etc.
Maybe the drug use can be monitored like prostitution. Why not empower yourself with a college degree? Can anyone explain your correlation between legalizing prostitution and sexual empowerment? I personally that its degrading to women and empowering men but i'd like to hear your take. Btw here is a link that covers both sides http://prostitution.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000122
Regardless of how I feel about prostitution, that is an interesting question. I read a book about prostitution in Nevada, and it's surprisingly very similar to the Alaskan crab fishing boats. Women with families and other jobs often go out make money for a "season" then go back to their regular lives. Some are college students paying their way through school, and very few are the beaten-down hopeless women you might imagine.
If you legalized prostitution, then the rules and regulations would serve to protect women who work in the industry. If it wasn't illegal, then the majority of men just looking for regular sex because they can't get it otherwise could get it out in the open. The depraved sickos who want the bad things will still look for it outside of the regulated system, but then again, they would do that anyway. Does that make sense?
NO!! HELL NO! BIG STINKING NO!!! why? Because there will always be those women that fall into prostitution out of desperation in their lives...and then what? How will they ever get the help they need if what they are doing, or forced to be doing, is LEGAL?
This makes me sick.
@bride2bejc: I have a feeling that the people that are desperate enough to fall into prostitution if it becomes legal are the same people who are desperate enough to fall into prostitution now. And obviously, forcing anyone to have sex with anyone will still be illegal. The hope is that if prostitutes can go to the cops if they are raped or assaulted without fear of being arrested these events will happen less.
Yes, it should be legalized.
Human trafficking, while related to prostitution, is done for many more reasons than just the sex trade. Most people would be surprised to hear the stuff that goes on in their own neighbourhoods and how people are kept against their will.
Vulnerable people will be exploited but if their profession is legal it gives them more rights to fight against their persecutors.
They are both social issues and people are capable of dying from the effects of drug use and prostitution although in prostitution that depends on whether 1.safe sex is practiced 2.and no accidents ie condom breaking. Not everyone that uses hard drugs will die and not everyone that prostitutes will die. The use of meth is controlled in rehabs so my correlation is not that far fetched.
@Mr.Smithsgirl: Help fight prostitution? I'm not saying prostitution should stop, but those who prostitute should not feel like criminals and should be free to go to the police (or other authorities) for help when needed. The reason why we see so many problems with prostitution is because it's an underground activity which has no rules and regulations. There is no fighting prostitution, it will never go away, nor should we seek for it to stop. Instead we should try to make it as safe as possible.
BTW, prostitutes are not just women. There are plenty of male prostitutes.
@Mr.Smithsgirl - People die from alcohol too. And from driving cars. And from drowning. Because someone can die from something isn't the same as comparing the high risk involved with certain control substances.
All those things you mention are not any higher risk when the sex is paid for versus when it's free. In fact, the risk may even be less when the sex is paid for (where prostitution is legal) because licensed prostitutes get screened for STDs, where random people hooking up in a bar may be carrying/transmitting STDs they don't even know they have.
The potential consequences of sex are the same whether it's paid for or free. The potential consequences of cocaine/heroin/meth are far riskier/greater than that of legal drugs (such as alcohol).
Isn't it already legal in some US cities, and then the prostitue gets some health benefits because he/she has a job. This means--regular check ups, less STDs, less change that someone's cheating bf/gf/spouse comes home with something icky.
I think it's super gross (personal judgement, sorry), but I also think we're all better off if it's legal, regulated, and taxes. Right now I'm all for taxing ANYTHING at this point though.
I say no.. people saying people are doing it so let's legalize it.. well people do cocaine, heroine, ecstacy, and whatever else, does that mean we should legalize that too..
i think selling your body is so sad and I feel bad for prostitutes and I feel like with it being illegal child prostitution exists, imagine if it was legal, child prostitution would be even harder to track..
SO ABSOLUTELY NO =(
@pandaboo - People are already having sex. Sex isn't illegal. Why should paying for it be illegal? And I don't see how legalizing prostitution so 2 consenting adults can enter into a business transaction is even remotely related to child prostitution. That's like saying since alcohol is legal it makes more people do heroin.
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