Should Prostitution Be Legalized Essay

“When women say the harm in sex work comes not from the act of selling sex, but from the stigma and violence surrounding it because of its illegal nature, we must hear them.” (Datta). If prostitutes could turn to police for help from an abusive pimp or unwanted client, without the fear of being arrested, they would be able to work in a more secure and professional environment. Legalizing prostitution, can allow sex workers to form unions, make a safe environment for them, allow birth control and condoms. Thus reducing STD and unwanted pregnancies, and even give prostitutes the right to say no. “If sex workers should be required to get regular blood and STD tests, so should the clients who see them. Whether these two protections -- against violence and against disease -- come about through decriminalization or legalization depend upon the letter of the law.”

By keeping prostitution illegal, it keeps the doors open for a victimless crime to have many victims. Many prostitutes are people looking for a way to get out of a certain situation they are in, but do not have the skill set for what society considers a better quality job. These people then turn to prostitution in hopes of making money, earning a living and getting an education (Reynolds, 13). Prostitutes could become victims of their own career choice. Prostitutes who are beaten or abused by clients are often scared to report the crime to the police in fear they will be charged with a crime instead. As Reynolds points out, there are no real laws

In addition to the rise of sex trafficking, the opposition believes that prostitution is degrading to women, and legalizing it will show regression for women’s rights (Sanders, O’Neill and Pitcher 34). Legalizing prostitution will only encourage more women to become a part of an industry that takes advantage of and hurts them (Perer

Policies and laws fail to stop prostitution, and it will not stop. It is more costly to keep prostitution illegal. Prostitutes will be more vulnerable to getting criminal records, which then makes it harder for them in society, to obtain legal jobs. Also, with prostitution being illegal the workers may not be able to protect themselves from crimes against them. As prostitution is not legal, then they have to find discreet places to work, which usually is not in a safe environment. If some kind of crime against them did happen, they may feel that, they aren’t able to go to the police for help, as their work is illegal. It actually makes it harder on the worker, in turn making it harder for the client. There are all sorts of people who turn to prostitutes. From blue collar workers to high executives of companies, business owners and more. With prostitution being illegal, the clients are facing criminal charges as well. This does not only hurt the client, but communities as well. The author believes that people around the world have changed their older views and sexual norms to adapt to a more modern society. Brents, B.A., Jackson, C.A., & Hausbeck, K. (2010) concludes that prostitution is better being legalized than being criminalized (p.233). And with this change, people should reevaluate and learn from Nevada’s policies on prostitution being legal. While the author has shown many reasons why

People may not believe that there is a positive outcome of prostitution when first thought of. In fact, there are multiple ways that prostitution can benefit the sex workers, society, and even the economy. A quantitative and qualitative study was made by Lutnik and Cohan in San Francisco on prostitutes in the area. Although the sex workers that were interviewed are not part of the Canadian society, the United States is also part of the Western Civilization and the results reflect those of Canada as well. In the study, women spoke about the beneficial factors of having “police protection, the ability to build community with other sex worker, and obtaining rights as workers” upon the legalization of prostitution (Lutnik and Cohan, 2009: 41). Overall, the prostitutes that were surveyed preferred the “removal of statutes that criminalize sex work in order to facilitate a social and political environment where they had legal rights and could seek help when they are victims of violence.” (Lutnik and Cohan, 2009: 39). This research provides evidence that majority of people in the sex worker industry would like to feel safer as they are working as every person is entitles to feel safe when they go to work. Considering the health of the sex workers, a study was presented at the International AIDS Conference in Australia which showed results of the transmittal of HIV/AIDS among sex workers would decrease by 33-46% if prostitution is either legalized, or at least decriminalized (Listland, 2014). Another factor that is considered regarding sex workers and the legalization is the diminishing of violence and sex crimes. In the same research study conducted by Lutnik and Cohan, it was found that 91% of prostitutes desired laws that protected their rights in specific, and they also wanted more police protection, create safe houses, and would be safest under a regulated system (Lutnik and Cohan, 2009: 41, 43). Lastly, a

Prostitution would be much safer in the United States if it were legalized. A study was done in the 1980’s that found that around 124 sex workers were murdered every year in the United States (“Atlantic City Prostitutes Taking Precautions as Death Toll Rises”). If the states would legalize prostitution within brothels only, measures could be taken to keep the prostitutes

The sex industry is highly divided between those who call themselves “sex workers”, and former prostitutes who call themselves “survivors” (Glazer 340). Women should have the right to choose what they do for a living, including prostitution. The criminalization of prostitution does more harm than good when often women are left unprotected, both socially and legally, and therefore, the United States should make efforts to decriminalize and regulate prostitution instead.

One of the many inequalities we face today is misogyny. Over 80% of prostitutes are women ranging from 13 to 25 years old (Prostitution Statistics.) Women today already face discrimination in the workplace and interactionally, if we promote prostitution these misogynistic tendencies will continue to occur. This idea is also relevant in the treatment of male sex workers. Prostitutes are not treated as equals, they are treated as objects and disposable. Statistics show

Prostitution is an age-old profession, and has been referred to as the oldest profession known to man. According to alternet.org, there was a time when prostitution was fine and legal. In fact, prostitutes help settle early American settlements. Where ever you had men that were settling the West, you had prostitutes. The practice had become so big in the United States that women would often migrate from other countries to be a part of the profession (AlterNet). But now many people often look at prostitution as a degrading practice for women. Most opinions formed about prostitution are due to religious beliefs and personal opinions from incorrect information. Despite the act being illegal, it is still practiced all over the United States, resulting in multiple issues, such as STDs, arrests, and rape/sexual abuse. Due to the fact that prostitutes are faced to deal with the following issues: STDs, arrest, and rape/sexual abuse, therefore, the government should study the prostitution laws practiced in other

A local Brothel in Pahrump, Nevada have their workers “pay $46 a day in rent and sleep in the rooms, nightly and then take 50% of their makings”, as described by Business Insider’s Dylan Love. If legalized, the sex workers will have the freedom to plan their work schedules that are convenient for them. In many legalized brothels employees “report that they feel safe, are free to come and go, and are bound only by their contract.” (Brents). Unlike working on the streets filled with violence, sex workers will now have a safe working environment. Sex workers will not be controlled by their pimp and have most of their earnings taken away from them. Legalization of prostitution will allow these women to live stable lives, not having to worry about where they can find their next

In “Should prostitution be legalized” it discusses about prostitution being legalized. Can you imagine? If prostitution was legal, women and children would become products that strangers could purchase for sexual activities. In some instances, they are some people that find young girl on the street and they sell them to pimps or they exploit themselves. A person that solicits sex doesn’t care about the young girl, nor do they want to. Prostitution is humiliating, degrading, and emotionally hurts

One policy issue at the forefront of many discussions is the decision of whether to make prostitution legal. This issue was sparked by a draft from Amnesty International in 2015 proposing to decriminalize “all aspects of sex work”. There is a myriad of things to evaluate in this argument, including motives, ethics, economy and the list goes on. People prioritize those things differently and it is important to consider such things when evaluating the main two sides of the argument. At its most basic form, the two sides of the argument are ‘no we should not legalize prostitution because it will encourage prostitution’ and ‘yes we should legalize prostitution because it will provide a safer environment for prostitutes.’ Both sides use statistical data to support their assertions, and data that gives substance to a very emotional topic, however as one discovers the underlying values in the argument, one can conclude that important data is missing or even that scientific research is not sufficient to reconcile the argument.

Some researchers confirm that prostitution is indeed the most ancient profession, while others argue with it; however, everybody agrees that trading sex for money has existed for quite a while. According to Wikipedia, prostitution began in the 21st century BC in Near East, most likely as a religious custom, and was practiced by Greeks, Romans, China and other ancient civilizations. Now, as we have entered into the 21st century AD, prostitution is still a part of modern society. The fact speaks for itself: as there will always be a demand for the services that it provides,

Prostitution is one of the most controversial subjects in the United States. There are many pros and cons to this subject.

Imagine this scenario: you are walking on the street with your daughter and you see a group of girls. A few minutes later, a man arrives and offers money for one of the girls. She, then, accepts the money and gets into the car with him. How would you explain that scene to your daughter? In the U.S., some states such as Nevada have already legalized prostitution. Should Florida be the next? According to the Oxford dictionary, prostitution is the act of granting sexual favors in exchange for payment, yet it has existed throughout history in all parts of the world. It is a fact that most parents would not be proud to see their daughters becoming prostitutes and selling their bodies. Women are not merchandise. The State should take an action; however, legalizing prostitution is not the answer to reduce forced prostitution, stop trafficking of women and children, decrease the STDs, or minimize other types of crime.