Legalization of Prostitution
The job of prostitution is just that: a job. Men and women all over the world choose to engage in sexual activities for money. Although people often confuse prostitution with sex trafficking, these are not the same thing. Legalizing prostitution could lower the spread of STDs and undocumented rapes in the communities; whereas, legalizing prostitution would not legalize trafficking. The criminalization of sex work should be abolished.
Prostitutes are tested often and monitored to “prevent the spread of STDs” (Liberator 2006). The vast majority of sex workers do not engage in sexual activity with a sexually transmitted disease. To be able to be employed as a sex worker, one must have proof that they do not have STDs. The working women are tested monthly and must provide a certificate from a certified doctor “guaranteeing their good health” (Fleiss 2003). The Daily Planet, an institution for female sex workers, requires that “any sexual act committed in The Daily Planet must be done with protection” (Fleiss 2003). Legalizing prostitution would normalize men and women receiving medical care for sexually
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They fear prosecution from the state for participating in sex work. In the case that a prostitute is raped, police tend to “disregard their suffering” (Klinger 2003). Police officers don’t recognize that in any other occupation the act of intercourse without all parties’ consent “would be recognized as criminal assault” (Klinger 2003). Victimized women may be arrested for simply practicing prostitution. Even if an assaulted woman does ask for a rape kit to be used, the kit will not be run. In Maryland, a new search has revealed “3,700 untested rape kits” with some “dating back to 1981” (Washington Post 2017). This would discourage speaking out even more so. If prostitution was legal, the fear associated with speaking out against rapes would be
Prostitution should be legalized because it could be regulated by the government. Legalization can reduce the risk of STD’s (Devdariani). By regulating prostitution, prostitutes can be required to get tested and can also make sure that they aren’t working while infected. There are multiple cases where this has worked. In Amsterdam, where prostitution is legal, there are health services that specialize in informing prostitutes about a free or low-cost clinic for STD’s (Amsterdam Prostitution). This is just one example of how legalizing prostitution can help regulate the spread of STD’s
Prostitution has been a part of our world's culture since the beginning of time, and is the world's oldest profession. Prostitution is defined by the Webster dictionary as “the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money.” If prostitution were legalized, there would a reduction in sex crimes, American citizens would have the freedom to choose any profession within the sex industry and it would provide economic benefits for the local and federal governments, as well as the population.
Another argument to legalize prostitution would to be to regulated it, and take the woman off the street and place her into a safe environment, for instance: women who are in brothels in Nevada are screened monthly for STD’s and are given birth control. Sexually transmitted diseases are a major concern for the women as well as the men and should be a major reason why legalization of prostitution should be pushed. Legalized prostitution has shown that prostitutes who work in brothels practice safe sex and are less likely to contract and transmit STDs. As indicated in the article entitled, "Prostitution": George Flint, director of the Nevada Brothel Association, points with pride to the 20,000 monthly AIDS tests that have been performed on legal prostitutes since tests were required in 1986, with HIV showing up only among job applicants. Similarly, not 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
According to Stephanie Chen, former Writer-Producer for CNN, "experts estimate 1 million to 2 million prostitutes work in the US and about 78,000 arrests are made for prostitution and commercialized vice." she writes in her CNN.com article. Prostitution itself goes back to 2400 B.C and like any other service or profession prostitutes are paid, so why not legalize it as an official job? The US has stamped the name of prostitution as a crime when not only it could benefit the workers but if it was legal it could benefit the economy of the United States tremendously.
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
Prostitution advocates argue that prostitution is a victimless crime, that no one gets hurt in the process where two adults come together to pay for sex, while opponents point to the risk of human trafficking and the exploitation of women and children, the fact that prostitution is also a really big cause to the spread of disease; However if prostitution was legalized it would not be so hard for prostitutes to keep themselves safe.
If we were to make prostitution legal we will eliminate the practice of unsafe sex in brothels. Beyond economic gains, legalizing prostitution could significantly reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including AIDS. With prostitution as a back alley business, it is impossible to impose any safety precautions for the industry. Condom use and testing for diseases are solely at the discretion of the individuals involved. Given the absence of health insurance for most prostitutes and the need for business, decent health care is rarely pursued, and condoms are often foregone according to the desires of the clients”(prostitution should be legalized). Clients usually wear no protection. Exposing the chance of getting a disease. Clients prefer the usage of no condoms. And as a back alley business then the workers think they have no choice to oblige to the command of no condom. And we as a state need to ensure that workers have a
It’s a dispute since the beginning of humankind, weather making prostitution legal will reduce violence and give sex workers some safety or it will be just another gift to pimps. Recent interview with Brenda Myers-Powell, who was a prostitute for 25 years, published in BBC News, where she describes all hardships of her profession, reminded people that the issue never went away and something needs to be done (Myers-Powell). According to International Organization of Migration, decriminalizing prostitution will promote sex trafficking and won’t help to end exploration of desperate immigrants. Human Rights Network also states that actual sex workers do not want the industry be legalized (Raymond). Although those organizations have a point and
Thank you Jose, There is a big controversy about decriminalization prostitution, but what about the women in a forced abusive relationship, marriage without any support and concubinage. Those are also viewed as prostitution. For instance, marriage is sometimes compared to prostitution as women who get married offer their sexual favors in exchange of economic and social position supplied by men (Davis, 1937). We have seen this in lots of uneducated, lower income, immigrants and forced marriage women. Therefore if prostitution is give legalization we have better control over these kinds of crimes as you mention (mainly referring to the pimps, and voluntary prostitutes).
If prostitution is legalized, many actions could be taken to aid and protect the women and men joining the profession. It wouldn’t have to be seen as a dirty and immoral career path, but just another job that someone enjoys or participates in due to a money crisis. If regulated, prostitution could rake in additional tax dollars that could be funneled into education and other places that desperately need the money; likewise, it would cut down the outrageous amount of money wasted arresting and prosecuting prostitutes. Legalization could additionally lead to the reduction in violence against women. Just with these pressing reasons, one must wonder why is prostitution not already legalized? Prostitution should be legalized due to the fact that it could help protect the sex workers, produce needed tax dollars, and reduce crime and drug use on the streets.
In theory, of course, legalization of prostitution sounds fantastic, but when it has been tested in the real world it has not always had the best impact. In European countries that have legalized prostitution their rates in trafficking have gone up in all areas. They have mass amounts of numbers of illegal immigrants coming in through prostitution. The rates for rape and murder of a prostitute has gone up. Yes, I do believe that prostitutes need more of a backbone for their situation, but legalizing it may not be the answer for this
Prostitution is often classified as a “victimless crime,” however that is far from the truth especially within brothel walls. “An essential part of the brothel business model is to break the spirit of girls, through humiliation, rape, threats, and violence” (Kristof, 2009, p. 10). Violence comes to those women there on their own accord or those forced and trafficked. While legalizing prostitution could possibly allow for human trafficking to be monitored more closely, it feeds into the demand. Logically, legalizing sex work will increase the demand. Since it is legal, people who would otherwise refrain from going to a brothel because it is illegal are now much more likely to start frequenting brothels. With sex in demand, it would
Should prostitution be legalized? There are many reasons why prostitution should be legalized because it will have many positive effects. Legalizing prostitution would reduce crime, improve public health, increase tax revenue, help people out of poverty, get prostitutes off the streets, and allow adults to make their own choices. People say that prostitution is a victimless crime, especially in the 11 Nevada counties where it remains legal. There are ways that prostitution can be fixed to help the prostitutes be cleaner and more organized and also make sure the clients are safe too. There are other plenty positive effects that legalizing prostitution will bring.
First, the rate at which rape occurs has been estimated to drop around 25% if prostitution were to be legalized. This would be the case because of the availability there would be if prostitution was legal. No one would have to go to great lengths just to receive sexual pleasure. This leads to a decrease in crime and an increase of safety for prostitutes everywhere. Also, prostitutes are not committing any harmful acts against anyone at all, so there is much unnecessary hate towards prostitutes. For example, instead of antagonizing prostitutes for spreading diseases it would be better if there were regulations set to address these problems. Sending prostitutes to rehabilitation centers or therapeutic help instead of taking them to jail would be very beneficial for both parties. In California, it was estimated