Prostitution

[TheFifthElement]

I see they've given the namby-pamby, pseudo legality of Europe, where you cna be a prostitute, but not solicit.

That's not entirely correct Atheist. In most European countries prostitution is legal but soliciting is not, but in the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Latvia, and Switzerland it is totally legal and regulated. There's been some suggestion that UK will legalise brothels, but if we find ourselves with a Conservative government after the next election, which is likely, then plans will likely be scrapped. Which is a shame.

[kasie]

This seems to be an almost totally heterosexual Forum With just a few exceptions, prostitutes have been referred to as 'she' (though one of the exceptions referred to women employing what used to be known as 'gigolos', euphemistically perhaps?) but what about the boys - are you goiong to legalise the rent boys? What's sauce for the goose, after all....

[The Atheist]

That's not entirely correct Atheist. In most European countries prostitution is legal but soliciting is not, but in the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Latvia, and Switzerland it is totally legal and regulated.

I know, I was just indulging in some gentle Euro-bashing.

This seems to be an almost totally heterosexual Forum With just a few exceptions, prostitutes have been referred to as 'she' (though one of the exceptions referred to women employing what used to be known as 'gigolos', euphemistically perhaps?) but what about the boys - are you goiong to legalise the rent boys? What's sauce for the goose, after all....

I did note that the vast majority of prostitutes are women, and that's why I've only mentioned them. Gigolos are a rare breed, while rent-boys are reasonably common. In NZ and elsewhere, ther can be no differentiation between male, female and transsexual prostitutes anyway, so while "women" isn't technically correct, it doesn't matter as all people are treated the same in the eyes of the law.

[AmericanEagle]

Prostitution should not be legalized because many prostitutes are forced into this profession. According to the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, half a million women and children from developing countries are trafficked to Europe each year. These women and children are often lured with promises of a real job, but instead, they are forced into sexual slavery. Legalizing prostitution would only encourage these traffickers and pimps because they would be considered as legitimate businessmen.

[The Atheist]

Prostitution should not be legalized because many prostitutes are forced into this profession. According to the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, half a million women and children from developing countries are trafficked to Europe each year. These women and children are often lured with promises of a real job, but instead, they are forced into sexual slavery. Legalizing prostitution would only encourage these traffickers and pimps because they would be considered as legitimate businessmen.

No, that's completely incorret.

Legal brothels don't use sex slaves. Legalisation helps reduce illegal slavery.

[Zee.]

Legal brothels do NOT use sex slaves as The Athiest stated. Sex slavery is not legal prostitution, and legal brothels offer a service of "legal prostituion"

[MANICHAEAN]

Is it not importent to consider the influence of "Fallen Angels" on the literary scene; after all, this has perhaps more relevance to this forum than threads like: "What are you wearing now" & "Counting down from 1,000" !
Writers like Graham Greene acknowleged the inspiration of prostitutes to some of his novels like: The Power & the Glory, The Hon Consul, The End of the Affair.
In "The Crimson Petal and the White" by Michel Faber, rich Victorian William Rackham marries the virtuous Agnes, only to discover that she has a horror of the carnal act. Eventually William's sexual interest reduces Agnes to a life of self-incarceration. He duly falls for an intelligent whore with a heart of gold. Researched or good imagination?

[AmericanEagle]

No, that's completely incorret.

Legal brothels don't use sex slaves. Legalisation helps reduce illegal slavery.

Legal brothels do NOT use sex slaves as The Athiest stated. Sex slavery is not legal prostitution, and legal brothels offer a service of "legal prostituion"

How would you know for sure that these women are not under the control of traffickers and pimps?

[The Atheist]

Is it not importent to consider the influence of "Fallen Angels" on the literary scene;

Never mind that, we can go all the way back to the bible as far as hookers go.

How would you know for sure that these women are not under the control of traffickers and pimps?

Because when brothels are legal, they are strictly controlled by the government to ensure the rules are kept and workers are vetted, medically and judicially.

Simple stuff. It's one the prime reasons why prostitutes and prostitutes' collective are so strongly in favour of legalisation - if you want to remove or at least restrict the illegal sex trade, making it legal and encouraging a working relationship with police is a hell of a good way to ensure the slavers are kept out.

[Admin]

Legalize it.

Prohibition does not work. We learned that in the 20s. Alcohol was illegal, so the criminals supplied it, growing rich on the profits, violence between rival gangs erupted into the streets.

Marijuana is illegal, so the drug cartels supply it, we've tried for decades to stop it, but use has only grown. So all we're doing is funding violent street gangs and terrorist groups.

Prostitution is illegal, so women who do it are immediately at risk for violence because they have to operate in the shadows of society and their abusers know they are unlikely to go to the police. It is so dangerous and unsafe for them. Of course as well, we've tried to make it illegal, it doesn't work, it hasn't stopped it, it has just made it more dangerous and made it more of a problem to society. With prostitution being illegal we're funding pimps, and human slave traffickers.

Why don't we attack the wallet of all these bad guys by taking their golden goose away?

[The Atheist]

Why don't we attack the wallet of all these bad guys by taking their golden goose away?

Exactly!

Nothing hurts the criminal element worse than legalisation and control. Not many crooks make money from moonshine these days.

[LMK]

There are places in the US where prostitution is legal...well, perhaps it is the houses of prostitution that are legal, I don't know about the solicitation part. There was a big broadway musical years ago about one of them, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the music wasn't too bad, if I remember correctly.

If it is not illegal to have sex without a marriage contract then why pick nits about whether they had an expensive dinner first, too many drinks at the bar or money exchanged on the street?

[Dark Lady]

I agree with many of the comments so far. Leagalise it. Definately.

It is known as the oldest profession for a reason. It will not go away because we try to criminalise it. And there is no reason for it to be illegal in the first place. In terms of my personal feelings on it, they are irrelavant; all that is relevant is to ask why it should be made illegal. Most of the reasons given are to do with awful aspects such as mistreatment of women and child prostitution. As others have pointed out, the best way to tackle these issues is to make prostitution legal so that it is harder for the really nasty aspects to be hidden.

[Mathor]

1. As was said above, if prostitution were made legal then the shady pimps and crack whore prostitutes would go out of business, and the more legit prostitution circles would come about. Dealing with mistreatment and stuff, that person would have legal rights under the law and all parties could take any of them to court.

Also, at least in the case of the American government, there would be many laws dealing with:

Testing of STD's (and most likely this would come from simple medical records being faxed to the place, and just a simple self test at some point before the act of sex, on the part of the customer. And, as it is the same for porn stars upon hiring, testing for the prostitutes as well. Obviously this never eliminates all of them, but it is certainly efficient.



2. On the part of humiliation, I think it's necessary to understand that in America one of the largest media businesses revolves around pornography, and with people who probably couldnt care less if they are humiliated or not. America houses the largest corporations for porn in the world, and many come here simply to make it big in that industry. And some of these stars, i'm sure, get turned on by this sort of humiliation in some sort of fashion. Legal prostitution allows for these people to make MORE money running a legit escort service. Having sex with one person and no one seeing it is certainly less humiliating then millions of videos being displayed of you worldwide performing sexual acts.

[Nightshade]

I have to say I am all for legalisation, its not going away, its known as the world's oldest profession for a reason. and I have to say I kind of object to knowing people are making money and not paying taxes on it. Plus I do think it would also reducce some of the human trafficing. Then again alot of the realy nasty human trafficing would still be going on becasue obvious child sex realted stuff is NEVER going to be leagl or at least SHOULD never be. But if we know more about the human trafficing moving then maybe it would be easier to find the people dealing in children?
Just a thought.