Legalizing Prostitution
This is a taboo topic in many societies and the opinions vary on the spectrum of acceptance or banishment. The issue that will be presented today asks a few questions and will give you a few thoughts to ponder about, but the main debate is whether or not prostitution should be legalized. Many European countries have adapted this trend of legalization, but you decide if it was for the better. Whether or not you are for or against prostitution, there are many factors contributing to your overall view on this:
- Your view on "John’s" (the males who hire them)
- How (un)successful other areas of the world have been in making it legal
- The violence in prostitution
- Other choices women have: If they choose this profession or have no other money-making methods
- The spread of STD’s and infections
- Whether it controls or expands the sex industry (legalization)
- The protection women have (or lack thereof?)
- Would it increase child prostitution?
Argument for Legalizing Prostitution:
"There is no distinction between two people having a one-night stand and an individual sleeping with a prostitute, except that the latter case involves a money transaction." (qtd. in carillon)
The overall claim in legalizing prostitution is that the women who are working the streets will be safe from rape and robbery. The money that would be made in these brothels would be taxed by the government, which would prevent . "Proponents claim that this will eliminate crime, encourage prostitutes to leave the streets and work in safe environments (brothels), stop the illicit drug trade, which is always closely allied to prostitution, and improve the health of prostitutes by way of regular medical checks-ups." (qtd. in realwomenca)
It can be argued that prostitution is not in fact a problem and that people are well within their rights when they provide sexual favors for compensation. Legalization is a very broad and ambiguous term with many definitions. Legalization would recognize prostitution as a legitimate profession and the prostitutes as entrepreneurs. As a legitimate business prostitution would be subject to the same regulations. Without going into such details as taxes, records, licenses, registration, and the like, legalized prostitution would ensure regular health checks and the facilitation of education. The prostitutes would not have to fear for their lives if they choose to leave the profession; they would have many other options handed to them, since there are options for everyone in life.
A sensible solution to these problems would be to follow the example of some European cities, where prostitution is allowed in certain designated areas. People who are interested in the activity go to the places where it's permitted, and they leave alone the neighborhoods that don't wish to be associated with it. And the prostitutes can work in environments where they are much safer. A problem with prostitution arrests is that they cause long-term increases in crime and drug abuse in society. Margo St. James, a former social worker and a leading advocate of legalizing prostitution, writes: "When a woman is charged for a sex crime, it's a stigma that lasts her lifetime, and it makes her unemployable." (qtd. in humanism) By having this criminal record, she would be unable to get out of the sex industry if she chose to do so in the future. Keeping prostitution illegal also contributes to crime because many criminals view prostitutes and their customers as attractive targets for robbery, fraud, rape, or other criminal acts. The criminals realize that such people are unlikely to report the crimes to police, because the victims would have to admit they were involved in the illegal activity of prostitution when the attacks took place.
Argument Against Legalizing Prostitution:
"Those who support the legalization of prostitution point to the fact that with legalization the government would be able to apply stringent controls on how prostitution is carried out. The immediate benefits which would follow are seemingly attractive. Containment of the problem might seem like a win-win situation at first glance, with prostitutes being allowed to exercise their personal freedom while the rest of society turns a blind eye. But when all the paternalistic euphemism is stripped away, what this option amounts to is that the government is placed in the position of being a pimp; meanwhile, prostitution is never recognized as being a problem." (qtd. in carillon)
The most immediate result of legalizing "the trade" was that all forms of prostitution boomed, with the unregulated prostitution business increasing faster than the legal prostitution activities. Municipal councils immediately complained that prostitution was out of control. Organized crime enjoyed a field day. With business becoming so good, shootings and deaths quickly followed with gangs fighting for control of this lucrative sex trade. Moreover, because prostitution itself was legal, police made few checks on brothels, with the result that they quickly became ideal locations for drug connections. Posing as clients, the drug dealers thrived, completely assured of privacy for their transactions.
Prostitutes working out of the brothels also quickly became disillusioned with the arrangement. The madams treated them like cattle in a meat market. They were forced to work 14-hour shifts seven days a week. They were restricted to the premises, except for medical or hairdressing appointments, and were always accompanied by an escort. The pimps, of course, retained absolute control of the prostitutes by comfortably operating out of the brothel environment. One question that arises is why a woman would choose to sell herself when it is deemed the most unacceptable action to get involved with.
Even the highly lauded medical check-ups of the prostitutes were, in reality, meaningless. The prostitutes moved around too often to keep track of them and if one did become infected with a sexually transmitted disease, another prostitute simply went to the check-up in her place, using the infected woman's medical card. (qtd. in realwomenca)
Is decriminalizing prostitution a legitimate option or legalizing oppression?
Sources:
http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/prostitution_legalizing.html
http://www.realwomenca.com/newsletter/2001_Jan_Feb/article_8.html
http://www.humanismbyjoe.com/prostitution.htm
http://action.web.ca/home/catw/readingroom.shtml?x=32972&AA_EX_Session=8511e6079f172e586b3a962bfad9cac5
http://www.justicetalking.org/viewprogram.asp?progID=219
http://kolbe.franciscan.edu/plee/legalprost.htm - to see how it has worked in the Netherlands (or if it has)