I was wondering, why is prostitution illegal? I want to avoid a GD because once it goes there, ya lost me. There’s a rerun of COPS on where they are busting prostitutes.
By why do you think that prostitution is illegal and/or why do you think it should be legalized.
Honestly, in my opinion, if a woman is of age and that’s how she chooses to make money, I say go for it. If it’s against a person’s religion, fine but I don’t understand why it’s considered illegal for an adult to sell her wares, if you will.
It is illegal for the same reason that alcohol sales are restricted and certain drugs are illegal. The Government has yet to realize that it cannot and will not legislate morality. The dismal failure of Prohibition and the successes of European nations in licensing and controlling certain trades are ignored by this Nation’s lawmakers. They would much rather invest millions on wars that will never be won, as opposed to adopting a realistic approach and telling the religious nosy busybody vote to stuff off.
I’ve never understood the use of criminalizing prostitution either. It ain’t called “the oldest profession” for nuthin’. Eliminating it is impossible, but legalizing it would remove so much of the bad baggage. As it is now, the system only profits the underworld. It’s a nightmare for disease transmission, cops have to waste time trying to control it and nobody–nobody–suffers worse than the hookers plying the trade.
Maybe I should back up. It’s one thing to choose the profession, on the level of call girl or talented amateur entreprenuer. It’s quite another to be forced into street walking by desperation. Either way is still criminal but no way does that make much practical sense to me.
De-criminalize it, regulate it and put some of the control back into society’s hands. Require health checks, give the trade a safe, controlled atmosphere in which to operate, shunt the profits away from the pimps and back to the prostitutes. They’d be ordinary, tax-paying business people who happen to make their living by sex. (Damn, I’m flashing back to reading “Mayflower Madam”.)
“De-criminalize it, regulate it and put some of the control back into society’s hands. Require health checks, give the trade a safe, controlled atmosphere in which to operate, shunt the profits away from the pimps and back to the prostitutes. They’d be ordinary, tax-paying business people who happen to make their living by sex. (Damn, I’m flashing back to reading “Mayflower Madam”.)”
How would the government go about controlling it when they can’t control it now? Do you believe the ladies would voluntarily register with the government so they can pay their fair share of taxes? what about pimps? Will they be required to register and pay taxes on their cut?
We have legal brothels and the sky has not fallen.
In legal brothels health checks are mandatory, condoms essential. The girls can join a union and get attention from police if something goes wrong. Brothels cannot be within a certain distance of schools etc. I do not hear much fuss about them except the occasional objection to where they want to open a new one or if a brothel sponsors a football team or floats itself on the stock market. Taxes are presumably paid. It makes sense to me.
Streetwalking is still illegal but nobody really does much about it. They are considered a problem because of the danger to them, the refuse left behind by themselves and clients (though I would rather see a condom in the gutter than have folks out there not using them myself) the element they attract, pimps and the out of control health issues, including drugs of course. I am not sure that there is an answer to that problem in law, either way. Legalising can be contrued as saying it is alright and what it is is just damned sad and dangerous in most cases and not alright on numerous levels.
Any prostitute would rather advertise and work out of their home, but due to the legal restrictions they cannot. This leads to women being reliant on extra-legal protection that does not have their best interests at heart.
You know, if prostitution was legalized online dating could get a lot more convenient…you could set up a site where people can submit their picture and a price list, let them screen people who contact them, and make a little money on the side. Hell, I’d do it. Of course, with all the competition and large market available, I’d imagine prices would go down. 8^)
I remember learning in AP European History that at one time (I think it was the Middle Ages) prostitution was run and regulated by the state. I think this is a good system. Having it be illegal only increases the risks because it’s not government regulated.
In the Netherlands, prostituton is totally legal since one whole year. Before that, it was not legal (contrary to what tourists visiting the Amsterdam RedLightDistrict might have thought) but the police “gedoogd” it, a hard to explain Dutch concept which means “it is forbidden by law but we will only prosecute if you make any other related trouble”.
The legalisation, compared tot the gedoog-situation, is no big success. Two reasons: Hookers and pimps, like any bussiness, now have to pay taxes (which has taken more businesses underground than the gedood-situation did; it seems tje underworld fears the Ducht tax-collectors more than it did our police)) and the other reason: the mobile phone and Internet. Illegal prostitutes are just harder to catch.
In Sweden, about two years ago, the government did quite a fascinating thing: they legalized prostitution, but passed a law that mad heavy prosecution of the clients possible. I don’t know what consequences that had.
To close this post, I have a confession to make. I always thougt I was openminded about prostitution. It was a profession like any other, no?
But recently, a friend of mine told me two of his friends (girls i knew from parties and his stories) had been prostitutes.
I really went “ick”. I did not like those girls to begin with, they were both weak, a bit selfdestructive but always finding some guy or socialcare to get them out of the mess they had gotten themselves into.
Protitutes may be strong women who make the best of their situation, but I do not think that counts for the majority anymore. If a girl has been a prostitute, I would think twice about befriending her.
I’m not proud of that, but i say it as it is.
You have not searched the web much. At least not for “escorts.” Not a bad thing, mind you, but what you describe is quite active. The web has allowed the escort business to advertise like it has never done before.
If you are curious, check out the eros guide. I will not link it, but a google search will get you there. I love the standard disclaimer. The one that states that money exchanged is only for the time spent, anything else is a matter of consenting adults.
The truth is that as long as there is not a specific exchange of money for sex, there is not much law enforcement can do. Of course, that is what happens, except for B&D/S&M services.
Actually, a prostitute would not like to work out of her home. She does not need Johns knowing where she lives. But an apartment or nice hotel would work better than the streets.