# ok, tell me what's "wrong" with prostitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 15, 2002, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859 "2002-11-15T12:43:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/21 "2002-11-15T18:16:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Giraffe \* > \*\*Not to mention the mental image of some of my former teachers showing how to really suck a cock… Egad. \*\* Now now! I didn’t say anything about demonstration being required or having to pass a ‘test’ 😉 I personally learned from documents written on fellatio by gay men (who know both sides of the story) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/22 "2002-11-15T18:49:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jovan \* > \*\* > > Dude, you should pay a visit to Kabukicho, Tokyo, someone had that idea before you. (I believe you can even make internet reservations - at least, that’s what I heard…) \*\* It’s now on my list of things to do in the 21st century - visit Kabukicho, Tokyo. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/23 "2002-11-15T19:01:13Z")
What’s wrong with riding a motorcycle with no helmet? You are, after all, only risking your own safety. What’s wrong with selling your kidney to the highest bidder? It is, after all, your organ. The criminalization of prostitution is justified by the same basic rationale, I think, as the motorcycle helmet laws: it’s society’s place to proect its citizens, even if they don’t always wish to be protected. And to some extent it’s analogous to the laws against trafficing in human organs: we hold certain things, as a society, to be more than mere organic compounds, and human bodies, whther piecemeal or whole, for sale or rent, fall into that category. Prostitution’s ills include potential for disease, potential for coercion, and the fact that other crime seems to follow prostitution. It’s a matter of some debate of how legalization would remove those ills. In Nevada, where certain counties permit legalized prostitution, there is still illegal prostitution. It seems likely that even if there were a legalized version, there would be women unable to compete in the legal arena who would still offer their services, creating a black market. Some of it, then , is a value judgement. And some of it is an implementation of what’s seen as the legitimate role of goverment in society. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/24 "2002-11-15T20:26:38Z")
This [article](http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110002627) argues that prostitution inherently victimizes women. > [@](#): > > In December, authorities in San Diego busted up a prostitution ring after a 15-year-old girl named Reina reported that she’d been lured to America from her village in Mexico with the promise of a good job, only to find herself with teens at a prostitution “camp”; to keep her servicing men, Reina’s captors took her infant daughter from her. In a world where women and children have become human chattel, Reina’s is but one horror story among millions. > > The hope is that by cleaning up our own act America in the 21st century can do to the global sex trade what William Wilberforce’s anti-slavery movement did in the early 19th: wipe it out. And just as people once argued that slavery could be good for people, today we have folks who defend prostitution as an “empowering” career option. I don’t have any facts and figures. It’s plausible that in reality most prostitution may badly victimize women, albeit with some exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/25 "2002-11-15T20:49:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > Gimme a bottle of anything… and a glazed face! To GOOOOOOOOOO! Just wanted to let you know that _someone_ caught the DLR reference. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/26 "2002-11-15T20:52:00Z")
Ah, good. I was getting worried! [btw, did you see your praise thread?] ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/27 "2002-11-15T20:53:19Z")
Que? ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/28 "2002-11-15T21:03:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > In Nevada, where certain counties permit legalized prostitution, there is still illegal prostitution. It seems likely that even if there were a legalized version, there would be women unable to compete in the legal arena who would still offer their services, creating a black market. Well, there is always a potential for a black market in any regulated and/or taxed industry (and that means every industry). There still are moonshiners out there. When taxes and regulation increase the cost, there will be people willing to risk criminal sanction to undercut the market. But because some people create counterfeit replacement parts for jet engines doesn’t mean we outlaw replacement parts or jet engines. As for Nevada, I don’t think we even get to that point. The Nevada rules, which include severe restrictions on advertising, barring brothels from most of the major population centers, and limiting the licenses granted for brothels, severely limit the number of legal prostitutes accessible (as it were) to potential customers. Since the legal market doesn’t come close to meeting the demand, illegal prostitution remains, without pricing coming into play (I would actually expect illegal prostitutes in Nevada to charge more than the legal prostitutes, because of only limited legal competition and the increased risks illegal prostitutes run). Sua ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/29 "2002-11-15T21:04:41Z")
[Hereby Ending The Hijack] Found it. Of course, the dancing girls, the bottle of whiskey, and the suitbase full of money are all gone by now. ☹ [/HETH] ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/30 "2002-11-15T21:06:41Z")
Actually, **december,** the article you linked doesn’t “argue” anything. It _concludes_ that legalized prostitution is bad, without even making an argument to support the conclusion. The only anecdote it provided to “support” its position was an instance of _illegal_ prostitution. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/31 "2002-11-15T21:45:28Z")
Get rid of the pimps. Get rid of the child prostitutes. Get rid of the forced prostitution, drugged up prostitution, diseased prostitutes. But legalize it. Why? There are a number of women out there who are doing nothing more than providing a service for their clients. They aren’t forced into anything. They do it because they like the money, the clients enjoy it, and they enjoy it. Yes, prostitutes can not only enjoy what they do but actually wish to do it over any other profession they could choose. For those people, no one gets harmed. There is no crime. It doesn’t even take place in a brothel or “in your neighborhood.” It’s like a home business! ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/32 "2002-11-15T23:37:28Z")
One thing that has always amazed me is that a woman can fuck a man for money, videotape it, and sell the video, and that’s legal. But if she’s doing the same thing without videotaping it, it’s illegal. Something’s not right there!! The idea of prostitution is a little distasteful to me, but, except in cases like those where young girls are being coerced, it really is a victimless crime. I say, legalize it and make 'em pay taxes! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/33 "2002-11-16T18:20:31Z")
How many here would say these things without the annonimity of an internet message board? I mean who here would walk into their city council meeting and stand up and say ‘legalize prostitution’. Because it seems obvious to me that the majority of us believe that so why in a democracy don’t we have it. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/34 "2002-11-16T22:53:22Z")
**Zebra,** I don’t think a self-selected group of internet junkies provides a valid sample set to draw conclusions about the majority of Americans. As for why it is still criminal, it’s not a “buzz issue.” I’ll go to a city hall meeting and stand up and say “legalize prostitution!” What I will not do, however, is vote for or against a candidate on this issue alone. And I doubt there are many who will. And longstanding taboos don’t get overthrown in this country until they become passionate enough that they encourage single-issue voters. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/35 "2002-11-17T01:05:51Z")
> [@](#): > > And longstanding taboos don’t get overthrown in this country until they become passionate enough that they encourage single-issue voters. Or until the initiative process becomes more widespread. This allows people to vote on single issues rather than only on candidates with broad principles. ---
**Author:** ![djbdjb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@djbdjb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djbdjb)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2002, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859/36 "2002-11-17T02:48:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hamadryad \* > \*\*Well, it’s illegal for me to get $20 from a guy for giving him head. > > It’s perfectly acceptable, though, for me to demand meals, movies, and jewelry. > > So…prostitution is perfectly legal, as long as you work on the barter system, apparently. \*\* [http://www.theonion.com/onion3208/sexforsecurity.html](http://www.theonion.com/onion3208/sexforsecurity.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-tell-me-whats-wrong-with-prostitution/136859.md?page=1)