# Prostituition your stance? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370 "2009-10-27T23:38:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/21 "2009-10-28T05:42:10Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > This is assuming all the acts of prostitution is between adults and no one is being forced to do anything. Define ‘force.’ In an ideal world, every prostitute would be a healthy and happy nympho working independently and safely with gorgeous, charming clients. But to pretend that the vast majority don’t resort to prostitution out of poverty, addiction and abuse is somewhat unrealistic, and I doubt that would change with laws. The main benefits of legalizing prostitution would be, IMHO, making prostitutes who have been raped or abused less afraid to go to the police, but that of course would also require an attitude shift among law enforcement and the general public, the same sort of shift that would also make them appalled when, say, sex workers are being murdered by serial killers. Legalization might help that, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/22 "2009-10-28T05:43:12Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Also, I think prostituition is one of the best typos ever. You know, it’s going to be your fault when Cosmo runs a story on college students turning tricks under that headline. You just coined the new ‘recessionista.’ ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/23 "2009-10-28T06:43:43Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > You’re more likely to see a sex slave with prostitution being illegal than you are with it being legal. This is factually incorrect. In every country which has legalized prostitution (barring perhaps New Zealand, for which there isn’t reliable information), the amount of sex trafficking multiplied. The total number of women working illegally (i.e. not paying taxes, not submitting to regulation, etc.) increases by roughly double, the excess mostly coming from Russia, the Philippines, etc. If the US legalized prostitution, I would expect that Mexican women would most likely start being brought in to work illegally. This is based on real world data, not assumption. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/24 "2009-10-28T06:44:57Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t have a cite but think about it logically. Say I am opposed to slavery but not to prostitution. I know you’re an American, and I can procure sex from you legally for money. As I know you’re an American on the up and up, what is the incentive to go to the shady place with the Mexican girls who can’t speak English? 1. You can do whatever you want with them 2. They are cheaper ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/25 "2009-10-28T07:02:13Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > But to pretend that the vast majority don’t resort to prostitution out of poverty, I resort to work to avoid poverty, too. I can honestly say I don’t like working, so how’s it different? ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/26 "2009-10-28T07:04:07Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > This is factually incorrect. In every country which has legalized prostitution (barring perhaps New Zealand, for which there isn’t reliable information), the amount of sex trafficking multiplied. So, as noted earlier, address trafficking as a separate issue. Why penalize those that don’t engage in it? ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/27 "2009-10-28T07:09:16Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Doh I left out prostitution with no regulation. So as to avoid unintentional conveyance of offense toward our community’s outspoken contingent against the use of the discussion board shorthand “This” as a response suitable in its entirety to communicate the notion of total agreement with the above-quoted passage in intent, phrasing, and corresponding ideas, I have constructed this awkward, artificially elaborate sentence to convey precisely the same notion, in the hopes that those whose sensibilities preclude recourse to such brevities might deem my submission worthwhile. Also, I answered the poll before reading the thread, so I’m one of the (currently) five “You left out \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” responses. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/28 "2009-10-28T07:19:17Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > But you’re assuming an ideal world. Out here in reality, human trafficking is pretty rampant. Why is it assuming an ideal world? Prostitution is legal and quite regulated in Nevada. There has to be licensing, testing, etc. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/29 "2009-10-28T07:53:15Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Why is it assuming an ideal world? Prostitution is legal and quite regulated in Nevada. There has to be licensing, testing, etc. True. However, it is only legal in certain, sparsely populated counties - for instance, it is NOT legal in Clark County (greater Las Vegas metropolitan area). Not that there is a lack of prostitutes in Las Vegas, but it is not officially legal here. The closest legal brothels are about 45 minutes drive from The Strip. I go into the subject a bit more in depth on my website, if anyone cares to read further. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/30 "2009-10-28T07:56:51Z")
BTW, I screwed up the poll results; I thought the first one was “Prostitution should be legal.” and clicked it. Only after the fact did I notice the word was “illegal”. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/31 "2009-10-28T07:58:06Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > True. However, it is only legal in certain, sparsely populated counties - for instance, it is NOT legal in Clark County (greater Las Vegas metropolitan area). Not that there is a lack of prostitutes in Las Vegas, but it is not officially legal here. The closest legal brothels are about 45 minutes drive from The Strip. > > I go into the subject a bit more in depth on my website, if anyone cares to read further. Yep, already know. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/32 "2009-10-28T09:00:07Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > This is factually incorrect. In every country which has legalized prostitution (barring perhaps New Zealand, for which there isn’t reliable information), the amount of sex trafficking multiplied. There isn’t reliable information for the amount of sex trafficking in _any_ country. It’s inherently impossible to accurately measure - and that might be more the case where prostitution itself is illegal (and thereby driven underground) than where it isn’t. And if you want to talk about unreliable information, look at some of the statistics used by abolitionists. For example, advocates of the Swedish system of criminalising demand regularly cite “15,000 women trafficked annually to Finland” (where prostitution is legal). That number seems to come from an Interpol report which stated that up to 15,000 foreign prostitutes “visit Finland” annually! Similarly, I’ve seen a report by a Swedish abolitionist which describes Denmark as having a high trafficking rate based on the number of ethnic minority (not even necessarily _migrant_) prostitutes working there. At best you have to conclude that in the eyes of these people, trans-national prostitution and trafficking are exactly the same thing, which they aren’t. At worst they’re simply lying. Oh, my vote is for decriminalisation. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/33 "2009-10-28T09:31:56Z")
So is the way we regulate beer and cigarettes _some_ regulation or _heavy_ regulation? Poll is too subjective. Anyway, I’m for a safe clean environment where one could buy sexual favors. ---
**Author:** ![Livardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/34 "2009-10-28T12:28:34Z")
“Prostitution should be legal with some type of regulation” is at 69 votes right now Giggity. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/35 "2009-10-28T14:07:57Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > Define ‘force.’ In an ideal world, every prostitute would be a healthy and happy nympho working independently and safely with gorgeous, charming clients. But to pretend that the vast majority don’t resort to prostitution out of poverty, addiction and abuse is somewhat unrealistic, and I doubt that would change with laws. The main benefits of legalizing prostitution would be, IMHO, making prostitutes who have been raped or abused less afraid to go to the police, but that of course would also require an attitude shift among law enforcement and the general public, the same sort of shift that would also make them appalled when, say, sex workers are being murdered by serial killers. Legalization might help that, I don’t know. What doesn’t make sense about the illegality of prostitution is the way it punishes people for desperation. The clients are desperate for sex and the prostitute is desperate for money. How does forcing someone who is in poverty with no better way to make money to refrain from an available option help her situation? Legal or not she’s still in desperate poverty, you’ve just removed a potential money making venture for her. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/36 "2009-10-28T15:34:01Z")
Make it legal, regulate it, and tax the hell out of it. Sin taxes are fun. (As a former smoker, I know first hand how much money they can make out of sin taxes.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/37 "2009-10-28T15:53:05Z")
You left out\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ as a possible answer I believe that whatever one or more adults choose to do, as long as everyone is a willing participant, should be nobodies bidness. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/38 "2009-10-28T16:01:08Z")
> [@Roland\_Orzabal](#): > > So as to avoid unintentional conveyance of offense toward our community’s outspoken contingent against the use of the discussion board shorthand “This” as a response suitable in its entirety to communicate the notion of total agreement with the above-quoted passage in intent, phrasing, and corresponding ideas, I have constructed this awkward, artificially elaborate sentence to convey precisely the same notion, in the hopes that those whose sensibilities preclude recourse to such brevities might deem my submission worthwhile. > > Also, I answered the poll before reading the thread, so I’m one of the (currently) five “You left out \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” responses. Your welcome to start your own poll. Though I see value in not doing so and speaking ill of someone who has made a poll badly and admitted doing so:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/39 "2009-10-28T17:53:59Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > What doesn’t make sense about the illegality of prostitution is the way it punishes people for desperation. The clients are desperate for sex and the prostitute is desperate for money. How does forcing someone who is in poverty with no better way to make money to refrain from an available option help her situation? Legal or not she’s still in desperate poverty, you’ve just removed a potential money making venture for her. But couldn’t the same be said of, say, selling a kidney? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370/40 "2009-10-28T18:03:16Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > But couldn’t the same be said of, say, selling a kidney? Yes, I suppose it could. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostituition-your-stance/515370.md?page=3)