# Prostitution Column **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 18, 2008, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943 "2008-07-18T11:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/1 "2008-07-18T11:16:36Z")
[Prostitution: Is the woman committing the crime by selling herself or is the man committing the crime by paying for the service?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/080718.html) “In fact, some laws were written so _narrowly_ that even male prostitutes were off the hook.” One might even say “anally”… ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/2 "2008-07-18T11:37:59Z")
[QUOTE=Steve MB] [Prostitution: Is the woman committing the crime by selling herself or is the man committing the crime by paying for the service?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/080718.html) “In fact, some laws were written so _narrowly_ that even male prostitutes were off the hook.” One might even say “anally”… [/QUOTE] Except that “narrowly” makes sense. “Anally” has a different meaning, and is slang. Or are you making a clever, clever joke based on the supposition that male prostitution (to other males) is likely to involve anal intercourse? ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/3 "2008-07-18T16:38:35Z")
I just want to applaud Cecil for his bold final statement: “…what I’d consider the reasonable position on such matters — namely that what consenting adults do, regardless of financial considerations and assuming they don’t blight the neighborhood or disturb the peace when doing it, is really no business of the state”. I agree. And before you say it, I don’t have an axe to grind here. I neither buy, sell nor manage. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/4 "2008-07-18T19:13:09Z")
Pretty good column. Surprised not to see any mention of Nevada’s experience with legalized prostitution. Would that really be doable across more - or all - of the country? ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/5 "2008-07-20T07:04:09Z")
I do not believe that anyone is breaking any moral law by committing acts of prostitution (either buying or selling.) There are biblical references about prostitution, and there are historical references where prostitutes have behaved heroically. As far as the law is concerned, we can pass laws for or against any behavior. Perhaps prostitution ought to be taxed, like cigarettes and booze. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/6 "2008-07-20T18:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=Ficer67] …there are historical references where prostitutes have behaved heroically… [/QUOTE] Oh, do tell! Please! :: settles into comfy chair for a story :: ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/7 "2008-07-20T20:16:30Z")
[QUOTE=Ficer67] As far as the law is concerned, we can pass laws for or against any behavior. Perhaps prostitution ought to be taxed, like cigarettes and booze. [/QUOTE] In countries where it is legal, prostitute’s income is generally taxed. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/8 "2008-07-20T22:32:01Z")
[QUOTE=clairobscur] In countries where it is legal, prostitute’s income is generally taxed. [/QUOTE] But do you mean that there is an _ad-hoc_ prostitution tax, or simply that law-abiding prostitutes of such jurisdictions pay such taxes as are due upon other citizens? ---
**Author:** ![ShabbatAnt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@ShabbatAnt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShabbatAnt)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/9 "2008-07-21T05:36:00Z")
Certainly a story, “sad but true”… the woman’s at fault and the man’s let off the hook. Can’t help but reflect on the story – 2,000 years old!!! – of the woman taken “in the act of adultery” and thrown at the feet of Jesus for Him to condemn and the crowd to execute by stoning. [Story’s in Gospel of John, 8] For two millennia, few people paid any attention to the fact that this village prostitute (?) who was taken “in the act” was brought for public judgment by herself (alone) – somehow the man wasn’t thrown down publicly in the streets as well… though some have wondered if he might not have been in the crowd, ready to stone her as well as the rest… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/10 "2008-07-21T06:08:57Z")
[QUOTE=Mijin] I just want to applaud Cecil for his bold final statement: “…what I’d consider the reasonable position on such matters — namely that what consenting adults do, regardless of financial considerations and assuming they don’t blight the neighborhood or disturb the peace when doing it, is really no business of the state”. [/QUOTE] There’s another reasonable position which would encompass public health and worker’s safety considerations. But that’s still at variance with the status quo. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/11 "2008-07-21T15:09:50Z")
Actually, to be charged with adultery under Jewish law, she must have been an unfaithful wife. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/12 "2008-07-21T15:19:22Z")
[QUOTE=ShabbatAnt] Certainly a story, “sad but true”… the woman’s at fault and the man’s let off the hook. Can’t help but reflect on the story – 2,000 years old!!! – of the woman taken “in the act of adultery” and thrown at the feet of Jesus for Him to condemn and the crowd to execute by stoning. [Story’s in Gospel of John, 8] For two millennia, few people paid any attention to the fact that this village prostitute (?) who was taken “in the act” was brought for public judgment by herself (alone) – somehow the man wasn’t thrown down publicly in the streets as well… though some have wondered if he might not have been in the crowd, ready to stone her as well as the rest… :smack: [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=John W. Kennedy] Actually, to be charged with adultery under Jewish law, she must have been an unfaithful wife. [/QUOTE] I merged the thread containing these two posts with this one. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![MTGY\_MONGOOSE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc79bd/32.png) [@MTGY\_MONGOOSE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTGY_MONGOOSE)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prostitution-column/456943/13 "2008-07-24T15:49:46Z")
Dear ALL, Ref: Prostitution Liabilities… One thing ABSENT concerning this article was the admonition of practicing SAFE SEX! If a person is NOT going to be monogamous, then they had better know their sexual partner(s) VERY WELL. Regards, MTGY MONGOOSE