# What are the chances that prostitution will be legalized within the next 20 to 30 years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885 "2014-11-06T14:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/41 "2014-11-06T21:38:39Z")
> [@IMfez](#): > > I guess a good tangential question then is: what changed in other similar countries that legalized prostitution? And what was the cause of the change? What makes you think it ever needed to be legalized? Prostitution was _restricted_ in France after WWII (brothels closed), for instance. I suspect that in most countries, it simply never was illegal. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/42 "2014-11-06T22:20:01Z")
> [@IMfez](#): > > I guess a good tangential question then is: what changed in other similar countries that legalized prostitution? And what was the cause of the change? > > I believe Australia and New Zealand both have legalized prostitution, and both are part of the 5 eyes so you know they’re similar in many respects to the US culture-wise. “5 eyes” ?? ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/43 "2014-11-06T22:31:53Z")
Funny thing is that many prostitutes and johns in the US seem to oppose legalization. I sort of struggle to see why, but I guess it has something to do with the regulation that will accompany it and how that will limit possibilities or raise prices… or something. But really, on US message boards it often seems the majority seems to prefer the status quo… except for people who have actually been abroad and seen how legal (or tolerated) prostitution can work. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/44 "2014-11-06T22:32:02Z")
The net and apps is already having an influence: > **[More bang for your buck](https://www.economist.com/briefing/2014/08/07/more-bang-for-your-buck)** > > How new technology is shaking up the oldest business With Vegas being impacted by other gambling locations, Clark County might legalize prostitution. However, that could hurt their convention business - so who knows. Maybe Reno would legalize instead, and try to steal some local business from California as well. Once that happens, would we see other places jump on the bandwagon? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/45 "2014-11-06T22:44:56Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > I don’t think prostitution is a liberal or conservative issue. Look at a map of where it’s legal sometime, and you won’t see any clear pattern. Most western nations and latin american nations have legalized it, almost all others ban it. > **[Prostitution by region](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_by_country#mediaviewer/File:Prostitution_laws_of_the_world.PNG)** > > This is an overview of prostitution by region. > Prostitution is illegal in the majority of African countries. HIV/AIDS infection rates are particularly high among African sex workers. > Nevertheless, it is common, driven by the widespread poverty in many sub-Saharan African countries, and is one of the drivers for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Social breakdown and poverty caused by civil war in several African countries has caused further increases in the rate of prostitution in those co... I think legalizing prostitution would get the support of libertarians and liberals who combined make up about 30% of the electorate. So you already have a pretty big base that would favor prostitution. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/46 "2014-11-06T22:46:42Z")
> [@polar\_bear](#): > > Funny thing is that many prostitutes and johns in the US seem to oppose legalization. I sort of struggle to see why, but I guess it has something to do with the regulation that will accompany it and how that will limit possibilities or raise prices… or something. But really, on US message boards it often seems the majority seems to prefer the status quo… except for people who have actually been abroad and seen how legal (or tolerated) prostitution can work. I don’t get that at all. I guess if you are discreet you chances of being caught are low so maybe people aren’t worried about the legal aspect of it, but you still have to factor in issues like disease where in a legal system the women would be tested for STDs more often. Plus the fear of hiring someone and finding out they lied about their age has got to be terrifying for Johns (a woman who is only 17 as example) as the US takes stuff like that very seriously, that would not be an issue in a legalized system. Prices is something I’m confused by too. On the black market in the US prostitutes start as low as $60 (sometimes lower, but $60 is roughly where many low cost ones start), but I think in Nevada where they are legal they run $300. That makes no sense, you’d assume the price structure would be flipped and the black market ones would cost more. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/47 "2014-11-06T23:10:35Z")
I’d think black markets should always be cheaper, until the demand for them was extinguished. Is not the point of black markets to suffice when legal commerce is prevented, or to undercut the legal market where possible? Why would anyone ever pay more to break the law if they didn’t have to. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/48 "2014-11-06T23:40:19Z")
If the legal market were cheaper the black market would fizzle out. There aren’t many black market grocery stores because legal grocery stores are about as cheap as possible. A black market only exists when the legal market is restricted. Maybe you’re thinking about situations with rationing, where legal goods are cheap but rationed, so if you want extra sugar you have to find black market sugar and it costs more? If sugar is scarce in a free market the price would climb. But the government doesn’t want that, so they set the price below market value. But then people will buy up all the sugar at the low price and resell on the black market at the market price. So rationing is imposed, you can only buy so much sugar. But people want more sugar than this, so a black market arises where you can get more sugar, but this time at market prices, plus a premium because it’s illegal. But this only occurs because of the imposed scarcity. In cases like black market cigarettes, the legal cigarettes are more expensive because of sky-high taxes, black market cigarettes are cheaper because they don’t pay the tax and can undercut the legal market. Except you also have to pay a risk premium on the black market cigarettes. If the cost of just paying the tax is lower than the risk premium then there won’t be a black market in cigarettes, just like there is no black market in sugar today, but there was during WWII. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/49 "2014-11-07T01:33:30Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Apparently Puerto Rico is considering legalizing it (which doesn’t really surprise me, it’s legal everywhere in Latin America). Not quite accurate. There is a push to adopt a less-punitive Penal Code and remove a lot of the more stringent penalties and old-time carryovers, including regarding prostitution, but going all the way to legalization of prostitution has not been announced as the intent by any of the reform sponsors. I’d be all for decriminalization, and as things stand in most of our jurisdictions it would be great progress to even get to the point the sex workers are at least protected from assaults and crimes against their persons as is everyone’s right. Pimping, OTOH, has to be clamped down upon hard upon legalization. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/50 "2014-11-07T09:57:15Z")
The big reason for the high prices at the Nevada brothels is that the system is that all the licensing and testing are done through the brothels themselves and so the women’s right to work is basically tied to the brothel owner. That means the owners have a ton of leverage and take a huge cut. The Nevada system is a great example of how NOT to create a legalization scheme that protects the rights of women. > [@Lemur866](#): > > So there are no state laws against prostitution in Nevada, but there are local laws, which is why prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas, if you want to visit a legal brothel you have to drive out into the desert. Exceedingly minor nitpick, but the restriction of prostitution in high-population counties (basically Reno and Vegas) isn’t a local law, it’s written into the state law. If Vegas or Reno wanted legalized prostitution they’d have to get the state to change it. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2014, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/51 "2014-11-07T12:30:12Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > “5 eyes” ?? The United Kingdom – United States of America Agreement (UKUSA) is a multilateral agreement for cooperation in signals intelligence between the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The alliance of intelligence operations is also known as Five Eyes.[ From [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UKUSA_Agreement). ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/52 "2014-11-11T08:56:33Z")
> [@polar\_bear](#): > > Funny thing is that many prostitutes and johns in the US seem to oppose legalization. I sort of struggle to see why, but I guess it has something to do with the regulation that will accompany it and how that will limit possibilities or raise prices… or something. Prostitution is legal in Denmark, but now the prostitutes are hounded by the tax department, which in many regards have more sweeping powers than the police. For one, they don’t need a search warrant to enter your premisses and search and even confiscate your equipment. ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/53 "2014-11-11T09:12:46Z")
> [@IMfez](#): > > I don’t really have much interest in today’s current social hot button issues like marijuana and gay marriage. But from memorable experiences during my travels abroad, I will admit that having legalized prostitution back home would be pretty cool. I used to think that too but then I wondered if it really would be pretty cool. Sex is great when getting it is in question. But when you can get it anytime you want it, however you want it, and always close by, I’d imagine it would eventually lose some of its appeal. The appeal of visiting brothels over seas is because it’s a scandalous novelty that can only be experienced when spending lots of money and traveling vast distances to an exotic new locale. From your post I’m assuming you’re more focused on the benefit legalized prostitution would have for you (in this particular instance), than the prostitutes. So what’s stopping you from going to backpage or going to an escort agency? ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/54 "2014-11-11T09:24:43Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > So maybe that’s how it should be - keep it legally available, but push it far away from those who don’t want to see it in their town. Those who want it can still get it. I’ve thought about that too. Maybe that’s a fare and reasonable compromise and it works to keep the prices high. > [@clairobscur](#): > > Customers are exploiting those women and should be sentenced. Prostitutes are victims and shouldn’t. That’s all there is to it. Both the johns and the prostitutes are exploiting each other. The john is taking exploiting the prostitute’s necessity or greed for money by turning an intimate act into something degrading. The prostitute is exploiting the john’s desperation for sex or companionship by charging him for something that should be free between two people who feel the same way about each other. Not to mention that their both risking the health of the other. If a person is forced against their will to be a prostitute, then yes, they are a victim. But if they choose to work as a prostitute just because they want to make easy money when they don’t have to, I don’t see them being victims. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/55 "2014-11-11T09:49:55Z")
> [@IMfez](#): > > I guess a good tangential question then is: what changed in other similar countries that legalized prostitution? And what was the cause of the change? > > I believe Australia and New Zealand both have legalized prostitution, and both are part of the 5 eyes so you know they’re similar in many respects to the US culture-wise. Yes prostitution is legal in NZ, with some pretty good protections for the ladies. But my main question … What the heck is “5 eyes”? ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/56 "2014-11-11T09:52:18Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Prostitution is legal in Denmark, but now the prostitutes are hounded by the tax department, which in many regards have more sweeping powers than the police. For one, they don’t need a search warrant to enter your premisses and search and even confiscate your equipment. I’d like to see them confiscate a prostitutes “equipment” ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/57 "2014-11-11T09:56:40Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I don’t get that at all. I guess if you are discreet you chances of being caught are low so maybe people aren’t worried about the legal aspect of it, but you still have to factor in issues like disease where in a legal system the women would be tested for STDs more often. Plus the fear of hiring someone and finding out they lied about their age has got to be terrifying for Johns (a woman who is only 17 as example) as the US takes stuff like that very seriously, that would not be an issue in a legalized system. We’ve got a rather large ongoing case here right now where around 60 Johns have been charged for sex with a 17 year old prostitute (sex is legal at 16, but paid sex must be 18) She lied about her age to all of the men. So far, all have been found guilty, except for one as they couldn’t prove sex took place ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/58 "2014-11-11T15:57:07Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > We’ve got a rather large ongoing case here right now where around 60 Johns have been charged for sex with a 17 year old prostitute (sex is legal at 16, but paid sex must be 18) > > She lied about her age to all of the men. > > So far, all have been found guilty, except for one as they couldn’t prove sex took place Silvio Berlusconi ran into exactly the same legal problem. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Mr.Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/59 "2014-11-13T00:32:01Z")
Just in Nevada. The thing is, is that its been a part of our worlds history for hundreds of years. In fact during the American Revolution prostitutes followed the army around to “service” the men, it kept morale high. The only people who didn’t like it was the leadership of these armies, they didn’t like level of STDs being spread, but that was due to no regulation and the lack of medical testing knowledge. So now that we can easily test for STDs and the ability to acquire plenty of birth control aids. It should not take that long. As a few of you have said it a touchy subject for politicians. If the Bunny Ranch in Nevada can do it, then it can’t be too hard. The girls have complete control over what they do. If a girl doesn’t like something then they do do it. As for the whole money thing, the only reason why it would seem that it wouldn’t make any money is because its only legal in one state, but how many states is there prostitution? ALL of them. Make it legal and see the difference. It’s one of many thing that makes the government more money illegal than legal. Just another way that proves that the government greedy, I bet if we were not in debt a lot of laws would change. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885/60 "2014-11-13T01:13:37Z")
Some have mentioned that feminists would never allow it, but legalized prostitution is the most divisive trainwreck topic I’ve seen in feminist discussion. Some are all for it to protect the workers, others think that would be a betrayal. The antis do find themselves with some peculiar bedfellows when they ally with the religious right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-that-prostitution-will-be-legalized-within-the-next-20-to-30-years/703885.md?page=4)