Should America legalize prostitution?

Question

If prostitution is the consensual exchange of goods and services between two consenting adults why is it then illegal? Nobody is directly being hurt by this lifestyle choice. It is obvious this practice can be done relatively safely and may help many men to release tension that might other wise come out in much more destructive ways, i.e. rape, murder, physical battery. Obviously pimping should be illegal but if a woman can kill her own child in the womb it is by its own logic absurd that she can not chose who to have sex with or not, even if it is for money. I personally find abortion much more offensive than prostitution. At least in prostitution the individuals are potential consenting and nobody ends up getting murdered in the end. And even if you don’t agree with it personally doesn’t it make sense to allow people to do things you might not like. This is how we as humans truly learn, from experience. In my opinion most things should be legal unless it will directly cause the infringement of rights upon another individual, i.e. such as rape, murder, robbery, kidnapping, battery, etc. This is blatantly obvious. America need to stop micromanaging and allow people the freedom they tout as its mantra.

The Godfather, actually it is not legal in Las Vegas but there is an area outside of Vegas that is. This is expensive and out of the way avenue for the vast majority of men to even consider. This is not a good example of the over all legality of prostitution in America.

Valentina, actually when things are illegal it ups the price and the gangs get way more competative. Europe in general has a much much lower crime rate than America and it legal in many countries over there such as Germany, Britian, Netherlands, etc.

notyou311, insultive assumptions are not very nice.

cheech11681, great idea, maybe we can finally get this country out of debt, and then some.

LizViolin/Ba..., there is a big BIG difference between prostitution and sexual slavery. They can easily be mutually exclusive. In countries like Brazil women are free to prostitute but are not free to do porn or have pimps.

LizViolin/Ba..., by the way it is much much easier for a semi attractive woman to have sex than your average man. Sex is not always readily available to the willing man. I would be careful as to how you judge. You might actually come back as a man in you next life. Won't that be karmic justice?

sgoldperson, exactly, and if we are free to worship as we please, with some religions being morally offensive to others, then how can this country regulate morality that does not directly interfere with another’s physical rights?

Ashley, as a matter of fact I do think many non-airborn drugs should be regulated, even for recreational use. And before anyone else assumes, making an *** out of you and me, no I do not take drugs, if fact I am a big health nut if you want to know the truth.

dragenfli254, according to the bible it is a "sin" to worship any other god. The punishment for this "sin" is to be taken to the edge of town and stoned to death. Do you really want to return to a theocracy? I don't and will die trying to fight such a thing. Careful where you point that righteous anger of yours.

Christopher J, personally I find the idea of having sex with a prostitute vastly more appealing than with a urinal. I don't know, maybe I'm crazy but that's just me.

Bruce B, thanks for the insults. I think you are a swell guy yourself. How about a mature dialog sometime? I'm big enough. Are you?

You know what amazes me about America? We can talk about even terrorism and blowing people up, including innocent women and children, and we will not freak out half as bad as we do when we talk about sex. We allow our children to watch violence that is ten times worse than pornography and many will barely bat and eye. We really got our moral priorities all screwed up. I pray for gods help for as much depravity that can be pointed at there almost as many white washed tombs hiding in the wings, being the barer of those fingers.

kill_yr_tele..., I thought we were talking about prostitution not abortion. I only used it as an example. If you'd like we could debate it on another question. But for now we can both agree to the regulation of prostitution.

thale138, I can see the legalization of drugs being similar to the issue of legalized prostitution but you lost me in Iraq.

JSKingston, very well put. What the others are thinking is not thinking, but merely the dogma of the bible says blah blah blah therefore... That is not an argument merely a recitation.

Maximus, I believe anyone should be able to do this profession if they chose not just specified individuals. But if what you mean by specified individuals being those with a certified clean bill of heath, then I agree.

ME, feeling a bit judgmentally stern today?

Answer 1

Prostituion is by DEFINITION a victimless crime, inasmuch as the prostitute voluntarily enters a contract of sorts. The others posting here about how lousy or risky they think the deal is for the prostitute miss the point -- LOTS of jobs are risky or lousy (i.e., cab driver working overnight in a bad neighborhood), but in America at least, we don't outlaw them, because (drum roll): PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN CHOICES.

If it were up to me, prostitution would be legal, regulated and taxed to mitigate the risks to all involved and get criminals and gangs out of the business. Remember, prohibition of alcohol in the US VIRTUALLY CREATED organized crime here. Legalize the vice and regulate it, and criminals get the boot.

I cannot imagine what others are thinking when they say legalization will increase STDs. Absent regulation, it is a free-for-all -- Russian Roulette. Legal and regulated, customers would be nuts to go to any but a certified girl.

Answer 2

Is that a question or are you just debating with no one why you think it should be legalized? You should do more research before you start complaining about how it's wrong that prostitution is illegal in the United States. Prostitution IS legal in some parts of Nevada. However, your argument fails with the slippery slope fallacy. There are victimless crimes all the time. By your own logic, drugs should be legal, because "nobody is directly being hurt by this lifestyle choice".

Answer 3

i hvent heard any decent arguments against it here, just religious buttinskies parroting dogma they dont think about, some of it from child molesting pervert priests.. It works in other countries, there isnt such a stigma about it, in fact in turkey it is a legitamite way to work off debts, in germany the prostitution districts rent the rooms to the girls and im sure they tax that rent. In thailand and asian countries the bar girls pick up the guys the want, its a little more iffy there cause they will go back with you to your hotel, but i think most of the legit ones are checked out medically. so sure, why not legalize it, well cause it isnt legal right now, which in bush's eyes makes it wrong, and would seem like giving in if legalized, that is the same reason drugs arent legal, and the same reason we are spending billions in iraq.

Answer 4

IMPO, any activity performed by consenting adults in privacy which does not infringe on the rights of others is clearly NOT a criminal activity. However, I believe it is an appropriate function of government to REGULATE commercial activity.

However I find your arguments ingenuous. Lack of sexual a partner is not a causation for "rape, murder, physical battery" in any way. And your assumption that a fetus is "a child" with a right to exist is exactly that -- an assumption. Arguments in support of that assumption are no more compelling than the arguments of PETA that cows and chickens have such rights. These arguments are based on presence of heartbeat or ability to feel pain and such, but WHO SAYS that these things constitute personhood or possession of rights? So ultimately the argument is based on "This is true because I feel very strongly in my heart that it must be true" -- in short, on faith.

Until someone comes forth with some non-faith based support for BOTH the notion that a fetus is a person AND that the right of this person to exist supersedes the right of an adult to control his or her own body, I will continue to oppose government interference in a woman choosing whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy.

Answer 5

I don't even know what kind of person would have sex with a prostitute. It is like having sex with a urinal. Serious mental problems.

Personally I could care less about prostitution, as long it is kept out of public view. The last think we need is those peddlers on the Strip in Las Vegas trying to hand out flyers EVERYWHERE!!! Or hookers on every street corner. Show a little class people.

Answer 6

Prostitution should _never_ be legalized because it seriously harms the quality of life everywhere. If legalized, we'll have a spike in crime such as rape, murder, violent acts against them, drug, criminal activity, etc. And not to mention the spread of STD's is also common. For the reasons above, we need to keep this illegal for health and safety concerns. Sure it's legal in some parts of Europe where the criminal rates are lower due to its legalization there. Here, it's a different story. Look at the inner-city ghettos and other run-down sections of a large North American city. You note that despite the legal ramifications of this, prostitution has flourished openly there. That's where most of them end up brutally beaten to death or killed in another way. Is this the type of environment we want to raise our kids in? The quality of life in those places I mentioned moments ago are like that and will worsen for as long as prostitution flourishes there. However, the only places in this country where prostitution is legal are in Nevada (where it's heavily regulated) and Rhode Island (certain acts of prostitution are illegal). Prostitution is also legal in parts of Australia (states of Victoria and Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory) and Switzerland; they are also subject to heavy regulation.

Answer 7

I think it should be stay illegal and those who visit prostitutes should be labeled as sex offenders. People say its all about personal freedom and a choice of mature adults but if you go to lets say amsterdam where its tolerated, you have drug dealers, muggers, scam artists all over the place. So you can have the prostitute unions and tests and tax them, but it still attracts criminals to hang out in those areas where prostitutes frequent.

Answer 8

It should be legal. The prostitutes could be required to have health certifications. This would reduce some infections and perhaps deaths. It's been around since the days of Adam and Eve its time to make it legal. Our government is legislating morality and forcing bibical beliefs and religeon upon us.

Answer 9

You stupid long winded bast@rd. It isn't a victimless crime. Most of the prostitutes hate themselves and the pimps use them and then throw them away. It is about the most unsafe profession (using that term loosely) know to mankind. No safety net, no retirement, no health insurance. My Goodness. YOU KNOW THAT. Ohh sure there are a few "escorts" out there who are making it, but they are going to get old. And here's a great exercise for you: Get on the net and research the average lifespane of a hooker. It's sick. And believe it or not, whores get pregnant. and have children. Ohh what a great world to be raised in.

FU(k man....you aren't that stupid to ask that question. YOu just can't be.

Answer 10

Why not check on the crime reports of the areas of Nevada where it is legal. If they don't have any extra problems then why not legalize and regulate it? It is a MORALITY law and we don't seem to allow them anymore so why not sue and say it that laws against prostitution are unconstitutional.